Cell-Penetrating Peptide Delivery Examples

Cell-Penetrating Peptide Delivery Examples

This page complements our main Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) Synthesis and Conjugation page by collecting practical delivery examples, product-linked CPP formats, educational materials, and example strategies for peptide-mediated intracellular delivery.

The main CPP page focuses on service positioning and scientific overview. This page is more example-driven and includes product-linked CPP formats, simple mixing strategies for nucleic acid delivery, and a broader selection of commonly discussed CPP sequences and delivery models.

What This Supporting Page Covers

Educational content

Video presentation and design-oriented reading material

Practical formats

CPP examples with product links and common delivery-oriented modifications

Simple mixing

Example non-covalent mixing format for RNA or DNA delivery studies

Reference content

Representative CPP sequences, delivery examples, and uptake models

Presentation and Educational Resources

How to Design Cell-Penetrating Peptides?

Click here to browse the full transcript of “Cell-Penetrating Peptides: Design, Synthesis, and Applications.”

Read more: A full list of cell-penetrating peptides.

Download the full list HERE.

Main service page

For the main science and service overview, see Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) Synthesis and Conjugation.

Practical CPP Formats Available from LifeTein

We maintain a selection of in-stock cell-penetrating peptides that can be used directly or adapted for conjugation with peptides, proteins, fluorescent probes, oligonucleotides, or nanoparticles. See the in-stock CPP list.

One especially useful format is Cys(Npys)-(Arg)9, which contains an activated cysteine residue and can selectively react with a free thiol on a cysteine-containing peptide or other thiol-bearing cargo.

The S(Npys) group in this peptide can react with a free thiol group to form an unsymmetrical disulfide bond. This format is useful when a cargo should be transported into cells and later released in the reducing intracellular environment.

Example of a Simple Mixing Strategy for RNA or DNA Delivery

In addition to covalent conjugation, some CPP delivery studies use simple non-covalent mixing strategies. This is especially common for nucleic acid delivery systems.

Example method for simple mixing

For instance, in a representative MPG-mediated gene delivery workflow, complexes of the peptide carrier and DNA were prepared by mixing 500 μl of medium with 100 ng of DNA complexed with MPG at a charge ratio of 5:1. After incubating the samples at 37°C for 30 minutes, the mixture was added to cells at about 60% confluence.

This type of workflow is one example of how CPPs can be used as non-covalent carriers for nucleic acid cargo, especially in early-stage delivery studies.

For broader background on peptide-mediated delivery systems, see the review article from Nature.

Selected CPP Delivery Examples

CPP

Cells / Model

Representative Effect

Reference

HIV TAT TAT (47-57): YGRKKRRQRR HIV-1 Tat (48-60): GRKKRRQRRRPPQ ac-GALFLGFLGAAGSTMGAWSQPKKKRKV-cys

The cysteamide stabilizes the DNA-carrier complexes.

HeLa, Cos-7, HS68, NIH-3T3

Examples of cellular uptake of single- and double-stranded oligonucleotides and reporter knockdown in model systems

Simeoni et al.

Cys(Npys)-(Arg)9: C(Npys)RRRRRRRRR-NH2

Stearyl-R8

Stearyl-R8 FITC-Stearyl-R8 RRRRRRRRRC C(Npys)RRRRRRRRR

Polyarginine peptides have been widely used in siRNA and nucleic acid delivery studies.

EGFP-expressing hippocampal neurons and related delivery models

Representative reporter reduction and intracellular delivery behavior

Tönges et al.

Antennapedia / Penetratin family

RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK C(Npys)-RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK C-RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK-C RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK-GG C-RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK-GG

Derived from Drosophila Antennapedia homeodomain

Representative amphipathic CPP class used for intracellular transport studies

Christiaens B. et al.

Penetratin-Arg derivatives

RQIRIWFQNRRMRWRR C-RQIRIWFQNRRMRWRR {FITC-LC}-RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK {5-FAM}-RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK

Antennapedia-derived CPP family

Representative fluorescent and modified CPP formats

Ye, J. et al.

Representative CPP List and Product-Linked Examples

Name

Origin

Sequence / Format

Tat (48-60)

HIV-1 protein

GRKKRRQRRRPPQ or related Tat-derived variants

Cys(Npys)-(Arg)9

Arginine-rich delivery format

C(Npys)RRRRRRRRR-NH2

Oligoarginine

Arginine-rich CPP

Rn

Transportan

Galanin-mastoparan

GWTLNSAGYLLGKINLKALAALAKKIL

P-beta MPG peptides

gp41-SV40

GALFLGFLGAAGSTMGAWSQPKKKRKV

Pep-1

Trp-rich motif-SV40

KETWWETWWTEWSQPKKKRRV

STR-R8

Arginine-rich lipidated CPP

Stearyl-RRRRRRRR-amide

Order this peptide now

FITC-Stearyl-R8 control peptide

Case Example: HIV Tat and Polyarginine Delivery Logic

CPPs such as HIV Tat and polyarginine peptides can enter cells through multiple uptake routes, including endocytic and non-endocytic pathways. Their delivery behavior can change depending on sequence composition, hydrophobicity, charge density, cargo type, and experimental conditions.

For example, adding a hydrophobic group to a highly cationic peptide can substantially change how the peptide interacts with membranes and how it transports cargo. Polyarginine peptides, lipidated arginine-rich peptides, and Tat-derived sequences have all been used in delivery studies involving peptides, nucleic acids, and other cargos.

Related CPP and Delivery Pages

Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) Synthesis and Conjugation

Peptide–Oligonucleotide Conjugate Service

PNA Synthesis and Conjugation

Peptide Conjugation by Click Chemistry and Site-Selective Ligation

Peptide PEGylation Service

Peptide–Lipid and LNP-Related Conjugation

Quotations

Method 1: Use the online quotation form:

Method 2: Complete the quotation form and email it to [email protected].

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