Open AccessTransformation of colonial Escherichia coli on solid media
Author(s) -
Maeda Sumio,
Sawamura Akiko,
Matsuda Akiko
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2004.tb09627.x
Subject(s) - escherichia coli , transformation (genetics) , agar , microbiology and biotechnology , plasmid , biology , agar plate , bacteria , genetics , dna , gene
We report that colonial Escherichia coli cells on various solid media can develop modest genetic competence. Using an on‐filter culture system, we found that E. coli colonies on CaCl 2 ‐containing agar were transformed in the presence of plasmid DNA. Interestingly, transformation also occurred on LB‐agar, various moist foods and even on H 2 O‐agar. These results suggest that some populations of colonial E. coli in various environments could become transformable regardless of the surrounding Ca 2+ concentration.