Gene transfer using purified retroviral integrase.

We present a new method of gene transfer into cultured cells using a purified retroviral integrase protein with liposomes. The acceleration rate of transfection by the integrase was increased by a few to ten times. The integrase target sequence containing the 3' end of LTR on the introduced plasmid was necessary for the acceleration, and the orientation of this sequence determined the level of acceleration activity. The analyses of the chromosomal DNAs of each transfectant demonstrated the integration of the introduced plasmid DNA within the integrase-target sequence.