pH-Sensitive Functionalized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Plant Genome Engineering

Global warming and the growing global population present significant challenges to food security, highlighting the urgent need for innovative strategies to boost crop productivity and resilience to changing environmental conditions. The advancement of novel plant genome engineering techniques, particularly through the use of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as nanomaterial carriers, offers a promising solution to these challenges. SWNTs possess remarkable properties such as a large surface area, high aspect ratio, and superior mechanical strength, making them ideal for delivering biomolecules, including genetic materials, into plant cells. In this study, we demonstrate that utilizing the penetrating capabilities of SWNTs allows us to overcome genetic barriers in plant tissue culture and regeneration processes, thereby maximizing the potential of genome engineering for crop improvement. We introduce pH-sensitive SWNTs utilizing histidine, enabling the internalization of genetic materials and their cytosolic release in plant cells. This nanocarrier exhibits a sufficient surface charge for interacting with nucleic acids and dimensions suitable for penetrating plant cell membranes, leading to more efficient nucleic acid release at the intracellular pH conditions of plant cells. By delivering cargos to plant tissues, it successfully controls genetic barriers, promoting regeneration through genetic regulation. Highlighting the role of Histidine-functionalized SWNTs in efficiently controlling tissue culture-based plant regeneration mechanisms aligned with sustaining food production emphasizes the urgency of developing innovative solutions that keep pace with the evolving dynamics of our planet and population growth.