Why are my electrocompetent bugs lysing?

[Rebecca Ormsby]

Help! I have been making electrocompetent bacteria for years and for some
reason my bugs are lysing after the first wash. By the second wash there are
very few cells left. I have tried both XLI-BLUE and TOP10, different media,
very cold water, not quite so cold water, faster wash times and more gentle
washing with no success. What am I doing wrong?

Rebecca
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Rebecca Ormsby.
Dept. Microbiology & Infectious Diseases,
Flinders University of South Australia
Bedford Park, S.A. 5042

phone: (+61) (8) 8204 5252       ___o
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 fax: (+61) (8) 8276 8658

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