ABSTRACT
Genes can be delivered into cells in vivo primarily by two methods: as a part of the viral or retroviral genome or as a bacterial plasmid. Viral vectors with reconstituted gene and depleted viral proteins use viral transfection pathways, while bacterial plasmids are not infectious per se and must be inserted into cells by appropriate gene delivery systems. Eukaryotic genes contain several coding regions, the so-called exons, which lead via messenger Ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to protein synthesis. For effective plasmid replication and gene expression, either in vitro or in vivo, Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vectors have to be very carefully constructed. The DNA vector is a construct which, in addition to the complementary DNA of interest, contains sequences that can enhance gene expression by appropriate binding specificity, stabilization of RNA, and catalysis. The stability of mRNA varies from minutes to hours and therefore rates of mRNA decay regulate gene expression.
