High Efficiency Electro-transfection of Tobacco Mesophyll Protoplasts with Tobacco Mosaic Virus RNA

Abstract
Summary Tobacco mesophyll protoplasts were transfected with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) RNA in an electric field using a newly devised chamber constructed with gold-coated glass panel electrodes. Up to 95% of protoplasts subjected to several DC pulses (50 µs, 550 to 800 V/cm) while suspended in 0.5 m-mannitol containing 10 µg/ml TMV RNA became infected. The treatment did not affect the viability of the protoplasts or their stability during 40 h of incubation.