Abstract: Low transfection efficiency has been the major hurdle for gene transfection in Eimeria tenella. In order to overcome this difficulty, the electroporation parameters were optimized for traditional electroporation apparatus of Bio-Rad Gene Pulser and newly developed Amaxa’s Nucleofector I device, respectively. By adjusting series of key parameters, which include the concentration of plasmid DNA, the electric field intensity, the ambient temperature and bult-in programs of Nucleofector I, we found the optimal condition for electroporation of E. tenella sporozoites is at a voltage of 2000 V and a capacitance of 25 μF, using 50 μg plasmids/107 sporozoites and cuvettes with a 4 mm gap, which together resulting in a transfection efficiency of 3.8×10-4.

Key words: Eimeria tenella; gene transfection; transfection efficiency