Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Ppublish 1 citation
PubMed: 40139733 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c05489
From Plants to Plants: Plant-Derived Biological Polymers as Sustainable and Safe Nanocarriers for Direct Delivery of DNA to Plant Cells.
Nano Lett 25(14):5572-5581
Authors: Kari Vinzant, Mohammad Rashid, Delaney E Clouse, Pratyusha Ghosh, Mohiuddin Quadir, Virginia A Davis, Mariya V Khodakovskaya
Affiliations
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204, United States.
- Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States.
- North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States.
Abstract
Sustainable plant-derived biopolymers cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and Zein protein were used to deliver plasmid DNA with a reporter GFP gene (pDNA) to plant cells. CNC and Zein were modified with the cationic agent 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (EPTMAC) to electrostatically bind the biopolymers to negatively charged pDNA. Established pDNA-CNC and pDNA-Zeins conjugates were delivered to tobacco cells by leaf injection and vacuum infiltration of tobacco leaves and seedlings. Both methods effectively provided transient GFP expression in exposed plant cells that was visualized by confocal microscopy and confirmed by qRT-PCR (GFP gene expression) and Western blot (GFP protein expression). Our findings support the idea that nanopolymers derived from agricultural waste residues can successfully be used to advance plant transformation and gene editing. Delivering genetic material using biocompatible, plant-based nanopolymers in large-scale vacuum infiltration of plant tissues reduces existing limitations of plant transformation and increases the speed of the transformation process.
MeSH
Cells, Genes, Polymers, Zein, Biopolymers, Biotechnology, Dna, Plant Cells, Vacuum