The BAC Vector
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
KEYWORDS: bacterial artificial chromosome, vector, molecular biology Special section on techniques: So you want to Work with Giants: The BAC Vector Kevin She Pathology, University of British Columbia Submitted April 2003 Introduction in excess of 300 kilobases (kb). Because there is no Bacterial ArtificialC hromosome (BAC) libraries positive selection of clones with successful DNA frag- have been prominently used for the construction of ment insertion, libraries created with pBAC108L had physical genetic maps of many model species including to be hybridization screened with whole DNA. Since Mus musculus, Arabidopsis thaliana, and of course, the inception of BAC vectors, there have been many Homo sapiens. Also being studied are maps of eco- modifications intended to increase the ease-of-use as nomically important species such as Zea mais (corn), well as for use in specific systems and situations 2-5. Oryza sativa (rice) as well as dangerous pathogens pBeloBAC11 2 and pBACe3.6 6 (Figure 1) are modified including herpes simplex virus and Epstein-Barr virus. BAC vectors based on pBAC108L and are commonly Although BACs were created primarily to facilitate used as a basis for further modification. complex genome analyses and has been an extremely valuable tool for this purpose, there is a wide range of pBeloBAC11 other uses, some of which will be discussed later in The primary characteristic of pBeloBAC11 is this manuscript. the addition of a lacZ gene into the multiple cloning site 2 of pBAC108L. On plates supplemented with X- Development of BAC vectors gal/IPTG, an intact lacZ gene encodes b-galactosidase The BAC vector was constructed 1 based on which catalyses the supplemented substrate into a blue Escherichia coli Factor F’ (F’) since methods of DNA substance. Successful ligation of insert DNA into the manipulation in bacteria are well established. F’ is an vector inactivates lacZ; hence, white colonies indicate incompatibility group involved in E. coli chromosomal the presence of a successful vector-insert ligation. How- transfer and conjugative ability, which can exist as an ever, pBeloBAC11 is still a low-copy number plasmid extra-chromosomal element. The original BAC vector, from the presence of parA and parB. pBAC108L, is based on a mini-F plasmid, pMBO131 pBACe3.6 (Figure 1) which encodes genes essential for self-repli- pBACe3.6 is also based on pBAC108L but is cation and regulates its copy number inside a cell. The more highly modified than pBeloBAC116 . In order to unidirectional self-replicating genes are oriS and repE address the issue of low plasmid copy numbers, the P1 while parA and parB maintain copy number to one or replicon in F’ was deleted and a removable high copy two for each E. coli genome. Added to the vector were number replicon originating from an inserted pUC19 multiple cloning sites flanked by “universal promot- was introduced. Additionally, a different positive se- ers” T7 and SP6, all flanked by GC-rich restriction lection mechanism from blue/white selection used in enzyme sites for insert excision. cosN and loxP sites pBeloBAC11 is employed. pBACe3.6 includes a 2.7 were cloned in (by bacteriophage l terminase and P1 kb pUClink stuffer fragment flanked by two sets of six Cre recombinase, respectively) to permit linearization restriction sites within a sacB region. The sacB gene of the plasmid for convenient restriction mapping. Ad- product is levansucrase, which converts sucrose, sup- ditionally, there is a chloramphenicol resistance gene plemented in the media, to levan, which is toxic to E. for negative selection of non-transformed bacteria. coli host cells. Hence, if the vector is re-ligated without This vector is capable of maintaining insert DNA BioTeach Journal | Vol. 1 | Fall 2003 | www.bioteach.ubc.ca - 69 - an insert, the functional sacB produces levansucrase relatively inefficient, and large amounts of DNA are and the cells die before forming colonies. Successful required for library construction 10. YAC DNA, in ad- ligation of an insert into the vector increases the dis- dition, is linear and can be difficult to isolate intact due tance from the promoter to the coding region of sacB, to its susceptibility to shear. Most importantly, YAC disrupting toxic gene expression in the presence of clones are often unstable and chimeric 11 in nature and sucrose. sequences with repetitious elements are prone to rear- rangement 12 or are un-clonable. Other BAC vectors Bacterial artificialc hromosomes overcome many In addition to the commonly used pBeloBAC11 of the problems involved with YACs 1. BACs can be and pBACe3.6 vectors, there are many specialized BAC transfected into E. coli by electroporation at efficiencies vectors carrying a variety of different combinations of up to 100 times greater than yeast transformation. BAC drug resistance genes. Also, many different selection DNA exists in supercoiled circular form that permits mechanisms and markers are available. Modification of easy isolation and manipulation with minimal break- cloning sites (unique restriction endonuclease sites) are ing. In addition, clones can be effortlessly isolated via also common as are the addition of genes and promoters miniprep alkaline lysis and directly re-introduced into specific to different strains of bacteria. bacterial cells. Importantly, bacterial recombination systems are well characterized and recombination Why BACs? deficient strains of E. coli are readily available. It is DNA is the basic code that determines how a ter- not surprising, then, that BAC DNA is very stable, a restrial organism functions and the manipulation of trait that is aided by the low copy numbers maintained DNA is a well-established field with many different in each cell. However, there are BAC vectors that can techniques and applications. The underlying premise attain very high copy numbers while maintaining DNA in working with DNA is the ability to modify and am- stability 6. One drawback of BAC vectors compared plify the sequence of interest. There are many meth- to YAC vectors is that the maximum insert size that ods of managing and amplifying DNA and many take BACs can accommodate merely exceeds about 300kb advantage of the rapid and controllable biosynthetic although clones in the mid-300 kb range are obtainable. ability of bacteria. Phages, viruses that infect bacteria, Additionally, the number of successfully generated were a commonly used system that could produce very clones decreases when attempting to achieve higher pure DNA of interest. However, it could be difficult insert sizes (personal observation) and there has been sugges- to work with and the maximum size of each non-vi- tion that there are species-specific library insert-size rus DNA fragment is usually limited 7. Plasmids are limitations based on base-pair content and sequence double stranded DNA vectors that are maintained and dissimilarities 13. replicated in bacteria, which are easy to manipulate and maintain. However, the drawback of plasmids is Making Your Own that their non-vector insert size limit is around 10 ki- BAC vectors are primarily used in the construction lobases (kb) 8. Cosmids are essentially plasmids with of libraries, however, BAC vectors have also been used at least one cohesive end site (cos) from a bacterio- in other applications such as to study and modify com- phage and require viral packaging prior to transfection plete double-stranded DNA viruses 3, 5 which are too into bacteria. Cosmids can accommodate non-vector large to fit into a plasmid or cosmid vector. In such inserts ranging from 5 kb to 23 kb 9. Inserts up to 35 cases, many of the techniques involved in manipu- kb can be achieved, albeit at a sacrifice of packaging lating plasmids can also be applied to BAC vectors. and transformation efficiency(personal observation) which are Nonetheless, owing to the large size of BAC plasmids critical for library construction. However, even the there are special considerations and techniques, some increased maximum insert size of a cosmid system is of which will be briefly described. insufficient or cumbersome for the study of a cluster There are a number of protocols for BAC li- of bacterial genes, large double-stranded DNA viral brary construction on the internet, available both at genomes, genes encoding non-ribosomal polypeptide academic institutions as well as commercial services. synthetic proteins, or constructing physical maps of One protocol from an academic institution can be found whole genomes. here: http://www.tree.caltech.edu/protocols/BAC_ lib_construction.html. A BAC library is a collection BACs vs YACs of clones that theoretically should have several-fold Yeast artificial chromosomes (YAC) can accom- coverage of the genome of interest, thus the library modate insert sizes in excess of 2 megabases (Mb) should represent every nucleotide in that genome. which vastly overcome the size limitation of previous vectors. However, yeast spheroplast transformation is So You Want To Work With Giants - 70 - Figure 1 Comparison of the original BAC vector and a more recent widely used vectors Step 1: pick your vector marker, as is ampicillin or apramycine. However, dif- The first step is to choose an appropriate vector ferent antibiotics are effective to varying degrees, vary from the wide variety of F’ based plasmids. pBAC108L, in mammalian toxicity, or may not be compatible with pBeloBAC11, and pBACe3.6 are available and com- your host bacteria. Chloramphenicol and hygromycin monly used; hence, these are well characterized for are relatively more hazardous to humans, and ampicil- their stability within different hosts, their cloning ef- lin allows satellite colony growth, while apramycine ficiency with DNA from different species, and other - especially in conjunction with sacB/sucrose selec- practical characteristics. However, available vectors tion - is relatively more effective. The relative cost may not suitable for your needs and may require mod- between different antibiotics may also be a factor in ification. An important consideration is in choosing a your decision.