Question

In the chemical/temperature method of bacterial transformation, which specific temperature is used for the brief heat shock step?

Options

• 72°C

• 42°C

• 37°C

• 50°C

Answer 1

Bacterial cells are made competent using divalent cations like calcium, followed by incubation on ice and a brief heat shock at 42°C before returning to ice. This facilitates the entry of recombinant DNA into the bacterial cell.