(260am) Nanoparticles As Biomolecular Cargo Transporters in Plant Systems

Targeted therapy, molecular imaging, and genetic modification of cells and tissues hinges on controlled transport of biomolecular cargos into their relevant biological domains. Targeted cargo delivery is particularly difficult when targeting sub-cellular organelles, such as plastids, or for traversing dense membranes such as the plant cell wall. Current methods for intracellular transport include but not limited to microinjection, particle bombardment, electroporation and usage of dendrimers, all limited by low transfection efficiency and yielding impaired cell functions or cell death. Nanomaterials have distinct properties that make them useful as transporters of biological cargoes to intercellular locations that have been traditionally difficult to access, and offer significant improvement for both passive and active penetration into biologically important membranes. We present results on the uptake and localization mechanism of nanoparticles within living plants, plant cells, and organelles. In particular, we examine the subcellular uptake of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) that are functionalized by genetic materials and small molecule drugs, using the plant as a model system. Our study shows a systematic investigation of nanoparticle transport across the cell wall and to protoplast cells with partial to full enzymatic degradation of the cell wall. Our work improves the current state of art in delivering genetic material to plant cells by proving passive entry and irreversible localization of SWCNT that carries genetic material into mature, living plants and plastids.