On the origin of microcraters on the surface of ion beam bombardedplant cell walls
Ion bombardment of plant and bacterial cellular material has recently been used as a tool for the transfer of exogenous DNA macromolecules into the cell interior region. The precise mechanism that leads to the transfer of macromolecules through the cell envelope is not yet clear, however it has been observed that the ion bombardment is accompanied by the formation of ''microcraters'' on the cell wall, and it is possible that these features provide channels for the macromolecule transfer. Thus the nature and origin of the microcraters is of importance to understanding the DNA transfer phenomenon as well as being of fundamental interest. We report here on some scanning electron microscope observations we have made of onion skin cells that have been subjected to electron beam bombardment of sufficiently high power density to damage the cell wall. The damage seen is much less than and different from the microcraters formed subsequent to ion bombardment. We speculate that the microcraters may originate from the explosive release of gas generated in the biomaterial by ion bombardment.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE. National Nuclear Security Administration.Nonproliferation and National Security Program Direction; Fundacao deAmparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo/Brazil
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 891340
- Report Number(s):
- LBNL-58572; R&D Project: Z2N197; BnR: NN4101010; TRN: US200621%%835
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Instruments and Methods Part B, Vol. 243; Related Information: Journal Publication Date: 2006
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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