How to transform bacteria?

Bacteria can be transformed using chemical or physical methods. Chemical transformation involves making cells competent with calcium chloride, followed by heat shock to introduce DNA. Physical methods include electroporation, where an electric field is used to create transient pores in the cell membrane. After DNA uptake, the cells are incubated in nutrient-rich media to recover and express the introduced genes. Selection markers like antibiotic resistance are used to identify successful transformants.