Competent cells have been treated to increase their permeability to foreign DNA in order to allow the uptake of exogenous DNA molecules. The treatment process of making cells competent involves making the cell membrane more permeable, typically by chemical treatment or electroporation. Once competent, cells can take up plasmids or other DNA molecules from the surrounding environment. The transformation efficiency of competent cells is a critical factor that influences the success of cloning, DNA library construction, genome editing, protein production, phage display, propagation of recombinant plasmids, and gene expression studies. Explore our competent cells to learn which type will work best for you
