Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Copernicus Therapeutics, both in Cleveland, Ohio, have developed a way to pack DNA into particles 25 nanometres across, small enough to enter the nuclear pores.
It's cool that worked. I'm not sure I'd call them nanoparticles myself ... I initially had the image of some sort of buckyball with DNA in it. Just associating DNA with positively charged peptides to reduce the charge of the particle isn't that fancy.
I wonder why they are able to efficiently get across the cell membrane though. Then again maybe it isn't efficient. Otherwise you would think some viruses would take advantage of it.
I also would think that maybe the immune system will start reacting against the peptides. It's the protein in viruses that's typically recognized by the immune system. Of course if all that is required is positively charge they can use a lot of different sequences, but I would think this might be a good way to develop a persons allergies against relatively inert positive sequences.
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