Question

Which divalent cation is used to treat bacterial cells to make them competent for foreign DNA uptake?

Options

• \[\text{K}^{+}\]

• \[\text{Ca}^{2+}\]

• \[\text{Cl}^{-}\]

• \[\text{Na}^{+}\]

Answer 1

Bacterial cells are made competent to take up recombinant DNA using divalent cations such as calcium (\[\text{Ca}^{2+}\]), followed by ice incubation and heat shock treatment.