Localized Vacuum Infiltration as a Size-Independent Platform for In Planta Transient Gene Expression: Highlight of...

Vacuum-assisted agroinfiltration is a widely used technique for transient gene expression in plants. However, its application is limited to small-sized plants that fit completely inside a vacuum chamber. Large, woody, and perennial species are, therefore, excluded from vacuum infiltration. The recently granted patent, titled "MX2023015160A, System and Method of Localized Vacuum Infiltration", introduces a novel solution to overcome this physical limitation. This method enables localized vacuum infiltration of attached plant organs, independent of the overall size of the plant. This method is especially useful for large, woody, and perennial species that are difficult to transform. The usefulness of this invention has already been demonstrated by achieving the first transient genetic expression in planta in two economically important fruit trees, avocado (Persea americana) and cacao (Theobroma cacao), as previously published in peer-reviewed scientific articles. This invention advances plant biotechnology by enabling transient gene expression in mature, attached organs of woody perennial plants. Consequently, it extends functional genomics studies beyond detached tissues, thus facilitating investigations into native physiological contexts.