Abstract: Disclosed is a gene carrier composed of a hydrogen-bonding polymer having a polymer chain with hydrogen-bonding sites formed on the polymer chain, in which the polymer chain has a conformation similar to the conformation of a nucleic acid, and particularly, the polymer chain has helix parameters similar to the helix parameters of a nucleic acid of a helix structure. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrogen-bonding polymer is composed of &bgr;-1,3-glucan such as schizophyllan. The carrier can be expected to be applied as a vector and a separator for nucleic acids because it is capable of interacting with a nucleic acid to form a complex with the nucleic acid and thus carrying the nucleic acid.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 19, 2003
Publication date:
November 20, 2003
Applicants:
TAITO CO. LTD, a Japanese corporation, JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, a Japanese corporation