Question: What are the roles of CaCl2 and heat shock in artificial transformation ?
Answer:
Artificial transformation is accomplished by inducing competence in cells by using chemicals or electroporation. The most common method of making competent cells is CalCl2 and heat shock treatment. In this technique an early log phase culture is centrifuges and re-suspended in a cold, hypo-tonic CalCl2 solution, and after that DNA is added to these cells, followed by a brief heat shock, which allows transportation of the DNA into the cell. The roles that CalCl2 and heat shock play in accomplishing this, are as follows-
