We'd like to test our nanoparticles for transfection efficiency, however, due to COVID 19, limitations hinder us from doing so. Are there any cheap alternatives? Preferrably in plants or other chemical methods, just not in cells as they are expensive at this time.
@ Riana, some mechanical methods can be used as alternatives to chemical transfection. These methods include electroporation, microinjection, biolistic delivery via gene guns, or magnetic-assisted transfection depending on the cell type and application. Otherwise, if you have then you may use Flow cytometry that enables the measurement of GFP expression in a large population of cells with high sensitivity and represents the most accurate and objective method for determining transfection efficiency
If your are transfecting oligonucleotides, you could use an anionic small molecules dyes (like Calcein) that are generally cell impermeable without nanoparticle encapsulatin/loading. The fluorophore would essentially be a model payload, and you can look at the fluorescence intensity after treatment. If you are transfecting bigger nucleic acids (e.g. RNA, DNA), then you can find an alternative cell impermeable molecule of a similar size, and tag with with a fluorophore. You can't really avoid doing cell experiments, since transfection efficiency is mostly hindered by cellular endocytosis and exocytosis.... so doing it in another in vitro system would not be as supportive.
Some plants(Glycyrrhiza glabra) that you can use with extensive research.
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