What are electrocompetent cells?

Electroporation-competent cells are engineered bacteria that have highly permeable cell membranes for efficient uptake of foreign DNA. Electroporation involves application of electrical pulses across the bacterial membrane, which creates pores and allows genetic material to permeate the membrane. We offer a variety of Invitrogen electrocompetent E. coli cells to reliably clone your target DNA with high efficiency. These competent cells come in convenient packaging options to fulfill your needs for transforming bacteria by electroporation. Standard cuvettes for electroporation can be acquired separately.

Learn about the differences between chemically competent and electrocompetent cells

Electrocompetent E. coli: Selection guide

DH10B electrocompetent cells

DH10B strains are suitable for highest transformation efficiency. Competent cells are prepared using proprietary methods to deliver best-in-class performance. 

 ElectroMAX DH10B Cells ElectroMAX DH10B T1 Phage-Resistant Competent Cells MegaX DH10B T1R Electrocomp™ Cells
 
Product box and its contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX DH10B Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Product box and its contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX DH10B T1 Phage-Resistant Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Product box and its contents: 5 tubes of MegaX DH10B T1R Electrocomp Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 3 bottles of recovery media
Best for
  • High transformation efficiency
  • Library construction and other challenging applications
  • High transformation efficiency
  • Library construction and other challenging applications
  • T1, T5, and φ80 phage resistance
  • Highest efficiency
  • Highly demanding cloning
  • Library construction applications
  • T1, T5, and φ80 phage resistance
Type of transformationElectroporationElectroporationElectroporation
Transformation efficiency >1 x 1010 cfu/µg>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>3 x 1010 cfu/µg
Available formats

5 x 100 µL/tube

5 x 100 µL/tube

5 x 100 µL/tube

TOP10 electrocompetent cells

The TOP10 strains are genetically similar to the DH10B strain and are suitable for general cloning applications.

 TOP10 Electrocomp™ Kit One Shot TOP10 Electrocomp™ E. coliTOP10F´ Electrocomp™ Kit
 
Product box and content: 5 tubes of TOP10 Electrocomp E. coli, 1 vial of pUC19 vector, and 1 bottle of SOC medium
Product box and content: 11 tubes of One Shot TOP10 Electrocomp E. coli, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 1 bottle of SOC medium
Product box and content: 10 tubes of TOP10F' Electrocomp E. coli, 1 vial of pUC19 plasmid, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Best for
  • High transformation efficiency required (e.g., small DNA amount)
  • High transformation efficiency required (e.g., small DNA amount)
  • Single-use format
  • Carries F´ episome for ssDNA isolation
Type of transformationElectroporationElectroporationElectroporation
Transformation efficiency

>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>1 x 1010 cfu/µg
Available formats

Competent cells for specialty applications

 ElectroMAX DH5α-E Competent CellsElectroMAX DH12S Cells ElectroMAX Stbl4 Competent Cells
 
Photo of product box and its contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX DH5α-E Competent Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Photo of product box and its contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX DH12S Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 tubes of M13KO7 Helper Phage
Photo of product box and contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX Stbl4 Competent Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Best for
  • Generation of cDNA libraries
  • Transformations with limited input DNA
  • Production of exceptionally clean ssDNA using M13KO7 helper phage (supplied)
  • Genomic library construction
  • Cloning unstable DNA: stabilizes direct repeat and retroviral sequences
  • Cloning of methylated genomic DNA
Type of transformation

Electroporation

Electroporation

Electroporation

Transformation efficiency

>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>5 x 109 cfu/µg
Available formats

5 x 100 µL/tube

5 x 100 µL/tube

5 x 100 µL/tube

DH10B electrocompetent cells

DH10B strains are suitable for highest transformation efficiency. Competent cells are prepared using proprietary methods to deliver best-in-class performance. 

 ElectroMAX DH10B Cells ElectroMAX DH10B T1 Phage-Resistant Competent Cells MegaX DH10B T1R Electrocomp™ Cells
 
Product box and its contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX DH10B Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Product box and its contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX DH10B T1 Phage-Resistant Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Product box and its contents: 5 tubes of MegaX DH10B T1R Electrocomp Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 3 bottles of recovery media
Best for
  • High transformation efficiency
  • Library construction and other challenging applications
  • High transformation efficiency
  • Library construction and other challenging applications
  • T1, T5, and φ80 phage resistance
  • Highest efficiency
  • Highly demanding cloning
  • Library construction applications
  • T1, T5, and φ80 phage resistance
Type of transformationElectroporationElectroporationElectroporation
Transformation efficiency >1 x 1010 cfu/µg>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>3 x 1010 cfu/µg
Available formats

5 x 100 µL/tube

5 x 100 µL/tube

5 x 100 µL/tube

TOP10 electrocompetent cells

The TOP10 strains are genetically similar to the DH10B strain and are suitable for general cloning applications.

 TOP10 Electrocomp™ Kit One Shot TOP10 Electrocomp™ E. coliTOP10F´ Electrocomp™ Kit
 
Product box and content: 5 tubes of TOP10 Electrocomp E. coli, 1 vial of pUC19 vector, and 1 bottle of SOC medium
Product box and content: 11 tubes of One Shot TOP10 Electrocomp E. coli, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 1 bottle of SOC medium
Product box and content: 10 tubes of TOP10F' Electrocomp E. coli, 1 vial of pUC19 plasmid, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Best for
  • High transformation efficiency required (e.g., small DNA amount)
  • High transformation efficiency required (e.g., small DNA amount)
  • Single-use format
  • Carries F´ episome for ssDNA isolation
Type of transformationElectroporationElectroporationElectroporation
Transformation efficiency

>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>1 x 1010 cfu/µg
Available formats

Competent cells for specialty applications

 ElectroMAX DH5α-E Competent CellsElectroMAX DH12S Cells ElectroMAX Stbl4 Competent Cells
 
Photo of product box and its contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX DH5α-E Competent Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Photo of product box and its contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX DH12S Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 tubes of M13KO7 Helper Phage
Photo of product box and contents: 5 tubes of ElectroMAX Stbl4 Competent Cells, 1 vial of pUC19 DNA, and 2 bottles of SOC medium
Best for
  • Generation of cDNA libraries
  • Transformations with limited input DNA
  • Production of exceptionally clean ssDNA using M13KO7 helper phage (supplied)
  • Genomic library construction
  • Cloning unstable DNA: stabilizes direct repeat and retroviral sequences
  • Cloning of methylated genomic DNA
Type of transformation

Electroporation

Electroporation

Electroporation

Transformation efficiency

>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>1 x 1010 cfu/µg>5 x 109 cfu/µg
Available formats

5 x 100 µL/tube

5 x 100 µL/tube

5 x 100 µL/tube

Advantages of highest efficiency electrocompetent cells

MegaX DH10B T1R Electrocompetent Cells are the highest efficiency electrocompetent cells available (Figure 1). The advantages of MegaX DH10 T1R electrocompetent cells include:

  • Highest transformation efficiency achieved from proprietary manufacturing procedures (>3 x 1010 cfu/μg of control DNA)
  • Ideal for highly demanding cloning and library construction applications
  • tonA (fhuA) genotype confers resistance to T1, T5, and φ80 lytic phage infection and safeguards clones and libraries

Competent cells: Featured products

In addition to competent cells, we offer a broad suite of products for the cloning workflow.

Resources

Have any questions on competent cells or transformation? Click on the resources listed below to access overviews, videos, genotype guides, and educational resources.

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Short articles and digital handbook for cloning applications

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