Let's do the twist: Spiral proteins are efficient gene delivery agents
Friday, December 16, 2011 - 14:30
in Biology & Nature
Clinical gene therapy may be one step closer, thanks to a new twist on an old class of molecules. Researchers have demonstrated that short spiral-shaped proteins can efficiently deliver DNA segments to cells, with well-controlled toxicity. Their helical polypeptides far exceeded random-coil polypeptide and even outstripped commercial agents in efficiency, even on some of the hardest cells to transfect: stem cells and fibroblast cells.