Which lipofection reagent?

[Benoit_Hebert at IAF.UQUEBEC.CA]

Graham Atherton (grggta at picr.cr.man.ac.uk) wrote:
> We currently use Promega "Transfectam" to transfect, stably and transiently,
...
>    Is there a better system? Gibco make claims for 80% blue 3T3 cells using
> lipofectAMINE. Lower numbers result if transfection is done in the presence
> of serum, but presumably this is a cell-type specific effect?
> Then of course there is the Boehringer
> product, DOTAP which they cliam is insensitive to serum - but what is its
> overall activity compared with Gibco and Promega?
> Any experiences out there?


I routinely use good old Calcium-Phosphate (Current Protocols...) but also 
tried Lipofectamine. This 300$ stuff works, but in my hands, is not better 
than CaPhosphate. A colleague is, on the other hand, regularly using DOTAP and 
finds it to be very good. Since it is much cheaper than Lipo from GIBCO, I may 
try it. They don't hesitate in recommending it.


Benoit Hebert

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Benoit_Hebert at iaf.uquebec.ca

Armand-Frappier Institute
Virology Research Center
Laval, Quebec, Canada    H7N 4Z3
phone: (514) 687-5010, ext. 4636
fax: (514) 686-5626
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