INTRO
Everything you need to know!
An Introduction
PROS and CONS
The benefits and drawbacks of bacterial transformation
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Produce purified insulin to aid diabetics
Produce FSH to aid infertile women
Fast, easy and consistent
Recombinant plasmid is resistant to antibiotics
Difficult to destroy harmful bacteria if it is passed on
The purpose of this technique is to introduce a foreign plasmid into a bacterium and to use that bacterium to amplify the plasmid in order to make large quantities of a certain trait. This is based on the natural function of a plasmid: to transfer genetic information vital to the survival of the bacterium.
Bacterial transformation can be done in a variety of ways; the most common way of doing this is by using heat shock. Heat shock is a method where a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell is subjected to temperatures above natural homeostatic levels. This allows the bacterium to become permeable to the gene which is intended to be inserted. Heat allows the pores to open, letting the gene in, and the cold allows the pores to close, allowing the cell to uptake that particular gene. In addition, using a calcium chloride transformation solution neutralizes the charge on the cell membrane, as well as on the plasmid DNA.
Current research in molecular biology involves the transformation of E.coli, which does not naturally enter a desired state.
E.coli can be manipulated to do this when
treated with chloride salts, such as calcium, or by using heat shock. Metal ions and temperature changes affect the structure and permeability of the cell wall and cell membrane, allowing DNA molecules to pass through.
A plasmid is a self-replicating circle of DNA that is distinct from the normal genome of bacteria. It contains genes that are not essential to the growth or survival of the cell. Some plasmids can integrate into the host genome, can be artificially constructed in the laboratory and serve as cloning vectors. Plasmids are used in research to induce the expression of a gene which is not usually found in the given organism. In addition to the target gene, the plasmid also contains an antibiotic resistance gene, which can sometimes be a disadvantage if the plasmid enters a dangerous bacteria.
to Bacterial Transformation
Uses of bacterial transformation, Plasmids, e.coli, historical figures and more!