title: Efficient transfection of the archaebacterium Halobacterium halobium.
abstract: We developed an efficient polyethylene glycol-mediated spheroplast transfection method for the extremely halophilic archaebacterium Halobacterium halobium. The 59-kilobase-pair linear phage phi H DNA molecule routinely produced between 5 X 10(6) and 2 X 10(7) transfectants per microgram of DNA. Between 0.5 and 1% of spheroplasts were transfected per microgram of luminal diameter H DNA. Under our conditions, survival and regeneration of H. halobium spheroplasts were also quite efficient, suggesting that this method will be useful for introducing other DNAs into these bacteria.
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics*; D006217:Halobacterium / Q000235:genetics*; D013104:Spheroplasts / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection