TRANSGENIC PLANTS
Protoplast Fusion Technique
Protoplasts are the cells of which cell walls are removed and cytoplasmic membrane is the outermost layer in such cells. To reach this target, cells of a part of the plant, preferably young, have to be digested by different kinds of enzymes. Here, the important point is to put cells in medium with the right osmotic pressure which will prevent the bursting of the protoplasts. Different enzyme solution compositions are used according to species and variety of the plant and the protoplast medium. Protoplast fusion is a physical phenomenon, during fusion two or more protoplasts come in contact and adhere with one another either spontaneously or in presence of fusion inducing agents. Plant protoplasts can be fused and the fusion products cultured to produce somatic hybrid plants.
Figure 6: Protoplast formation
Figure 7: Protoplast Fusion Technique