What is the difference between transformants and recombinants?

A transformant is a cell that has taken up additional DNA -- usually a plasmid that confers some kind of antibiotic resistance, so that successful transformants will grow, while all of the cells that weren't transformed will not. Recombinant is a description usually applied to the DNA plasmids used in transformations.

TRANSFORMATION: Process of introduction of cloning vector into the host cell.

Transformant cell is that cell in which transformation has occured.

Recombinant cell is that cell in which ligation had occured i.e., cloning vector has ligated with foregin DNA.

Generally, antibiotic resistance encoding gene of cloning vector is used for identification between transformant and non- transformant and recombinant and non- recombinant.
Eg.- ampR , tetR encoding gene in case of pBR322.
Bacterial cell grown in ampicillin contaning medium.
Purpose: To separate transform cell from non- transformed cell.

Result: Non- transformant cell: Killed. Transformant: Survive.

2. Host cell transferred in tetracycline medium.

Purpose: To select recombinant cell from non? recombinant cell.

Result: Non- recombinant cell: Survive. Recombinant cell: Killed.

Reason: Because, tetracycline resistance encoding gene has been insertional inactivated.