The document discusses molecular cloning vectors, highlighting their properties, types, and specific examples such as plasmids, lambda phages, and artificial chromosomes. It describes the advantages and disadvantages of each vector type, along with their applications in genetic engineering. The conclusion emphasizes the selection of the best vector based on the intended purpose and size of the DNA fragment.

1. MOLECULAR CLONING VECTORS
Presented By,
Sonia John
II M.Sc Zoology

2. CLONING VECTORS
• DNA molecules that can carry a foreign DNA fragment when
inserted into it
• Share four common properties:
1. Ability to promote autonomous replication.
2. Contain a genetic marker (usually dominant) for selection.
3. Unique restriction sites to facilitate cloning of insert DNA.
4. Minimum amount of nonessential DNA to optimize cloning.

3. DIFFERENT TYPES
• PLASMIDS
• PHAGES
• HYBRID VECTORS
• ARTIFICIAL CHROMOSOMES

4. PLASMIDS
• Extra-chromosomal,self-replicating ,double stranded, closed
circular DNA molecules present in the bacterial cell
• Copy Number: High copy number and low
copy number
• Small size
• No of genes is limited
• Episomes

5. • Chang and Cohen first proved the use of plasmid as gene
cloning vectors.
• CHARACTERISTCS OF IDEAL PLASMID VECTORS
1. Small size: 1.2-3kb
2. Copy number
3. Genetic marker
4. Origin of replication
5. Unique Restriction Site
6. No pathogenicity
7. Multiple Cloning Site
8. Promoter Sequence

7. NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL PLAMIDS
• Plasmids isolated from bacteria&directly used for gene
cloning without any modification :-Natural Plasmid
• But not used in gene cloning due to large size,confer
pathogenicity etc
• Artificial/derived plasmids constructed by cutting out
unwanted portions from wild type plasmids.Eg:pBR322
• These are of much use in gene transfer

8. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
• ADVANTAGES:
1. Readily isolated from cells
2. Can be reintroduced into a bacterial cell
3. Possess a single restriction site for 1 or more restriction enzyme
4. MCS
5. Introduction of a linear molecule does not alter its replication
• DISADVANTAGES
1. Cannot accept large fragments

9. LAMBDA PHAGE VECTORS
• Lambda phage is a bacterial virus that infects E.coli.
• Consists of an icosahedral head and flexible tail.
• Phage DNA packed inside the head
• Lambda DNA is a linear DNA duplex with cohesive single strand
extensions
• The single stranded extensions of the DNA are COMPLEMENTARY
to each other and consists of 12 nucleotides:: Cos Sites
• Free end of the cos site has a 5’ phosphate group

11. • Lambda Phage DNA can carry large DNA fragments and integrate
into host chromosome
• Wild type Lambda DNA can carry only small fragments;The
unwanted seq are cut out:- CONSTRUCTED LAMBDA DNA
VECTOR
• It is of 2 types:
1. Insertion Vectors- 1 restriction site;fragments upto 18kb
2. Replacement Vectors-2 restriction sites;Removal of stuffer seq

12. ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
• ADVANTAGES
1. Large DNA fragments upto 23kb can be carried
2. Efficiency of gene transfer is high
• DISADVANTAGES
1. Rec.DNA may enter lytic cycle
2. Lambda phage has narrow host range

13. M13 BACTERIOPHAGE VECTOR
• A single stranded DNA contaning phage virus;Can infect F+
cells
• Consists of about 6402 b.p
• The Intergenic Seq (IS) of M13 modified so as to introduce
additional restriction site
• The gene LacZ is integrated and then introduced into the IS to
get M13 Vector

14. HYBRID VECTORS:
Cosmids and Phagemids
COSMIDS
• Artificial plasmid containing Cos-sites of lambda DNA
• Formed by joining ends of a linearised plasmid DNA with cos-
sites
• Has an ori,selectable marker,cloning sites of plasmid DNA

15. Features fo COSMID
• Circular,ds DNA
• 2 complementary ss regions- cos sites
• Cosmid DNA does not code for phage protein and host cell
lysis
• Does not involve in multiplication of phage particles
• Has an ori from plasmid- for independent repl.
• Has selectable marker gene & gene cloning site of plasmid
DNA

16. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
• ADVANTAGES
1. Large DNA fragments
2. Used to establish gene libraries of lower &higher organisms
3. Gene cloning through cosmid helps in the study of non-
sense seq in the genome of organism
• DISADVANTAGES
1. The packaging enzyme fails to pack rec cosmid into phage
heads if 1 of cos-sites is missing;

17. PHAGEMIDS
• A.k.a Phasmids
• A hybrid vector that has origin of repl from a a plasmid and a
lambda phage DNA
• It is constructed by inserting a linearised plasmid DNA into a
cleaved lambda DNA

18. ADVANTAGES
• PHAGEMIDS can be maintained as plamids or phage
particles in E.coli
• The desired gene can be integrated into chromosomal DNA of
E.coli using phagemids
• Plasmid portion can be released free from a phagemid after
rec.phagemid is introduced into an E.coli Strain
• The phages having rec.phagemids can be stored easily for a
long time

19. ARTIFICIAL CHROMOSOMES
• YEAST ARTIFICIAL CHROMOSOME(YAC)
• Purpose:
• Cloning vehicles that propogate in eukaryotic cell hosts as
eukaryotic Chromosomes
• Clone very large inserts of DNA: 100 kb - 10 Mb
• Features:
YAC cloning vehicles are plasmids
Final chimeric DNA is a linear DNA molecule with telomeric ends:
Artificial Chromosome

20. • Often have a selection for an insert
• YAC cloning vehicles often have a bacterial origin of DNA
replication (ori) and a selection marker for propogation of the YAC
through bacteria.
• The YAC can use both yeast and bacteria as a host

21. BAC AND PAC
• BACs - Bacterial Artificial
Chromosomes
• These chimeric DNA
molecules use a naturally-
occurring low-copy number
bacterial plasmid origin of
replication, such as that of F-
plasmid in E. coli.
• Can be cloned as a plasmid in
a bacterial host, and its natural
stability generally permits
cloning of large pieces of insert
DNA, i.e. up to a few hundred
kb of DNA.
• PACs - P1-derived Artificial
Chromosomes
• E. coli bacteriophage P1 is
similar to phage lambda in that
it can exist in E. coli in a
prophage state.
• Exists in the E. coli cell as a
plasmid, NOT integrated into
the E. coli chromosome.
• P1 cloning vehicles have
been constructed that permit
cloning of large DNA
fragments- few hundred kb of
DNA
• Cloning and propogation of the
chimeric DNA as a P1 plasmid
inside E. coli cells

23. Human Artificial Chromosome(HAC)
• Synthetically produced vector DNA possessing the characteristics of
human chromosome.
• Discovered in 1997 by H.Williard
Advantages:
1. Can carry Human genes that are too long
2. Can carry genes to be introduced into the cells via gene therapy

24. Other types
• Expression vectors
• Shuttle vectors
• Integration Vectors
• Transposons,Retroviruses,Adenoviruses,Baculo
viruses

25. CONCLUSION
• There are different types of cloning vectors used in Genetic
Engineering
• These include: Plasmids, Phages,Hybrid Vectors and Artificial
Chromosome
• The best vector is chosen for use according to the purpose of
use and according to how large/short the DNA fragment to be
carried is

26. REFERENCES
1. Kumaresan.V. Bitotechnology.2001.Saras Publications
2. Rastogi.S.C. Biotechnology:Principles and Applications.
Narosa Publishing House
3. Sasidhara.R. Animal Biotechnology.MJP Publications
4. Satyanarayana.U. Biotechnology . Books and Allied (P)Ltd.
5. http://en.wikipedia.org