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Updated: Oct 26, 2026

Single-Molecule Imaging of Nuclear Transport
Published on: June 9, 2010
Coupling of nuclear localization signals to plasmid DNA and specific interaction of the conjugates with importin
1UMR 133 CNRS/Rhône-Poulenc Rorer and Rhône-Poulenc Rorer Gencell, Centre de Recherche de Vitry Alfortville, B.P.14, 13 quai Jules Guesde, 94403 Vitry-sur-Seine Cedex, France.
Abstract:
The nuclear localization signal (NLS) of the SV40 large T antigen efficiently induces nuclear targeting of proteins. We have developed a chemical strategy for covalent coupling of NLS peptides to plasmid DNA. A p-azido-tetrafluoro-benzyl-NLS peptide conjugate was synthesized. This conjugate was used to covalently associate NLS peptides to plasmid DNA by photoactivation. Reporter gene was expressed after transfection of the plasmid-NLS conjugates in NIH 3T3 cells. The conjugates interacted specifically with the NLS-receptor importin alpha, but plasmid-NLS conjugates were not detected in the nucleus, by fluorescence microscopy, after cytoplasmic microinjection.
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