Vectors - Cloning Vehicles

Vector is a DNA molecule used as a vehicle to transfer foreign genetic material into the cell. The four major types of vectors, they are plasmids, viruses, cosmids, and artificial chromosomes.

Here are the basic features of an E.coli expression vector which is needed for the cloning and expression of recombinat protein

Vector should have the following features

• Selectable marker : Anitibiotic resistant genes used for Screening
• Regulatory gene (repressor)
• Origin of replication
• Promoter
• Transcription terminator
• Shine-Delgarno sequence
• Start codon and Stop codon
• Tags and fusion proteins
• Protease cleavage site
• Multiple cloning site

There are many vectors commercially available for various kinds of protein expression and stability studies, strains and vectors can be obtained from Invitrogen or promega, there are so many other manufacturers also provides the strain and vectors.

Some of the examples of E.coli vectors are

pET series from Novagen

pALTER from Promega

pCal-n from Stratagene

pBAD/His from Invitrogen, etc

To see in detail click here or visit respective manufacturers website.

For recombinant Protein Expression click here