Figure 7.

Proposed model for the penetration of KH-AtOEP34–pDNA complexes from outside the cell to the chloroplast stroma. After infiltration of KH-AtOEP34–pDNA complexes labeled with Cy3 (cpPD-Cy3 complex) at the leaf surface, cpPD-Cy3 complexes move to the leaf extracellular space. Then, cpPD-Cy3 complexes penetrate into the cell via endocytosis or direct penetration; however, some complexes are trapped by the cell wall and/or the plasma membrane. In the cytosol, cpPD-Cy3 complexes are either targeted to the vacuole for degradation by endocytosis and autophagy, or escape from the degradation and become incorporated into the chloroplast.