A study of low-energy ion beam effects on outer plant cell structure for exogenous macromolecule transferring

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate low-energy ion beam effects on inducing exogenous macromolecule transfer through cell walls into cells and the related dependence. The experiment focused on 20–30 keV Ar ion implantation in various plant tissues to doses ranging from 1014 to 1016 ions/cm2. Auxiliary 15–30 keV N ion implantation in the plant tissues as well as 25 keV Ar ion implantation in bacteria of E. coli was also carried out. The effects of ion beam bombardment on the outer cell structure and the ability of transferring large exogenous molecules of Trypan blue (TB) and plasmid DNA were investigated. Typical results show that the 20 keV Ar ion implantation only leads to retaining of the TB dye in the cell wall whereas the 30 keV Ar ion implantation can allow the dye to enter the cell. A discussion based on simulations of the ion implantation processes indicates that the cell wall composed of cellulose microfibrils is in a porous structure so that ions at certain low energies with appropriate doses can increase permeability of the cell wall and induce exogenous macromolecule transferring.