Gene Transfer Into Citrus (Citrus limon L.) Nucellar Cells by Particle Bombardment and Expression of Gus Activity

The presence of foreign genes that were transferred into Citrus nucellar cells by the particle bombardment system has been expressed with the GUS assay. Tungsten microcarriers coated with plasmid DNA containing the gus A gene (pBI221.2) were accelerated at high velocity using a biolistic device into lemon (Citrus limon var. Kütdiken) target cells. Histochemical examination of the bombarded nucellar cells revealed that only several cell aggregates had cells expressing the gus A gene. Control cell aggregates that were not bombarded did not exhibit any cells expressing the gus A gene.