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Abstract

A macromolecular delivery method that utilizes a series of peptides with unique and versatile nuclear targeting properties has been developed, where the peptides are derived from the COOH terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II and include heptapeptide units similar or identical to the following consensus sequence: Tyrosine--Serine--Proline--Threonine--Serine--Proline--Serine (YSPTSPS).sub.x (SEQ ID NO. 1). When expressed in vivo, the CTD peptides are phosphorylated and they accumulate in discrete compartments within the nucleus. The CTD peptides concentrate indicator molecules in discrete subnuclear compartments where pre-mRNA molecules are synthesized and spliced. The length and composition of the CTD peptides can be manipulated to obtain different intranuclear partitioning properties. The CTD peptides are functional in the nuclei of S. cerevisiae, S. pombe, nematodes, insects, plants, and all vertebrates. Since the CTD peptides accumulate precisely in discrete sites inhabited by RNA polymerase II and the spliceosomes, they should be useful in genetic therapy technologies.

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First Claim