AP Bio Gets a "Glo Up"

The Bacterial Transformation Lab seems like something out of a science fiction story and for a good reason, we are actually genetically modifying an organism. Utilizing a loop of DNA called the "pGlo plasmid" it will be a key component in introducing foreign genes into Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. This plasmid, engineered for educational purposes, contains a gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP) and ampicillin resistance. E. coli colonies are grown on a petri dish ahead of time and treated with a calcium chloride solution to enhance membrane permeability. Subsequently, the pGlo plasmid DNA is added to the cells during a heat shock process, which allows the GFP gene into the bacterial cell and then into the genome. The transformed bacteria are then plated on agar containing ampicillin. If the bacteria took in the pGlo plasmid during the heat shock, they would stay alive due to their acquired ampicillin resistance. The resulting colonies are observed and analyzed for the expression of the green fluorescent protein using a UV light (as seen in the picture). This process provides students with a hands-on understanding of genetic engineering concepts and molecular biology techniques using the pGlo system.