Biolistic gene gun

Laboratory techniques such as biolistics (gene gun) and DNA delivery to protoplasts are not discussed in this section, as they are inadequate for producing quantitative amounts of purified protein. The speed of the viral vectors does provide material in the time-frame of several weeks therefore, this production system can provide both rapid and scaleable production. This system is described in the previous sections it is still not clear how well the viral expression system can tolerate large proteins. Most of the reports concern epitopes or small proteins. In addition, the potential need for fusions with coat protein for efficient expression might also limit this system. The lack of reports to refute these concerns after many years suggests that there are serious limitations to using viral vectors for expressing some proteins. 

Biolistics involves bombarding plant cells with tiny (4- am) microprojectiles made of gold or tungsten. These microprojectiles are coated with DNA and are propelled at high velocity from a particle gun or gene gun into plant tissue or cells. In this method, the projectile penetrates the cell wall and carries the transgene into the cell nucleus. 

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