The efficiency of genetic transformation of mammalian cells by transfection and microinjection depends on the transferred gene.

The efficiency of genetic transformation of mammalian cells was analysed with respect to the kind of the transferred gene and the selective system. Plasmids pAGO and pAG60 harboring the thymidine kinase gene of Herpes simplex virus type 1 and the bacterial neomycin resistance gene, respectively, were compared concerning their ability to transform mouse Ltk-aprt- cells. Using the calcium phosphate technique the neomycin resistance gene transformed at least ten times more efficiently than the thymidine kinase gene (3 X 10(-3) versus 2 X 10(-4] whereas the difference is even more impressive following microinjection of the plasmids into the nuclei (2 X 10(-1) versus 2.5 X 10(-3]. The neomycin system also proved to be more effective in secondary gene transfer experiments and, thus, seems to be the most convenient marker for cotransfer experiments.