Transformation Lab Review

In the transformation lab the goal was to observe the transformation of bacteria through an injection of Pglo  plasmid, and its effects on its ability to survive antibiotics, and its ability to "glow". A plasmid is a self replicating loop of DNA that contains only a few genes (the ones that you want to test with your experiment). We placed ecoli bacteria on plates covered with different substances, on one plate there was plain agur (yum yum bacteria food!) on another plate was agur and ampicillin (with this we did two plates one with the plasmid and one without the plasmid) on the third plate type we did ampicillin, agur and erabanos. With the ampicillin plate that didn't have the plasmid there was no bacterial growth, the antibiotic killed all of it. However, when the plasmid was injected into the bacteria and put through heat shock treatment (this is to open the bacteria up to accept the plasmid) it was found to fight off the antibiotic. When it was put on the plate containing arabinose it sent the signal for the DNA to start producing the protein to make the bacteria glow. Thus, you have antibiotic resistant, glowing bacteria. :P