Creating bacteria with modified genetic properties allows the specific investigation of these microorganisms. Electrotransformation is a highly efficient and easy to apply technique to introduce genetic material into bacterial cells. A strong electric field is used for this purpose.
In the present manual, protocols for the transformation of about 40 strains of bacteria are described. Emphasis is placed on the individual critical procedural steps, since the practical details mainly depend on the bacterial strain under investigation. This presentation together with the theoretical introductionary chapters, allows the user to modify and adapt each protocol to his/her own experiments. Bacterial strains with relevance in the food industry, biotechnology, medical and veterinary fields, agroindustry and environmental sciences are covered.

I Introduction

1 General Principles of Bacteria Electrotransformation: Key Steps
2 A Critical Introduction to the Technology of Bacterial Electrotransformation
3 Electrotransformation of Escherichia coli
4 Transformation of Bacillus subtilis PB1424 by Electroporation
II Biotechnology and Food Technology
5 Clostridium in Biotechnology and Food Technology
6 Electrotransformation of Lactococcus lactis
7 Electrotransformation of Salmonella typhimurium
8 Electroporation of bifidobacteria
9 Electrotransformation of Listeria species
10 Transformation of Methylobacterium extorquens with a Broad-Host-Range Plasmid by Electroporation
11 Electrotransformation of Acidophilic, Heterotrophic, Gramnegative Bacteria
12 Acetobacter xylinum - Biotechnology and Food Technology
13 Electrotransformation of Sphingomonas pancimobilis
14 Bacillus amyloliquefaciens - Production Host for Industrial Enzymes
III Medical and Veterinary Applications
15 Electrotransformation of Yersinia ruckeri
16 Electrotransformation of Enterococci
17 Prevotella bryantii, P. ruminicola and Bacteroides Strains
18 Electrotransformation of Bordetella
19 Transformation of Campylobacter jejuni
20 Slow-Growing Mycobacteria
21 Electrotransformation of Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida
22 Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans: Electrotransformation of a Periodontopathogen
23 Francisella in Medical and Veterinary Applications
24 Electroporation of the Anaerobic Rumen Bacteria Ruminococcus albus
25 Electroporation of Legionella Species
26 Electrotransformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae
IV Plants
27 Clavibacter michiganensis - Transformation of a Phytopathogenic Gram-Positive Bacterium
28 Electrotransformation of Agrobacterium turnefaciens and A.rhizogenes
V Environmental Bacteria
29 Transformation of the Filamentous Cyanobacterium Fremyella diplosiphon
30 Electroporation of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus
31 Introduction of Plasmids into Azospirillum brasilense by Electroporation
32 Cyanobacteria: Electroporation and Electroextraction
33 Electrotransformation of Plasmids into Freshwater and Marine Caulobacters
Appendices
Appendix A Plasmid Preparation
Appendix B Suppliers.