Genetic transformation of E. coli into green fluorescent protein IntroductionGenetic transformation is the process a cell undergoes to absorb a piece of foreign DNA from a different organism (Aldridge 2012). The process was first started by a group of men named Herbert Boyer, Paul Berg, and Stanley Cohen in the 1970s (Aldridge 2012). As a result of their work, vaccines, medicines, and insulin became available (Aldridge 2012). This lab involves E. coli and a green fluorescent protein (GFP) that will glow green if the transformation works. GFP is supposed to act as an indicator that lights up green when detected and shows where the protein is produced (Fletcher 2003). There are three different types of genetic transformations, but in this experiment we only used heat shock. This laboratory used heat shock treatment, which caused a sudden increase in temperature to increase the permeability of the cell membrane (Weedman 2013). Once the E. coli undergoes a heat shock, the bacterium is transformed with arabinose and should glow green. When pGLO acts as a carrier, it transfers a gene from one organism to another (Weedman 2013), making the E. coli bacteria shine in this experiment. The hypothesis was the binding of the sugar arabinose to pGLO resulting from the heat shock treatment, which will cause a genetic transformation and E. coli will turn green. The presence of Ampicillin acts as a resistance in the pGLO vector. This will serve to demonstrate whether the hypothesis was correct or not because it blocks the transformed cells. If the bacterium lights up, the transformation by heat has been successful and the E.coli will produce a new protein. Genetic transformation is very important and can be found in everyday transformations such as medicines... middle of paper... lts. Luckily we followed all the steps correctly with caution and got the correct results. Literature cited1. Fletcher L. Marker. Systems 2003. Genetics. Ed. Riccardo Robinson. vol. 3. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, Gale Virtual Reference Library. P 15-182. Aldridge S. 2012 “Genetic Engineering.” Biotechnology vol. 1 Detroit: Storm. Virtual Reference Library 431-433. P431-4333. Weedman D. 2013. Life 102 Attributes of Living Systems Laboratory Manual. 7th edition.Minneapolis: Bluedoor, LLC.4. Buzzle.com: Benefits of Genetic Engineering [Internet]. [cited April 28, 2014] Available from: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/benefits-of-genetic-engineering.html5. Biology-Online.org. Advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering. [Internet]. 2006. [cited 28 April 2014]. http://www.biology-online.org/2/13_genetic_engineering.htm