Temperature-Resistant Electrocompetent Cells

Background
Using the electroporation process, electrical pulses create pores that allow genetic material to permeate the bacterial membrane of electrocompetent cells. The limiting factor for this standard laboratory method is the efficiency by which DNA can be introduced into E. coli. Commercially available electrocompetent cells are being delivered frozen at about -70 to -80°C. The conventional wisdom is that storage at a higher temperature, for example at -20°C or higher, will result in a significant decrease in viability and transformation efficiency.

Invention

Inventors of Saarland University have established a new method and created a new bacterial strain to generate electrocompetent bacterial cells with a transformation efficiency of up to 5,6 x 1010, which can be handled at room temperature. This electrocompetent cells can be stored at 4°C without losing transformation efficiency. Also the new established protocol is able to improve the transformation efficiencies of commercially available bacterial cells.

Further information: PDF

Universität des Saarlandes Wissens- und Technologietransfer GmbH PatentVerwertungsAgentur der saarländischen Hochschulen
Phone: +49 (0)681/302-71302

Contact
Dipl.-Kfm. Axel Koch (MBA), Dr. Conny Clausen, Dr. Nicole Comtesse, Dr. Frank Döbrich

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