High-efficiency transformation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells by bacterial minicell protoplast fusion.

After a new transformation procedure, 10% of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were found to contain transforming DNA sequences. We used direct transfer of plasmid molecules by fusing bacterial minicell protoplasts to yeast protoplasts. Since the procedure significantly reduces the toxic effect of procaryotic protoplasm on the eucaryotic organism, it might be generally applicable in other systems in which transformation is inefficient or impossible.