Why calcium ions are used for artificial competence in bacteria?

Answer 1

Calcium chloride treatment in bacterial transformation is necesaary because the bacterial cells are permeable to chloride ions but not the calcium ions. This chloride intake will accompany along with influx of water into the cells which causes the cells to swell. This swelling followed by a mild heat treatment for about 2 minutes will induce the heat shock proteins which allows the uptake of the recombinant DNA!!!! Calcium is a divalent cation. It binds to the hydrophobic membrane and creates channels for uptake of foreign DNA.It can bind to both negatively charged hydrophilic DNA and the cell membrane, which is also has a negative charge. This enhances ability of the competence cell to take up the DNA.

Answer 2

Calcium ions are used for artificial competence in bacteria because they help to neutralize the negative charges on DNA molecules, allowing them to bind to the bacterial cell membrane and facilitate the uptake of plasmid DNA. This process increases the permeability of the cell membrane, making it easier for the foreign DNA to enter the bacterial cell and be incorporated into the genome.