What is the purpose of the pGLO bacterial transformation lab?

The pGLO bacterial transformation lab is designed to demonstrate the principles of genetic transformation by introducing the pGLO plasmid into bacteria, typically E. coli. The plasmid contains a gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP) and an antibiotic resistance gene. The lab teaches how to transform bacteria, select for successful transformants using antibiotic resistance, and regulate gene expression using arabinose as an inducer. This hands-on experiment provides insights into molecular biology techniques and gene expression regulation.