UCLA scientists store materials in cells' natural vaults

Scientists at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA have exploited thousands of tiny capsules in cells to store vast amounts of biomaterial. Dubbed vaults – for their high arches reminiscent of cathedral ceilings – these naturally occurring capsules may prove less likely to elicit an immune response than foreign carriers like viruses.

The UCLA discovery will enable many potential applications, including:

-- Therapeutic delivery, such as homing cancer drugs directly to a tumor cell without harming healthy tissue
-- Enzyme delivery to replace missing or defective enzymes, such as those that cause Tay Sachs disease
-- DNA delivery to correct genetic mutations
-- Timed release of drugs, enzymes and DNA
-- Extracting and imprisoning cellular toxins into the vault
-- Stabilizing proteins in vaults to increase their lifespans

Publication: The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
http://www.pnas.or … 0500929102v1

Source: University of California - Los Angeles