THE INTERPRETATION OF BACTERIAL TRANSFORMATION DATA

Abstract

The treatment of bacterial transformation data is discussed and equations are developed connecting the variables. The authors show that the observed number of transformants is the product of 3 factors: (a) the number of competent deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules present, (b) the ability of these molecules to enter the bacterium, and (c) the ability of the molecules which have entered the cell to become part of the genome. To calculate the sizes of genetic markers or to estimate the efficiency of fractionation procedures the quantity of "a" must be evaluated from the observed data. Absorption and inhibition experiments are presented to show that "b" and possibly "c" functions of molecular weight. Since the nature of the function is at present unknown, an explicit solution for the number of markers present is impossible.