Crop Improvement Division, CRRI, Cuttack, Odisha, India
Research Article
MMT, a High Promising, Cost Effective Micro-carrier for Gene Delivery
Author(s): Sai Krishna Repalli*, Chaitanya kumar Geda and Rao GJN
As an alternative to the conventional but expensive gold micro carriers regularly employed in micro-projectile
bombardment method, this study had utilized, novel, promising but cheaper clay particles-MMT (montmorillonite)
as micro-carriers for gene transfer. Gene expression with novel micro carriers was reported through the universally
employed GUS expression system at both transient and stable expression levels in comparison to the gold and
tungsten.
Results suggest that GUS expression levels are higher with MMT than tungsten carriers but lower to gold carriers.
It is interesting to note that the GUS expression zones are larger (>1 mm) with MMT carriers in comparison to
tungsten (0.6 mm) and gold (0.4 mm). Molecular assays on the transformed cells suggest proper gene delivery by
MMT carriers. The results suggest that novel micro carriers can be a viabl.. View more»