Ion-beam-induced deoxyribose nucleic acid transfer

Abstract

We report our observations of the interaction of energetic ions with bacterial cells, inducing direct deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) transfer into Escherichia coli (E. coli). Argon- and nitrogen-ion beams were used to bombard the bacteria E. coli in a vacuum with energy of 26 keV and fluence in the range 0.5–4×1015 ions/cm2. Three DNA plasmids, pGEM2, pGEM-T easy, and pGFP, carrying different marker genes, were subsequently transferred (separately) into the appropriately ion-bombarded bacteria and successfully expressed. The results of this study indicate that ion beams with an energy such that the ion range is approximately equal to the cell envelope thickness, at a certain range of fluence, are able to generate pathways for macromolecule transfer through the envelope without irreversible damage.