COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERY OF NUCLEIC ACID TO PLANT CELLS

The present proposals relate to the delivery of nucleic acids to plant cells and particularly， although not exclusively， to bioengineering of plants by delivery of DNA and expression in a host plant. The proposals also relates to enhancement of photosynthesis in plants and to algaecidal compositions. In these proposals， the CND compound has the formula: CND-[(L)y-X] in which: CND is a carbon nanodot having a diameter in the range 0.5-20 nm; L is a linker selected from C1-20 alkylene， or C1-20 alkenylene groups optionally including 1-5 heteroatoms selected from -0-， -N(H)-， and -S-; X is selected from: a) PEG-(NR2)q， in which each R is independently H or C1-6 alkyl and the integer q is 0 or 1 and in which the PEG-(NR2)q is optionally associated with a nucleic acid; b) a sugar moiety; and c) an NR2 group， in which each R is independently H or C1-6 alkyl wherein PEG is a polyethylene glycol having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) greater than 200 the integer y is 0 or 1; wherein when y is 1， each of the CND and X moieties is attached to the L group either directly or via an amide bond; and z is an integer greater than or equal to 1. The present proposals relate to the delivery of nucleic acids to plant cells and particularly， although not exclusively， to bioengineering of plants by delivery of DNA and expression in a host plant. The proposals also relates to enhancement of photosynthesis in plants and to algaecidal compositions. In these proposals， the CND compound has the formula: CND-[(L) y-X] in which: CND is a carbon nanodot having a diameter in the range 0.5-20 nm; L is a linker selected from C1-20 alkylene， or C1-20 alkenylene groups optionally including 1-5 heteroatoms selected from -0-， -N(H)-， and -S-; X is selected from: a) PEG-(NR2)q， in which each R is independently H or C1-6 alkyl and the integer q is 0 or 1 and in which the PEG-(NR2)q is optionally associated with a nucleic acid; b) a sugar moiety; and c) an NR2 group， in which each R is independently H or C1-6 alkyl wherein PEG is a polyethylene glycol having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) greater than 200 the integer y is 0 or 1; wherein when y is 1， each of the CND and X moieties is attached to the L group either directly or via an amide bond; and z is an integer greater than or equal to 1.