This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sheehy, R. E. Articles by Lurquin, P. F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sheehy, R. E. Articles by Lurquin, P. F. Agricola Articles by Sheehy, R. E. Articles by Lurquin, P. F.

Articles

Targeting of Large Liposomes with Lectins Increases Their Binding to Plant Protoplasts ¹

Program in Genetics and Cell Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington

Soybean agglutinin, peanut agglutinin, and concanavalin A were covalently bound by condensation reaction to gangliosides and ceramides incorporated within the bilayer of multilamellar and unilamellar liposomes. These modified liposomes had a much higher affinity for carrot and tobacco protoplasts except when concanavalin A was used.

In addition, soybean agglutinin and concanavalin A were attached by ligand-specific binding to liposomes containing cholesterol molecules derivatized with each lectin-specific sugar. This procedure allowed efficient crosslinking of liposomes to protoplasts. The same effect was achieved with soybean agglutinin and peanut agglutinin when derivatized cholesterol was replaced by gangliosides. The implications of these findings for the liposome-mediated nucleic acid transfer into protoplasts are discussed.