Sensitivity of Escherichia coli to Viral Nucleic Acid
- 1 October 1972
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in The Journal of Biochemistry
- Vol. 72 (4) , 973-979
- https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jbchem.a129988
Abstract
Upon treatment with 0.05 M CaCl2, cells of Escherichia coli become highly competent for transfection by replicative-form DNA of φA and φX174. The calcium-treated cells are infected by single-stranded φA DNA and also by QB RNA. Most of the cells remain viable after calcium-treatment and grow normally in the absence of any stabilizing agents. The uptake of DNA by competent cells occurred very rapidly and mature φA virus appeared within 15 to 20 min after transfer to growing medium. A linear relationship was observed between the number of infective centers and the DNA challenged. Plaque yield increased proportionally with increasing cell concentrations and reached a plateau at the cell density of 3–4O.D.660. When preserved in chilled 0.05 M CaCl2, the calcium-treated cells remained competent at least for one week.Keywords
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