Nanogold-Loaded Sharp-Edged Carbon Bullets as Plant-Gene Carriers

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 20; no. 15; pp. 2416 - 2423
• Main Authors: Vijayakumar, Periyasamy S., Abhilash, Othalathara U., Khan, Bashir M., Prasad, Bhagavatula L. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 09-08-2010; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: bio-nanotechnology; composite materials; DNA delivery; gold nanoparticles
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200901883

The higher DNA delivery efficiency into plants by gold nanoparticles embedded in sharp carbonaceous carriers is demonstrated. These nanogold‐embedded carbon matrices are prepared by heat treatment of biogenic intracellular gold nanoparticles. The DNA‐delivery efficiency is tested on a model plant, Nicotiana tabacum, and is further extended to the monocot, Oryza sativa, and a hard dicot tree species, Leucaena leucocephala. These materials reveal good dispersion of the transport material, producing a greater number of GUS foci per unit area. The added advantages of the composite carrier are the lower plasmid and gold requirements. Plant‐cell damage with the carbon‐supported particles is very minimal and can be gauged from the increased plant regeneration and transformation efficiency compared with that of the commercial micrometer‐sized gold particles. This is ascribed to the sharp edges that the carbon supports possess, which lead to better piercing capabilities with minimum damage.
Nanogold‐embedded carbon particles prepared by heat treatment of biogenic intracellular gold nanoparticles are shown to be effective delivery vehicles of DNA into different plants. Due to the sharp edges of the carbon support, very minimal damage to the plant cell is observed, with enhanced plant regeneration and transformation efficiencies compared with the commercial micrometer‐sized spherical gold particles.