Detection of localization and internalization of membrane DNA in the Tetrahymena by the lactoferrin--colloidal gold technique.

It is known that lactoferrin binds to DNA. In the present study a lactoferrin-gold complex bound initially to the ciliary membrane, then appeared in coated pits and intracytoplasmic vesicles. On treatment for 1 h, the gold particles could be detected near to the nucleus. The lactoferrin-gold complex neither bound to the surface, nor appeared in the cytoplasm of those cells which had been exposed to DNAse for pretreatment.