Competent cells play a vital role ingenetic engineering and molecular biology. These cells have modified cell membranes that allow them to efficiently take up foreign DNA. They are widely used in cloning, gene expression, and protein production.
Bacterial transformation, the naturalprocess of cells taking in foreign DNA, was discovered by Frederick Griffith in 1928. Scientists later developed methods to enhance DNA uptake, leading to the creation of competent cells.
The first protocol for artificialcompetence in E. coli was introduced in 1970. It involved treating cells with calcium and subjecting them to a brief heat shock. This technique, known as chemical transformation, became widely used.
Competent cells can be prepared usingvarious optimized strains for specific applications. Some strains have high transformation efficiency, while others possess engineered traits like antibiotic resistance or inducible protein expression.
Competent cells have revolutionized geneticengineering, enabling the introduction of recombinant DNA into host organisms.
This has advanced research in gene function, protein production, and
therapeutic development.