Towards synthetic viruses

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’.