DEVELOPMENT OF A SIMPLE PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT DEVICE FOR GENE-TRANSFERINTO PLANT-CELLS

A simple particle bombardment device was designed, constructed and sho wn to be efficient for the delivery of DNA into plant cells. High leve ls of transient beta-glucuronidase expression were observed in alfalfa suspension-cultured cells and embryogenic soybean suspension-cultured cells. Expression of beta-glucuronidase in alfalfa suspension-culture d cells was used to optimize the bombardment conditions for the device . Transient gene expression in alfalfa was found to be dependent on th e state of the target tissue, the size of particles employed, the heli um pressure used to accelerate the particles and the distance travel l ed by the tungsten particles carrying DNA.