Methods for transferring molecular substances into plant cells

Abstract

Provided are methods for introducing a molecule of interest into a plant cell comprising a cell wall. Methods are provided for genetically or otherwise modifying plants and for treating or preventing disease in plant cells comprising a cell wall.

What may be claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of introducing a molecule of interest into a plant cell having a cell wall, the method comprising:
 providing the plant cell having a cell wall;   coating a nanoparticle with a molecule of interest, wherein the nanoparticle is a gold nanoparticle or a quantum dot, and wherein the molecule of interest is an herbicide or a fungicide;   placing the cell having a cell wall and the coated nanoparticle in contact with each other; and   allowing uptake of the nanoparticle and the molecule of interest into the cell comprising a cell wall.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein coating a nanoparticle with a molecule of interest comprises immobilizing the molecule of interest via noncovalent absorption on the surface of the nanoparticle. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising absorbing the molecule of interest into the nanoparticle. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plant cell comprising a cell wall is selected from the group consisting of tobacco, carrot, maize, canola, rapeseed, cotton, palm, peanut, soybean,  Oryza  sp.,  Arabidopsis  sp.,  Ricinus  sp., and sugarcane cells. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plant cell is from a tissue selected from the group consisting of embryo, meristematic, callus, pollen, leaves, anthers, roots, root tips, flowers, seeds, pods and stems. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising derivatizing the surface of the nanoparticle. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising selecting cells that have stably integrated the molecule of interest. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the selected cells are regenerable cells. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising regenerating a plant from the selected cells. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising coating the nanoparticle with a second molecule of interest. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second molecule of interest is selected from the group consisting of amino acids, polypeptides, enzymes, peptide hormones, glycol-peptides, signaling peptides, and antibodies. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second molecule of interest is selected from the group consisting of messengers, second messengers, and cAMP. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second molecule of interest is selected from the group consisting of sugars, fats, vitamins, herbicides, fungicides, and antibiotics. 
     
     
         14 . A method of introducing a molecule of interest into a plant cell having a cell wall, the method comprising:
 providing the plant cell having a cell wall;   coating a nanoparticle with a molecule of interest, wherein the nanoparticle is a gold nanoparticle or a quantum dot, and wherein the molecule of interest is selected from the group consisting of a sugar, a fat, a vitamin, a drug, and an antibiotic;   placing the cell having a cell wall and the coated nanoparticle in contact with each other; and   allowing uptake of the nanoparticle and the molecule of interest into the cell comprising a cell wall.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein coating a nanoparticle with a molecule of interest comprises immobilizing the molecule of interest via noncovalent absorption on the surface of the nanoparticle. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising absorbing the molecule of interest into the nanoparticle. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the plant cell comprising a cell wall is selected from the group consisting of tobacco, carrot, maize, canola, rapeseed, cotton, palm, peanut, soybean,  Oryza  sp.,  Arabidopsis  sp.,  Ricinus  sp., and sugarcane cells. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the plant cell is from a tissue selected from the group consisting of embryo, meristematic, callus, pollen, leaves, anthers, roots, root tips, flowers, seeds, pods and stems. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising derivatizing the surface of the nanoparticle. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising selecting cells that have stably integrated the molecule of interest. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the selected cells are regenerable cells. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising regenerating a plant from the selected cells. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising coating the nanoparticle with a second molecule of interest. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the second molecule of interest is selected from the group consisting of amino acids, polypeptides, enzymes, peptide hormones, glycol-peptides, signaling peptides, and antibodies. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the second molecule of interest is selected from the group consisting of messengers, second messengers, and cAMP. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the second molecule of interest is selected from the group consisting of sugars, fats, vitamins, herbicides, fungicides, and antibiotics.