Aerosol Beam Injector
A New Technology in Gene Transformation

What is Stine’s Aerosol Beam Injector system?
The Stine Aerosol Beam Injector system is a newly patented gene transformation technology for the seed industry. Genetic transformation is the process of inserting genetic material into targeted plant material to create plants which have specific traits for disease or insect resistance, tolerance to specific chemicals, or to produce desired levels of proteins or oils.  Developed by researchers at Stine Biotechnology, Ames, Iowa, the system represents the next great advancement in gene transformation.

How is the Stine Aerosol Beam Injector system different than other gene transformation technologies currently in use?
The Stine Aerosol Beam Injector system differs in two ways:

1. The method of delivering the genetic material into the target plant tissue
2. The types of genetic material that can be delivered

How is the genetic material delivered in the Stine Aerosol Beam Injector system?
The Stine Aerosol Beam Injector employs an aerosol solution in which the genetic material is suspended. The solution is forced through a small orifice (or nozzle), and then into a vacuum chamber in which the target plant material is staged. As this ‘stream’ of aerosolized mixture moves from an area of extremely high pressure to extremely low pressure, the velocity of the stream increases to supersonic speed.  This allows the mixture to enter the target plant material with minimal cell disruption.

How is this different from current technology?
The most-often used technology today, the “gene gun,” employs tungsten or gold particles which are coated with DNA and “shot” into the target plant material. Because no carrier material is used, the Stine Aerosol Beam Injector system utilizes particles some 100 times smaller than the older technology, resulting in less plant material damage.

What types of genetic materials can be inserted with the Stine Aerosol Beam Injector system?
While previous technologies allowed are primarily limited to the transfer of DNA only, the Stine Aerosol Beam Injector works well for inserting:

• DNA
• RNA
• Proteins
• Other Genetic Materials

How will Stine Seed Company use this new technology?
The ability to employ such a wide range of genetic materials enables Stine researchers and breeders to develop seed genetics with far greater depth and complexity than ever before, opening the door to the next era of elite genetics for U.S. grain farmers. Stine and its strategic partners will be able to access this new technology to develop the genetic lines farmers will need to meet the challenges of production, profitability and environmental stewardship in the 21st century.

What does this technology mean to Stine customers and the seed industry overall?
Aerosol Beam Injector technology offers Stine total freedom to operate, to insert traits of interest from any source into Stine’s elite germplasm.  In this way, Stine will be able to continue its industry-leading tradition of bringing the best genetics and traits to American farmers.

As always, Stine is dedicated to providing the best seed for each growing situation. The Aerosol Beam Injector will provide farmers unprecedented access to the genetic diversity and specialized seed products, which are the future of farming.

Microbiologist Dr. Bruce Held, a director at Stine Biotechnology, places plant material on the staging platform beneath the Aerosol Beam Injector nozzle, the latest proprietary, patented process for producing genetic transformations in plant material.	Microbiologist Dr. Bruce Held, a director at Stine Biotechnology, displays the Aerosol Beam Injector at the company’s lab in Ames. The newly developed and patented machine developed utilizes a proprietary process to perform genetic transformations in plant material.