A useful laboratory tool, yes; but did you know an ultrasonic cleaner can inject DNA into a bacterium?

We’ve reported on all sorts of uses for the ultrasonic cleaner.  They clean carburetors, firearms, jewelry, dental instruments, formed and machined metal parts, tiny model creatures—if it fits in the basket, ultrasonic cleaning is often a pretty good option.  So we’ve always got our eyes open for new and interesting applications, and this one is our current favorite: ultrasonic cleaning to expedite DNA transfer to bacteria.  It turns out that an ultrasonic assist can help DNA pierce the bacterial cell wall, without damaging the cell membrane…and it’s more efficient than both conjugation and electroporation.

For further information visit www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

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