Used for electroporation of bacteria primarily -- while their cell membranes are more permeable as a result of the process, plasmids can be introduced.
The Pulse Controller unit is used with the Gene Pulser apparatus for the electroporation of
bacteria, or for other applications where pulses of very high field strength are applied to samples
of small volume and high resistance. The Gene Pulser apparatus should not be used to
generate field strengths above ~6,000 V/cm unless it is connected to the Pulse Controller. If
the Pulse Controller is not used under these conditions, arcing may occur and cause serious
damage to the Gene Pulser apparatus.
The Pulse Controller greatly reduces the incidence of arcing at high voltages, and protects the
Gene Pulser circuit if a high voltage, high current arc does occur. The unit also allows the Gene
Pulser apparatus to fire into a high resistance sample, and provides the operator with electronic
control of the time constant.
The Pulse Controller should not be used with samples of less than 1,000 Ω. This includes samples
of buffered saline (~20 Ω), tissue culture medium (~20 Ω), and phosphate buffered sucrose (~200
Ω). The internal resistance of the Pulse Controller will cause a substantial loss in voltage when
pulses are applied to low resistance samples. The voltage loss is insignificant with high resistance
samples (see Section 3 for a detailed discussion of this effect).
