Biolistic Gene Transfer Process Shadow Box
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This shadow box display demonstrates the biolistic gene transfer process, the firing mechanism of the gene gun. The object came from the offices of Biolistics Inc., a company started in 1988 by Dr. Ed Wolf and Dr. John Sanford in Ithaca, New York, to sell their biolistic gene guns. Biolistic gene guns are used to genetically transform plants by shooting microprojectiles (tiny bullets) covered in DNA into plant cells. It’s likely that this shadow box was used to help explain the firing process to potential investors or purchasers of the technology.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The firing mechanism of the gene gun required several steps, as shown here. A gunpowder charge (see object 1991.0785.03.2) or compressed air was used to accelerate a macroprojectile (see object 1991.0785.03.3), upon whose tip rested DNA-coated microprojectiles. The macroprojectile would be halted upon its impact with a stopping plate (see object 1991.0785.03.4). The stopping plate is the first large plastic disk shown here. A hole in the stopping plate was small enough to allow the microprojectiles to pass through, but large enough to halt the macroprojectile.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The second plastic disk shown here is an example of a fused stopping plate and macroprojectile (see object 1991.0785.03.5). The microparticles then continued to move forward, eventually penetrating the cells to be transformed. The triangular black shape represents the microparticles continuing forward after they have gone through the stopping plate. Cells to be transformed are represented by the round plastic beads.
label: Description (Brief)
content: To learn more about biolistic gene guns, please see gene gun prototype II (object number 1991.0785.02) or gene gun prototype III (object number 1991.0785.01.1).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, Ithaca
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Biological Sciences
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content: Biolistic Gene Guns
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content: Biotechnology and Genetics
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Prof. Edward D. Wolf
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1992.0023.01
label: catalog number
content: 1992.0023.01
label: accession number
content: 1992.0023
objectType: label: Object Name
content: shadow box display
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: average spatial: 20.3 cm x 25.4 cm x 3.9 cm; 8 in x 10 in x 1 9/16 in