title: Towards synthetic viruses.
abstract: Gene delivery is too complex to be performed with a single carrier molecule. Synthetic multicomponent vectors are being designed that mimic key properties of viruses. Some solutions, such as diverting cell-anchoring molecules or the endogenous nuclear import machinery from their normal function, are directly copied from bacteria and viruses. Some other solutions are original ones: monomolecular genome condensation via detergent dimerization or endosome disruption by the proton sponge effect are not exploited by natural cell invaders. All these components, however, still have to be assembled into a unique supramolecular system, an 'artificial virus'.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie Génétique associé C.N.R.S. & Université Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 67401 Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zuber
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dauty
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nothisen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Belguise
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Behr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005813:Genes, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014780:Viruses / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins