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Hanahan’s Broth (SOB Medium) | Competent Cell Preparation Medium | AS‑1245

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AuSaMicS Life Science • Molecular Biology Media

Hanahan’s Broth: SOB Medium

Name: Hanahan's Broth: SOB Medium
Brand: AuSaMicS Life Science
SKU: AS-1245
Availability: InStock

Rich Broth for Competent E. coli, Cloning & Transformation Workflows

Hanahan’s Broth, also known as SOB Medium, is a rich, non-selective molecular biology broth used for the preparation and transformation of competent Escherichia coli. It is widely used in cloning, plasmid propagation, and recombinant expression workflows where a nutritionally rich, low-salt medium is preferred over standard LB. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

AS-1245 pH 7.0 ± 0.2 ✓ Australian Stock 🧬 Competent Cell Media ⚡ Transformation Workflow

Use: Competent E. coli preparation Application: Cloning & plasmid work Documents: COA + SDS + TDS

Why Molecular Labs Use SOB

Competent cell prep support

Transformation-ready rich broth

Richer than LB in peptides and amino acids

Non-selective growth of recombinant E. coli

Base for SOC workflows with glucose addition

Common Workflow Logic

Prepare competent cells
Transform with DNA
Recover in rich broth
Proceed to selection / cloning

⚠️ Important: SOB Medium vs SOC Medium

Hanahan’s Broth / SOB Medium (AS-1245)
A rich cloning broth used for competent cell preparation and recombinant E. coli culture. It is richer than LB and does not inherently include glucose. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

SOC Medium
SOC is a modified SOB medium with added glucose, commonly used in the post-transformation recovery step to improve transformation efficiency in appropriate workflows. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

🔬 Technical Overview & Principle

Hanahan’s Broth (SOB Medium) is a standard rich medium for molecular cloning laboratories. Sigma describes it as being used for the preparation and transformation of competent E. coli, and for the non-selective cultivation of recombinant strains used in cloning, plasmid DNA production, and recombinant protein workflows. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Compared with standard LB, SOB contains higher levels of peptone-derived nutrients, amino acids, and peptides, which is one reason it is widely associated with high-efficiency competent-cell methods. Magnesium is also a key component of the system, and supplier notes describe magnesium sulfate as a necessary component aiding DNA replication. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Why this medium performs well:
Tryptone and yeast extract provide abundant nitrogen, peptides, amino acids, and vitamins; NaCl and KCl maintain suitable osmotic conditions; and MgSO₄ supports transformation-associated cell recovery and recombinant-cell handling. This combination makes SOB a practical step up from routine LB in competent-cell and cloning workflows. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Typical applications: competent E. coli preparation, non-selective growth after cloning steps, plasmid propagation, and recombinant protein strain cultivation. Sigma also notes reported use with Cupriavidus necator H16 competent cells. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

🧪 Standard SOB Composition

Ingredient	Typical g/L	Function	Performance Contribution
Tryptone	20.0	Peptides, amino acids, nitrogen source	Supports rapid growth and recovery of recombinant E. coli; the richer peptide load is part of what differentiates SOB from LB. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Yeast Extract	5.0	Vitamins, growth factors, organic nutrients	Provides water-soluble vitamins and additional growth factors for competent and recombinant cell workflows. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Sodium Chloride	0.5	Isotonic support	Contributes to osmotic balance in low-salt competent-cell culture conditions. Standard SOB formulation value.
Potassium Chloride	0.186	Osmotic and ionic balance	Supplier notes describe KCl together with NaCl as maintaining isotonic conditions. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
Magnesium Sulphate	2.4	Mg²⁺ source	Sigma describes magnesium sulfate as a necessary component for DNA replication, making it a defining part of the SOB competent-cell workflow. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
Total (approx.)	28 g/L	Sigma preparation note specifies suspending 28 g powder in 1 L water. Final pH for standard SOB is commonly around 7.0. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}

🧬 Typical Molecular Biology Workflow

Prepare the medium
Prepare according to the product instructions and validated lab method. Sigma’s powder preparation note is 28 g/L followed by autoclaving, with additions made after cooling when required. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}

Use for competent-cell preparation or recovery
SOB is widely used in competent E. coli workflows because its rich nutrient profile supports gentle cell handling and transformation-related recovery. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}

Grow recombinant strains non-selectively
Supplier documentation also positions SOB for non-selective cultivation of recombinant E. coli used in cloning, plasmid DNA production, and recombinant protein workflows. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}

Convert to SOC when needed
For some transformation workflows, glucose is added to create SOC, the catabolite-repressed derivative used in post-transformation recovery. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}

📊 Comparative Cloning & Growth Media

Medium	Best Use	Advantages	Considerations
SOB Medium	Competent-cell preparation, transformation, rich non-selective cloning culture	Richer than LB in peptone/amino acids/peptides; standard Hanahan workflow medium. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}	No glucose by default; often paired with downstream selective plating.
SOC Medium	Post-transformation recovery	Glucose-containing derivative of SOB used to improve transformation recovery in suitable workflows. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}	Distinct medium, not interchangeable with unmodified SOB in every protocol.
LB Broth	Routine E. coli growth	Simple, widely used, economical standard medium	Less enriched than SOB for competent-cell oriented workflows. Inference supported by Sigma’s comparison noting SOB is richer than LB. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
Terrific Broth	High-density plasmid or expression culture	Very rich, strong biomass generation	Usually positioned more for dense growth than classic competent-cell preparation

📌 Quick Specifications

Product: Hanahan’s Broth: SOB Medium

Cat. No.: AS-1245

Format: Dehydrated culture medium

Type: Rich, non-selective molecular biology broth

Main organism: E. coli

Main use: Competent-cell preparation and transformation

Related medium: SOC after glucose addition

Storage: 10–25°C, dry, tightly closed, protected from moisture and light

⭐ Key Advantages

✓Designed for competent-cell and transformation workflows

✓Richer than LB for recovery-sensitive cloning steps

✓Supports recombinant E. coli growth without selection pressure

✓Standard molecular biology formulation familiar to many labs

✓Can be extended into SOC-based workflows when needed

⚙️ Preparation Notes

Prepare according to the product instructions and your validated laboratory method.

Supplier guidance indicates autoclaving the powder suspension, then allowing the medium to cool before post-sterilisation additions where required. :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}

For transformation workflows, use only with validated competent-cell and recovery protocols appropriate to your strain and vector system.

🔗 Related AuSaMicS Products

SOC Medium

Glucose-containing derivative used for post-transformation recovery workflows

LB Broth / LB Agar

Routine cloning and maintenance media for standard E. coli work

Terrific Broth

Very rich broth for high-density plasmid and expression cultures

Reliable Competent-Cell Media for Molecular Biology Workflows

AuSaMicS supplies high-quality microbiological and molecular biology media designed for dependable laboratory performance. Contact us for technical documentation, bulk supply, or support aligned to competent-cell and cloning workflows.

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www.ausamics.com.au • support@ausamics.com • +61 412 520 598

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