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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jul 7.
Published in final edited form as: Gene Ther. 2010 Mar 4;17(4):439–447. doi: 10.1038/gt.2010.31

Figure 2.

Figure 2

Protein-mediated plasmid nuclear import. Transcription factors and other nuclear proteins normally enter the nucleus through interactions between their NLSs and importin family members. However, if plasmids containing certain sequences that act as scaffolds for transcription factors and other DNA binding proteins (termed ‘DTS’, or DNA nuclear targeting sequences) are deposited into the cytoplasm during transfection, they can form complexes with these proteins, thereby attaching NLSs to the DNA. Some, but not all, of these NLSs may be in a conformation able to interact with importins for transport of the DNA–protein complex into the nucleus through the nuclear pore complex.