Agrobacterium problems

[Steve Wylie]

Does anyone else working with Agrobacterium tumefaciens have the problems 
that I do?
Firstly, it is very inconsistant in growth, sometimes growing vigorously 
in liqiud medium, and at other times growing slowly.
Transforming it with large plasmids by electroporation or triparental 
mating mating has been easy with some plasmids and impossible with others 
of comparable size. All conditions and cells identical.
I use the strain Agli and have not tried others. Is there a difference in 
ease of use between strains? Where can I buy other strains?
I store a glycerol stock at -80 C and plate onto LB + glucose every 
couple of weeks, working from single colonies taken from that plate. 
Any suggestions most welcome. Thanks.
Steve Wylie
Murdoch University
Western Australia