PR9 – Cell Penetrating Peptides – CPP

CPPs can transport molecules such as nucleic acids, proteins and imaging agents into cells of interest. PR9, Pas non-arginine, is an arginine rich CPP. It is composed of the nona-arginine: R9 and Pas which is a peptide penetrating accelerating sequence and it functions to export molecules out of endocytic vesicles. During a study in which PR9 was in complex with a Quantum dot probe (QD) it was evident that the PR9/QD complex was transported into the cell through endocytosis and co-localises with actins, lysosomes, early endosomes and the nucleus. Due to the non-toxicity of the PR9/QD complex it can be used as a safe vector for biomedical purposes.