Question

what is the use of the betalactamase? Why was it built in the PGLO Plasmid selection for bacteria to pickup?

Answer 1

Betalactamase is a enzyme which breaks down betalactum ring. Betalactum group in known to have antibiotic property. There are many antibiotics which have betalactum ring like penicillins, cephalosporins, cephamycins, and carbapenems. Betalactamse used by microbes to accquire resistance against these antibiotics.

pGLO Plasmid have betalactamse gene as a selection gene along with GFP as a reporter gene. It provide resistance to transforemed bacteria against becta lactum family antibiotics. it works like cross checking of transformed colony. if transformed colonies grown on antibiotic plate ( beta lactum antibiotics) also shows flouresence, menas they are transformed with desired plasmid.