title: DNA interpolyelectrolyte complexes as a tool for efficient cell transformation.
abstract: A tool was developed for enhancement of plasmid penetration into an intact cell, based on increasing DNA hydrophobicity via inclusion into a soluble interpolyelectrolyte complex (IPC) with polycations. The characteristics of formation of DNA IPC with synthetic polycations [poly(N-ethyl-4-vinylpyridinium)bromide (PVP) and PVP modified with 3% of N-cetyl-4-vinylpyridinium units (PVP-C)] were studied using ultracentrifugation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis methods. The conditions were established under which the mixing of DNA and polycation aqueous solutions results in the self-assembly of soluble IPC species. Incorporation of DNA into IPC results in the enhancement of DNA binding with isolated Bacillus subtilis membranes. A considerable increase in the efficiency of transformation of B. subtilis cells with pBC16 plasmid resulted from incorporation of the plasmid into the IPC with PVP and CVP.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics, USSR Ministry of Health, Moscow.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kabanov
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Astafyeva
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chikindas
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Rosenblat
authors.forename: V I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Kiselev
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Severin
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Kabanov
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000187:drug effects*; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011145:Polyvinyls; C027968:poly-4-vinyl-N-ethylpyridine