Patent ID: 7294511

Claim:
A method for introducing a large nucleic acid molecule into a cell, comprising: (a) contacting a large nucleic acid molecule with a first delivery agent; (b) adding a second delivery agent to a composition containing the cell or applying a second delivery agent to the cell, whereby the second delivery agent contacts the cell; and (c) contacting the cell with the nucleic acid molecule, whereby the nucleic acid molecule is delivered into the cell, wherein: steps (a) and (b) are performed sequentially in any order, provided that if the delivery agent is energy it is not applied to the nucleic acid molecule and it is not applied to the cell after contacting the cell with the nucleic acid molecule; the first and second delivery agents are different; the first delivery agent increases contact between the nucleic acid molecule and the cell compared to in the absence of the delivery agent; and the second delivery agent, when added to the cell composition, enhances permeability of the cell to the nucleic acid molecule compared to in its absence in the composition.