TRANSFECTION MAXIMIZER INCREASES THE EFFICIENCY OF CALCIUM-PHOSPHATE TRANSFECTIONS WITH MAMMALIAN-CELLS

A variety of methods have been described for introducing DNA into cult ured mammalian cells. Among these, calcium phosphate (CaPO4)-mediated transfection has gained wide acceptance due to the procedure's low cos t, simplicity and suitability for a wide range of cell types. However, this method is limited by relatively low transfection efficiencies an d poor reproducibility. To improve the utility of CaPO4 transfections, we have identified a transfection enhancer (CalPhos Maximizer(TM) tha t dramatically increases the efficiency of CaPO4 transfections with ma mmalian cells. The CalPhos Maximizer is a cellular structural protein that improved CaPO4 transfections with all mammalian cell lines tested and yielded greater than 70% transfection efficiency in BHK-21 cells. In the presence of the CalPhos Maximizer transfection times were decr eased to as little as 2 h with no loss in performance. Because of the the high transfection efficiency provided by the CalPhos Maximizer tra nsfection system, gene expression can be assayed following overnight i ncubations, rather than the typical 48-72-h intervals required by conv entional transfection methods. Moreover the Maximizer reagent is compa tible with, and improves the performance of, commercially available as well as home-made CaPO4 transfection systems.