Genetic Transformation Of E. Coli

This pBlu lab had for purpose to present the changes of the strain of E. coli bacteria due to new genetic information being introduced into the cell. In this experiment we are freezing and heat shocking the E. Coli bacteria that is then forced to take the plasmid DNA. The E. coli then transforms the pBLu plasmid, which carries the genes coding for two identifiable phenotypes. After following the Carolina Biological steps our lab worked well and we able to see some colonies of bacteria on the plates. The x-gal plate showed a significant amount of bacteria to confirm that the pBlu plasmid took over the E. coli strain.

Escherichia coli, or better known as E. Coli, is one of the most commonly studied single-cell organisms because it is easier to manipulate and it is abundant. Some E. Coli strains can be pathogenic, but most are harmless. They can help benefit digestive health by filling niches in place of more harmful microorganisms. Because it is a diverse group of related microorganisms, it can be difficult to find the boundaries defining the species. Some strains are natural while others are genetically created in labs, which can be observed in aspects of an organism (Schussler).

As predicted the E. coli colony transformed with either the PUC18 or the lux plasmid developed an ampicillin resistance. Which made it easier for them to not only survive but also replicate in both the LB agar plates and the LB ampicillin rich agar plate. However the E. coli colony not treated with the plasmids could not survive and colonize in the LB ampicillin rich agar plates. The plate that had no ampicillin in its environment and no plasmid treated E. coli served as a positive control for this experiment because it demonstrated how the E. coli would colonize and grow in a normal setting. The cells in the positive control plate grew into lawn colonies because they were not placed into a selective environment or transformed, so they had no need to acquire ampicillin resistance. Two plates in the experiment contained E. coli cells that were transformed with either the PUC18 or the lux plasmid but were placed in an ampicillin free environment. These two colonies grew

By subjecting these bacteria through sudden temperature changes or heat shock, a difference in pressure in the outside and the inside of the cell is made, that causes pores, through which the mobile supercoiled plasmid enters. After normalizing the cell temperature, its walls will heal. When the E. coli has now taken up the plasmid with GFP, it will be able to grow in agar plates with ampicillin, an

This lab is about moving genes from one thing to another using plasmids. Plasmid has the ability to replicate, so it replicates independently, and separately from the chromosomal DNA. Plasmid are one or more small piece of DNA and they enter cells as a double strand DNA. When they enter the cell as a doubke strand they do not invade he chromosomal DNA. We will also transform bacteria into GFP which is mainly from the jelly fish Aequorea Victoria. The GFP causes the the jelly fish to fluorescent and glow in the dark. After the transformation, bacteria starts to make the GFP which causes them to glow a green color under a ultraviolet light.

The pGLO plasmid is engineered to express green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the presence of the sugar arabinose as well as the ampicillin resistance gene β-lactamase (bla) (Brown, 2011). Original E. coli HB101 do not have ampicillin resistance or the GFP gene allowing them to glow under UV light. In this experiment, we transformed E. coli HB101 with the pGLO plasmid by heat shock to make the bacterial cells competent, allowing the plasmid to enter the cell (Brown, 2011). The mixture of bacteria with pGLO plasmid were given recovery time after heat shock, then spread on LB/amp and LB/amp/ara agar plates. The bacteria mixture with no plasmid added were spread on LB and LB/amp agar plates and all four plates were incubated at 37°C for

The purpose of the PGLO lab was to be able to perform a procedure known as a genetic transformation. We used a procedure to transform bacteria with the gene that codes for a Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). The actual source of the GFP gene that we used in this complicated experiment is the bioluminescent jellyfish Aequorea victoria. This protein causes the jellyfish to glow under a UV light that was provided in the dark. After the transformation procedure, the bacteria showed their newly acquired gene from a jellyfish and produced the fluorescent protein, which as a result, causes it to glow. If the bacteria glowed in the dark, that was the initial sign that the experiment was successful.

This experiment was designed to test and observe the transformation efficacy of the pUC18 and lux plasmids in making E. coli resistant to ampicillin. Both plasmids code for ampicillin resistance, however, the lux plasmid codes for a bioluminescence gene that is expressed if properly introduced into the bacteria’s genome. The E. coli cultures were mixed with a calcium chloride solution and then heat shocked, allowing the plasmids to enter the bacteria and assimilate into the bacterial DNA. The plasmids and the bacteria were then mixed in different test tubes and then evenly spread onto petri dishes using a bacterial spreader, heating the spreader between each sample to make sure there is no cross contamination. Each of the dishes was labeled and then incubated for a period of 24 hours. The results were rather odd because every single one of the samples grew. Several errors could have occurred here, cross contamination or possibly an error in preparation as every single sample in the class grew, meaning all samples of the bacteria transformed and became ampicillin resistant.

70µL of competent E.coli are added to both test tubes; pUC18 and Lux (Alberte et al., 2012). Both test tubes are then tapped and placed back into the ice bath for 15 minutes. While waiting, another test tube is obtained, filled with 35µL of competent cells and labeled NP for no plasmid. A water bath is preheated to 37 degrees Celsius and all three labeled test tubes are inserted into the bath for five minutes (Alberte et al., 2012). Using a sterile pipet 300µL of nutrient broth are inserted into both the control and Lux test tubes and 150µL are inserted to the no plasmid test tube to increase bacterial growth. All three test tubes are then incubated at 37 degrees for 45 minutes. Six agar plates are obtained and labeled to correspond each test tube, three of the plates contain ampicillin. A pipet is used to remove 130µl from each test tube containing a plasmid and insert it into the corresponding agar plate. For this, a cell spreader is first

1.2 ml of the bacterial cultures are taken to pellet the cells and remove supernatant while

In the pGLO Bacterial Transformation lab, Escherichia coli is transformed with a gene encoding green fluorescent protein by inserting a plasmid containing the GFP gene, beta-lactamase, and arabinose into the bacterium. Successfully transformed bacteria will grow in the presence of ampicillin and glow a bright green color under ultraviolet light. The sugar arabinose is responsible for switching on the GFP gene in the transformed cells, without it, the gene will not be expressed.

Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a common bacterium that can be found in diverse environments all over the planet, including the gastrointestinal tracts of animals and humans. Many of these strains of E. Coli are essential mechanisms in the digestive tract, while others are pathogens that can cause complications in urinary and intestinal tracts. (Payne & Sparks) In research, E. Coli is commonly used as a model organism, meaning they are widely studied by scientists for a variety of purposes due to their experimental advantages. E. Coli is comparatively simple, and there are many advantages to studying these prokaryotic cells in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology. E. Coli has this simplicity and is relatively easy to propagate in a lab environment. Their genome has been completely sequenced and many things we know about DNA, protein synthesis, and gene linkage have been derived from studies regarding this particular organism. (Cooper)

The transformation of E. coli using plasmid DNA was a success. The positive control plate had a near lawn of blue colonies growing on the plate. This indicated that the E. coli cells took up the plasmid and became ampicillin resistant. The blue colonies formed because the cells were able to produce β galactoisdase and in presence of X-gal the colonies turned blue. There were light blue colonies formed near the edge of the plate. This could due to the lower concentration of X-gal near the edge of the plate so those colonies were not really blue. In addition, there were too many colonies to count so we estimated the transformation efficiency of the positive control to be around 2000 units/μg. On the other hand, the negative is shown in figure

Analysis of DNA from practicals 1 and 2 using the technique of agarose gel electrophoresis and analysis of transfomed E. coli from practical 2 (part B)

This experiment was performed to test the hypothesis if LB nutrient broth, +pGLO and -pGLO Ampicillin, and Arabinose was placed in the E. coli plates, then there will be a significant growth in the newly transformed bacteria and it will possess the ability to glow under UV light. The measurements were recorded from the bent glass tube in each glass test tube. The transformation protocol tested for the newly possessed traits in E.coli bacteria. Throughout the experiment there were many probable reasons for failure. If the pipettes and sterile loop were not thrown out in between each use, a cross contamination could cause a miscalculation in the experiment causing the data results to fail. The hypothesis that was tested was validated due to the positive results with each experiment stating that newly transformed organisms due in fact pass on traits.