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Chemoporation using saponins or cholates: an alternative method for transformation of bacterial cells

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Abstract

A new method for fast transformation of competent bacterial cells has been developed. The transformation is induced with cholic acid analogues or saponins which cause reversible disruption of the bacterial membrane. This method shortens the time of transformation without significant loss of transformation efficiency in comparison to heat shock method and is the first reported chemically-induced transformation. New data about interactions between cholates and biomembranes is revealed that may contribute to better understanding of bacterial transformation.

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Acknowledgements

The research was financially supported by Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), Grant No.: P4-0127.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Matjaž Ravnikar, Andreja Irman, Nataša Radić, Mojca Lunder & Borut Štrukelj

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  1. Matjaž Ravnikar
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  2. Andreja Irman
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  3. Nataša Radić
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  4. Mojca Lunder
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  5. Borut Štrukelj
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Correspondence to Matjaž Ravnikar.

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Ravnikar, M., Irman, A., Radić, N. et al. Chemoporation using saponins or cholates: an alternative method for transformation of bacterial cells. Biotechnol Lett 31, 1943–1946 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-0101-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-0101-7

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