Recent advances in electrofusion of plant cells

Electrofusion (EF) and electroporation (EP) offer a way to modify the cellular functions. Plant cells exposed to a field pulse of high intensity and short duration (ns to µs) lead to reversible electrical breakdown of the membrane. Such a field reversibly increases the membrane electrical conductivity and permeability, which facilitates the introduction of large molecules like proteins, DNA etc. through the plasma membrane, which are otherwise impermeable. This technique has many advantages over conventional methods of fusion. Electrofused cells remain viable and offer a convenient means to breed new plants of desired characteristic