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Rational Vector Design for Efficient Non-viral Gene Delivery: Challenges Facing the Use of Plasmid DNA

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Abstract

Although non-viral gene delivery is a very straightforward technology, there are currently no FDA-approved gene medicinal products available. Therefore, improving potency, safety, and efficiency of current plasmid DNA vectors will be a major task for the near future. This article will provide an overview on factors influencing production yield and quality as well as safety issues that emerge from the vector design itself. Special focus will be on generating bacterial pDNA vectors by circumventing the use of antibiotic resistance genes, to generate safer gene medicinal products as well as smaller, more efficient DNA vectors.

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  1. Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria

    Juergen Mairhofer & Reingard Grabherr

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Correspondence to Juergen Mairhofer.

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Mairhofer, J., Grabherr, R. Rational Vector Design for Efficient Non-viral Gene Delivery: Challenges Facing the Use of Plasmid DNA. Mol Biotechnol 39, 97–104 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12033-008-9046-7

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