DNA delivery methods overview
Description
In this interactive virtual lab, students explore how recombinant DNA is introduced into host cells and how successful transformants are identified. They perform CaCl₂ heat-shock transformation and electroporation at a virtual bench, then visit stations for lipofection, microinjection, biolistics, and Agrobacterium- and viral-vector-mediated delivery. In the second part, they apply insertional inactivation, blue/white screening, and replica plating to separate recombinant clones from untransformed cells and empty-vector transformants. Drag-and-drop activities, illustrations, and checkpoint questions after each section reinforce every step. The lab ends with a 15-question final quiz and a personalised BioLab Hub certificate of completion.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lab, students will be able to compare the main methods of introducing DNA into bacterial, animal and plant cells and match each method to its target cell type and principle. They will be able to explain how CaCl₂ treatment and heat shock make bacteria competent, and contrast heat shock with electroporation in mechanism, efficiency and requirements. Students will also explain why selection is necessary after transformation and how insertional inactivation reveals the presence of an insert. Finally, they will be able to interpret blue/white screening through α-complementation and use replica plating to identify and recover recombinant clones.