Nanotechnology Plays Vital Role in Gene Editing

Nanoparticles are being used to deliver gene editing tools because of their efficiency, ability to bypass species-specific barriers, and work across a wider range of crops. Some examples of these are gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and lipid-based nanoparticles.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are popular because they are effective in living things and are easy to modify. They can attach to genetic material, protect it from breaking down, and help get it inside plant cells. AuNPs have been successfully used to deliver small interfering RNA that can silence genes, working effectively in different types of plants.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), both single-walled and multi-walled, are another promising way to deliver things into plants. They are tiny, strong, and can get through plant cell walls. Modified CNTs have been used to carry plasmids into plant cells, allowing the genes to be temporarily active. They can also stick to small RNA molecules, keeping them stable and helping them get into cells better, while also reducing unwanted side effects.

Lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) are especially good for delivering CRISPR-Cas9 because they can carry a lot of material, assemble themselves, and enclose the necessary components like ribonucleoprotein. Liposomes, a type of LNP, can be designed with positively charged lipids to easily attract negatively charged genetic material. This method improves how well gene editing works while being less harmful and causing fewer immune reactions in plant cells.

For more about the role of genome editing in nanotechnology, read the original article in AzoNano.