Edvotek at Home: Transformation

Transformation is when bacteria acquire exogenous DNA from the environment. In the laboratory, scientists can harness this technique to turn bacteria into protein production machines. While we believe hands-on experimentation is the best way to learn about transformation, our Edvotek at Home lessons are a close second. Edvotek at Home: Transformation resource is out now! Click here to download.

This resource is specific for the EdvoKit 303: Exploring Technology with GFP, but it’s also adaptable for any transformation exercise you’d like your students to explore. Simply change plasmid to create a multitude of possible lessons. If you would like your students to focus on transformation, and not the accompanying extraction and purification of GFP, use only the first half of the student guide. You can find all of our Edvotek at Home resources on the Guides and Lesson Plans page of our website, and if you have any questions about implementing Edvotek at Home labs simply email us at info@edvotek.com. 

Our transformation resource is downloadable as a zip file and has everything you need to run the lab: 

1. Student Protocol 
2. Teacher’s Guide
3. Results Document
4. Powerpoint presentation covering experimental background

For additional resources on transformations:

• Transformation Quickguide
• Troubleshooting Guide
• Plasmid Maps can be found on the Guides and Troubleshooting page
• Video: Transformation
• Video: Pouring Agar Plates
• Video: Preparation of Source Plates

For additional resources on EdvoKit 303: Exploring Biotechnology with GFP:

• Protein Electrophoresis Quickguide
• Video: Student Module I: Transformation with GFP
• Video: Student Module II: Isolation of GFP
• Video: Student Module III: Purification of GFP
• Video: Student Module IV: Protein Electrophoresis

Looking for a different lesson?  Here are a few more to try! 

• Edvotek at Home: ELISA
• Edvotek at Home: Restriction Digest of DNA
• Bioinformatics
• Energy Dynamics
• Fiber Evidence from Crime Scene Investigation
• Chromatography at home

Up Next: In the next few weeks we will have resources for Edvokit 345: Exploring the Genetics of Taste and Edvokit 953: Multiplex PCR Analysis of Water Contaminants. Stay tuned!