Nucleic acids (plasmids as well as oligonucleotides) used to specifically express or modulate the expression of a gene, must reach the cytosol and/or the nucleus. Several systems have been developed to increase their uptake and their efficiency. Glycosylated polylysines have been shown to specifically help nucleic acids to be taken up in cells expressing a given cell surface membrane lectin. However, it appeared that the efficiency of the imported nucleic acid was not directly related to the extent of the uptake. Indeed, some glycosylated polylysines bearing sugar moities which are poor ligands of the cell surface lectins of a given cell were found to be more efficient than those bearing better sugar ligands. The interpretation of this paradoxal result is discussed with regards to the nature of the compartment allowing the nucleic acid to cross the membrane and to be delivered in the cytosol on the one hand, and to the presence of intracellular lectins on the other hand.