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. 1974 Apr;118(1):155–164. doi: 10.1128/jb.118.1.155-164.1974

Factors Affecting Competence for Transformation in Staphylococcus aureus

Lars Rudin 1, Jan-Eric Sjöström 1, Martin Lindberg 1, Lennart Philipson 1
PMCID: PMC246652  PMID: 4274456

Abstract

A chemically defined medium has been developed for isolation of amino acid-requiring mutants of Staphylococcus aureus strain 8325, and for use as a selective medium in transformation assays. Variables affecting transformation of both plasmid and chromosomal markers have been studied. The optimal pH and temperature for transformation are 6.75 to 7.0 and 30 C, respectively. Ca ions are required for transformation, and only cells lysogenic for the phage φ11 can be transformed. Superinfection of competent cells with φ11 does not increase the transformation frequency. Maximal number of transformants is obtained after 20 min of contact between cells and deoxyribonucleic acid. The transformation frequencies for the plasmid marker erythromycin resistance (ero) and the chromosomal markers trp, thy, and cyt are of the same order of magnitude, whereas the frequency for the chromosomal marker tyr is approximately one order of magnitude lower.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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