Silicon Carbide Whisker-mediated Plant Transformation

With the advancement in molecular biology, several metabolic and physiological processes have been elucidated at molecular levels discovering the involvement of different genes. Since the advent of plant transformation 33 years ago, use of plant transformation techniques sparked an interest in fundamental and applied research leading to the development of biological and physical methods of foreign DNA delivery into 130 plant species. Modern molecular biology tools have developed rich gene sources which are waiting to be transformed into plant species. But unavailability of efficient transformation methods is a major hurdle to expedite the delivery of these genes into plants. Ever-expanding available gene pools in the era of third generation transgenic plants stressing the delivery of multiple genes for different traits; development and application of new transformation methods is the big need of the time to meet the future challenges for plant improvement. In recent years, silicon-carbide whiskers have proven valuable and effective alternative in which silicon carbide fibers are mixed with plant cells and plasmid DNA, followed by vortexing/oscillation. Cell penetration appears to occur thus whiskers function as numerous fine needles, facilitating DNA entry into cells during the mixing process. This technique is simple, easy and an inexpensive transformation method to deliver the DNA into monocot and dicot plant species. Whiskers, cells and plasmid DNA are combined in a small tube and mixed on a vortex or oscillating mixer. In this chapter we will discuss the use of silicon carbide fibers/whiskers to transform and produce different transgenic plants. This chapter will help the reader to know about emerging applications of silicon carbide and other fibers in the delivery of foreign DNA into plants, and critical parameters affecting DNA delivery efficiency will also be discussed.