Tungsten vs. Gold for Biolistic Transformation?

Model Organism: Worms Methods & Reagents
1

Hi,

I’m setting up biolistic transformation in my lab (using a self-build helium gun) and in the process, a number of practical and theoretical questions have arisen which some of you might be able to help me with your own experiences.

I’ll ask these questions in separate posts to avoid this becoming too complicated.

So, first question;

I wondered if there was any hard empirical (or even anecdotal) evidence to recommend the use of gold particles over tungsten (0.7µm)?

Regards

Steve

2

at the risk of being labelled schizophrenic (and accepting that I work in a Dept of Psychiatry), I thought I would revive and expand my own question as it seemed to be fading gracefully into the sunset.

So, how many people who are members of this forum actually use/have used biolistic transformation?

How many of you actually used gold particles as opposed to tungsten because someone came up with a good reason to do so or experimentally it proved to be an advantage?

I would just like to know if we are being led by the nose towards buying gold when tungsten would do, the former is twice the price of the latter.

Regards

Steve

3

Hi Steve H

I have done biolistic transformation, but I’ve only used gold. As a grad student, the worm lab that was next to ours tried out Tungsten, but I can’t remember the specifics of their success. My thoughts are they could get transgenics but not integrants, but I may be wrong.

Steve V

4

Hi Steve V

thanks. In terms of density, they’re not far apart from each other, reactivity-wise also not much.

So, I guess it’s going to be a try and see…I’ll start with tungsten and let people know how it goes.

Steve

5

I have done plenty of bombardments but never heard of anyone using Tungsten. I’ve always been a bit superstitious about bombardments, the protocols aren’t super efficient and rather than waste time I’ve always stuck to what works. It would be interesting to learn if the cheaper beads are equally effective.

6

tungsten particles were used in these papers:

  1. Jadhav S. et al., Development. 2008 May;135(10):1803-12.
  2. Chakrapani BP. et al., J Biosci. 2008 Jun;33(2):269-77.
  3. Minniti AN. et al., Mol Neurodegener. 2009 Jan 6;4:2
7

Hi,

thanks Chang-Shi for the references.

I’m still waiting for the helium gun to arrive, so I’ve got some time to read through the papers…

Regards

Steve