
This method is easy to use, fast and versatile Įffective transformation requires only a small amount of nucleic acid and few cells Requires less DNA and fewer cells than other methods, and can be used for transient or stable expression. Is much easier and less time consuming than microinjecting nucleic acids into plant cells or embryos Īllows the transformation of animal cells that have unique growth requirements that are not suitable for gene transfer using any other method Is the most effective way to introduce nucleic acids into plants because helium pressure can drive microcarriers through the cell wall When using this method, mammalian cells do not need to be trypsinized to remove them from their supports, so cell morphology can be maintained.

The size of the microcarrier and the helium pressure can be selected to optimally penetrate different targets while minimizing damage. Of all the transformation methods available, particle bombardment can be applied to a wide range of cell and tissue types.
#GENE STARWIND GUNS PORTABLE#
The commercial SJ-500 portable gene gun (left) and Helios gene gun (right). Gene guns generally include the following steps: 1) prepare the tungsten particles and coat them with DNA 2) load the particles onto macrocarriers 3) prepare the target cells 4) determine your parameters and set the gene gun accordingly for distance from the target, pulse duration, and CO2 pressure 5) place the target under the gene gun barrel and fire it.įigure 2. Nucleic acid transfer using the gene gun is fast and effective: simply load sample cartridges with DNA coated microcarriers, point the nozzle, and launch the device. The Helios and portable gene guns are shown in Fig.2. Many commercial gene guns have been manufactured and used for in vivo gene transfection in plants, living animals, cultured cells, such as the PowderJect system developed originally by the University of Oxford, the Helios gene gun by Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, and the SJ-500 portable gene gun by Biotech instrument, New Jersey.

Gene gun or particle bombardment delivery device can deliver transgenes to cells. Today, this technique has been used to transfer DNA coated micro-particles to achieve gene transfection into many types of cells and organs, including cell cultures, tissues, organs, plants, animals, fungi and bacteria, as well as organelles.įigure 1. The gene gun was originally developed to deliver genetic materials into plant cells. In this method, nucleic acids or other biological molecules are coated onto high-density gold or tungsten microparticles (microcarriers), then they are accelerated to high velocity by a helium pulse and driven through cell walls and membranes into the target (Fig.1). It is a device used to transfect cells with foreign DNA by bombarding the target cells with DNA-coated microparticles. The particle bombardment, also known as the gene gun, is a direct physical method of gene delivery (introducing nucleic acids into cells).

