Carbon dot nanoparticle platform for nucleic acid delivery in plant biotechnology

Overview

This solution addresses one of the most persistent bottlenecks in plant biotechnology: delivering nucleic acids and other biomolecules into intact plant cells. The platform uses carbon dot nanoparticles complexed with nucleic acids to enable universal plant uptake and efficient cargo release. By offering a simple, inexpensive, and green formulation, it removes the cost and purification barriers that have limited broader adoption of nanoparticle-based delivery in plants.

The technology supports a wide range of applications, including transient gene expression studies, spray-on gene editing, RNAi-based pathogen protection, and accelerated validation of genetic elements on transcription and translation. Its versatility makes it valuable for academic research, agricultural biotechnology companies, and crop improvement programs seeking faster, higher signal-to-noise alternatives to conventional plant transformation platforms.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• Carbon dot nanoparticle formulations that are green, non-toxic to plant cells, and easy to purify
• Cost-competitive with or cheaper than existing carbon dot formulations tested in plants
• Compatibility with universal plant uptake systems for inter- and intracellular biomolecule delivery
• Successful demonstration of fluorescent gene expression via leaf infiltration, confirmed by microscopy
• High-throughput transient expression screening system capable of testing multiple formulations simultaneously
• More than ten nanoparticle formulations tested and under continued optimization
• Potential to elucidate endocytosis mechanisms and guide synthesis of more potent delivery nanoparticles

Targeted applications:

• Transient expression studies with improved signal-to-noise ratios over conventional platforms
• Spray-on gene editing and DNA integration
• RNAi-based plant resistance and pathogen infection prevention
• Delivery of reporter genes, genome editing tools, and plant protective genes

Technology readiness level

The platform is currently at an early-to-mid stage of development. Proof-of-concept has been established through leaf infiltration experiments demonstrating fluorescent gene expression confirmed by microscopy. A rapid, high-throughput transient expression system is being established to evaluate large numbers of formulations in parallel, with over ten formulations already tested and additional candidates in the optimization pipeline.

Next-stage validation will focus on identifying functional carbon dot-nucleic acid complexes that achieve efficient delivery into intact plant cells, characterizing the chemical structure and material properties of the most promising formulations, and demonstrating functionality with reporter genes, genome editing tools, and plant protective genes. These steps will advance the platform toward broader translational use in plant biotechnology and crop improvement.