Microfibers - 'Whiskers'

A very simple method to transform tissue culture cells is the use of microfibers, also known as whiskers. These microscopic fibers look like tiny needles with sharp ends. The whiskers are coated with hundreds of copies of the gene(s), just like the gold particles of the gene gun . Tissue culture cells and whiskers are then suspended in a tube of solution and shaken vigorously. The tiny fibers stab the plant cells potentially delivering the DNA into the nucleus of the cell without killing it.