Hello everyone!
I am a aspiring hobby geneticist - and this will be my first post here. :)
I am looking to conduct my first experiment - bacterial transformation, and I am on the lookout for some ampicillin, tetracyclin and/or kanamycin resistant e.coli strains that I can transform using some GFP vectors I have incoming.
I will be doing this as a small project in connection with a short article I will be writing for my workplace internal magazine on the topic of genetics and its importance now and in the future.
Anyhow, I am finding it very difficult to get any lab strains e.coli at all. All of the big companies that provide such things do not cater to non govt. or educational institutions, and if I call a biobank or lab to ask if they have any strains or plasmids they'd be willing to share - I am simply met with the response "who ARE you? ..." followed by "sorry, we can't sell you any"... After which I think to myself "cant... or wont?"...
Well, that's just it... I'm a simple private individual who wants to learn more about genetics. I've bought some literature and got all the neccesary protocols for making everything from Lb broth, agar medium to mini-prep kits for bacterial transformation.
Right now a friendly soul has shipped me some strains all the way from the Netherlands, and I have a GFP vector sample on the way to me next week, but in case those don't make it for whatever reason - I am on the lookout for a more reliable source of strains and plasmid vectors for the future - a source that does not discriminate against us private DIY's.... :)
Anyhow, a friend of mine urged me to also blog about what I am doing so that perhaps someone else might get inspired to do the same... So if anyone would like to have a look, you can see my progress from the very beginning to right now at
www.drn00b.comI've spent the past couple of years buying equipment, and just recently I've managed to get my lab up and running. Only thing missing right now are e.coli strains and vectors.
I appreciate any and all input on the matter. :)
Sincerely, Dr. N00b.