Silica Nanoparticles for Plant Transformation

Silica nanoparticles are frequently used to deliver DNA and drugs into animal cells and tissues. Iowa State University researchers have recently shown that a similar system may work in plants to deliver both a transgene and a chemical inducer that triggers the expression of the co-delivered transgene in the cell. The system works by loading chemicals inside the honeycomb of the nanoparticles, then capping it with gold particles.

 Francois Torney and colleagues used the gene gun method to bombard cells of tobacco and maize with these mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN). The MSNs either contained the green fluorescent marker gene together with b-oestradiol or just the marker gene alone.

The researchers observed that by uncapping the MSNs, the chemical inducers present inside the honeycomb was released and triggered the expression of the marker gene. Torney and colleagues concludes that pore enlargement and multifunctionalization of the MSNs may offer new possibilities in target-specific delivery of proteins, nucleotides and chemicals in plant biotechnology.

For more information, the paper published in Nature Nanotechnology may be accessed by subscribers at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2007.108.