A modified electro-transformation method for Bacillus subtilis and its application in the production of antimicrobial lipopeptides

A modified electroporation method using trehalose is presented for the transformation of Bacillus subtilis. The new method improved the transformation efficiency of B. subtilis nearly 2,000-fold compared with the usual method, giving 4×10(5) transformants/μg DNA. Using this method, B. subtilis was engineered to improve production of antimicrobial lipopeptides and produced 1.8-fold more surfactin and 2.9-fold more fengycin.