Technology Offer Temperature-Resistant Electrocompetent Cells Commercialization Background Using the electroporation process, electrical pulses create pores that allow genetic material to permeate the bacterial membrane of electrocompetent cells. The limiting factor for this standard laboratory method is the efficiency by which DNA can be introduced into E. coli. Commercially available electrocompetent cells are being delivered frozen at about -70 to -80°C. The conventional wisdom is that storage at a higher temperature, for example at -20°C or higher, will result in a significant decrease in viability and transformation efficiency. We are looking for partners for further development and commercialisation of the invention. Different licensing models are negotiable. IP Rights An international application is pending. Commercially available competent cells (ECC1-5) with advertised average transformation efficiencies and price per reaction (blue bars, green line). Average transformation efficiency of commercially available strain ECC1 and new established strain ECC generated electrocompetent by new patented protocol (striped blue) Contact Dr. Susanne Heiligenstein WuT – Universität des Saarlandes Wissens- und Technologietransfer GmbH Patentverwertungsagentur Starterzentrum | Gebäude A1 1 D-66123 Saarbrücken Invention Inventors of Saarland University have established a new method and created a new bacterial strain to generate electrocompetent bacterial cells with a transformation efficiency of up to 5,6 x 1010, which can be handled at room temperature. This electrocompetent cells can be stored at 4°C without losing transformation efficiency. Also the new established protocol is able to improve the transformation efficiencies of commercially available bacterial cells. Tel. +49 681 938-6382 Fax +49 681 938-6903 [email protected] pva-saarland.de Advantages 10  Electrocompetent cells with a maximum efficiency of 5,6 x 10  No handling of electrocompetent cells on ice or storage at -70°C needed  No shipping of electrocompetent cells on dry ice necessary  Preparation method and electrocompetent cells optimized for linear to linear Red/ET homologous recombination where library construction and screening is not needed  Only small amounts of input DNA needed to reduce overall costs inventionstore.de Free e-mail service to access the latest IP-protected top technologies.