Bacterial transformation is what happens when a

bacterial cell accepts outside DNA and incorporates it

into its own DNA. This generally occurs within

plasmids, (small circular DNA molecules apart from

chromosomes). There's between 10 and 200 copies of the

same plasmid in a cell. Plasmids can reproduce when

the chromosome does, or independently. Each plasmid

has between 1,000 and 200,000 base pairs. Specific

plasmids, called R plasmids, carry genes for

resistance to antibiotics like ampicillin (used in the

lab).

Plasmids role in transformation is two things. They

transfer genes that take place naturally within the

plasmid, or they act as vectors for incorporating

outside DNA. Restriction enzymes are used to cut

outside DNA and insert it into the plasmid. The

bacteria used in this lab was E. coli. It was chosen

because it can be grown without difficulty in Luria

broth or on agar.

Hypothesis:

The transformed E. coli with the...