Enhanced Transformation of Human Cells by UV-Irradiated pSV2 Plasmids

Abstract

Irradiating the plasmid pSV2-gpt with UV (254 nm) doses up to 200 J m-2 caused a dose-dependent increase in the yield of Gpt+ transformants when the plasmid was introduced into human cells by calcium phosphate coprecipitation. UV doses greater than 1 kJ m-2 were required to reduce the efficiency of transformation below that obtained with unirradiated DNA.