Transformation to prototrophic condition in Escherichia coli induced by deoxyribonucleic acid

Abstract

Since the demonstration by Avery et al. of type transformation induced in Pneumococcus by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) several markers have been used to study the phenomenon in bacteria including drug resistance, protein specificity, and colony morphology. Chargaff et al. have demonstrated "redintegration", a process of rehabilitation in the protoplasts of a lysine-requiring mutant of Escherichia coli. In the present work it has been demonstrated that a biologically active DNA preparation can be readily obtained from the cells of Escherichia coli and that intact cells can act as recipients of this material and undergo transformation.