Effect of Recipient Cell Concentration on Transfection with Bacteriophage DNA
Abstract
Transfection of Bacillus subtilis 168 with low concentrations of SP-18 phage DNA was enhanced by using recipient cells at a concentration of 2 x 10 to the 7th power/ml rather than the usual 2 x 10 to the 8th power/ml. At low DNA concentrations, the slope of the dose-response curve was >1 at the high recipient cell concentration, but the slope was = 1 at the low recipient cell concentration. A similar effect was shown with SP-82 DNA, 01 DNA, and 025 DNA, all having molecular weights of approximately 1 x 10 to the 8th power. However, 029 DNA gave a first-order dose-response curve at both high and low recipient cell concentrations. We interpreted our observations as Kelly hypothesized for the preservation of marker linkage in transformation; i.e., the lower concentration of recipient cells resulted in fewer DNA molecules being fragmented as a result of attaching to two cells. This interpretation of transfection enhancement is different from the previous explanation as an inhibition of an intracellular inactivation process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0866109
Entities
People
- Darrel D. Gwinn
- William D. Lawton