Magnetophoresis as Novel Means for Transgenesis

Genetically engineered products offer tremendous potential as foods, medicines, and industrial materials. The novel process of magnetophoresis may be able to address shortcomings of existing gene transfer technologies for further crop improvement. We propose in this Phase I project to demonstrate the technical feasibility of magnetophoresis to reproducibly deliver small magnetic particles (micromagnets) into target tissues. Research focuses on strategies of micromagnet handling and on micromagnet geometry/composition for DNA payload sequestering. Identification of the enabling strategies in Phase I is key to our Phase II goal of demonstrating efficient plant genetic engineering by magnetophoresis using mersistems, plastids and gametes.