Question

Mention the type of host cells suitable for the gene guns to introduce an alien DNA.

Answer 1

To introduce an alien DNA, undifferentiated plant cells are the most suitable host cells for the gene guns. This is so because the undifferentiated plant cells have a cell wall which can be easily broken down by bombarding them with high-velocity micro-particles of gold or tungsten coated with DNA in a gene gun. The development of the tertiary cell wall in the mature plant cell is a hindrance to the introduction of foreign DNA.