Abstract
It has been reported that the conjugation of carbohydrate to proteins can promote the nuclear import of proteins (1-4). In this minireview, based on our recent data, we discuss the effect of carbohydrates on the nuclear import using quantum dots (QDs), with particular reference to the manner in which the chemical structure and density of carbohydrates displayed on their surface drastically affected the efficiency of QD permeation into the nucleus. Among the carbohydrates used in our study, the high-density display of maltotriose was the most efficient for the nuclear import of QDs. As it is not reliant on cytosolic factors for nuclear import, we concluded that the sugar-displaying QDs can be transported into the nucleus via passive diffusion rather than through a specific receptor-mediated pathway.
