Sublethally damaged cells of Escherichia coli by Pulsed Electric Fields: The chance of transformation and proteomic assays

► E. coli electrotransformants were generated by sublethal PEF treatments. ► Electrotransformant generation was dependent on PEF intensity and inlet T (°C). ► Transformation frequency [3-23] × 10− 9 was due to 15 kV/cm-700 μs PEF treatment. ► 16% of the PEF-treated population was sublethally damaged by 15 kV/cm-700 μs. ► 15 kV/cm-700 μs PEF treatment changes the outer protein membrane profile expression.