Uploaded May 2019 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
How to do genetic engineering? Give bacteria electroshocks! ⚡️
In a previous TechThursdays we showed you one of the techniques how you can get DNA 🧬 of interest into bacteria. This is called “transformation”. In this video we show you how to get DNA into bacteria by giving them a small electroshock ⚡️. The bacteria are first washed in pure water 🚿 to get rid of any salts which would conduct a current. Otherwise a spark could form that kills the cells. Then you add the DNA of interest and apply a short pulse of a strong electric field. This technique is called “electroporation”. Some of the cells will take up the DNA.
Later we can select for the bacteria that have the DNA we want because we also add the information of an antibiotic resistance to the DNA. So only the bacteria that took up the DNA can survive on a petri dish 🧫 that contains this antibiotic 💊. The surviving bacteria then form so-called “colonies” or a heap of bacteria that one can see with bare eyes. Then we just continue working with one of those colonies.
Have a nice Thursday! 👋🏽
#NCCRmse #Science #GeneticEngineering
How to do genetic engineering? Give bacteria electroshocks! ⚡️
In a previous TechThursdays we showed you one of the techniques how you can get DNA 🧬 of interest into bacteria. This is called “transformation”. In this video we show you how to get DNA into bacteria by giving them a small electroshock ⚡️. The bacteria are first washed in pure water 🚿 to get rid of any salts which would conduct a current. Otherwise a spark could form that kills the cells. Then you add the DNA of interest and apply a short pulse of a strong electric field. This technique is called “electroporation”. Some of the cells will take up the DNA.
Later we can select for the bacteria that have the DNA we want because we also add the information of an antibiotic resistance to the DNA. So only the bacteria that took up the DNA can survive on a petri dish 🧫 that contains this antibiotic 💊. The surviving bacteria then form so-called “colonies” or a heap of bacteria that one can see with bare eyes. Then we just continue working with one of those colonies.
Have a nice Thursday! 👋🏽
#NCCRmse #Science #GeneticEngineering
