Selection vector for direct cloning of proof reading polymerase chain reaction products based on the lethal ccdB gene in Escherichia Coli

Abstract

Introducing PCR products into plasmids vectors is key for molecular techniques. Ideally cloning vectors are easy to construct, modify and propagate, neither require advanced techniques nor special equipment or reagents and efficiently incorporate PCR products at close to zero empty vector background. We provide an easy to engineer self-made cloning vector, neither requiring sophisticated tools or techniques nor advanced cloning knowledge. Through recombination we obtained the pUC18ccdB vector, carrying the ccdB suicide gene within the pUC18 backbone. When SmaI cleaved (within the ccdB) vector was T4 ligated with small (0.2kbp) and intermediate (1.3 to 2.2kbp) blunt end PCR-products and transformed into E. coli, the amount of clones with incorporated PCR product was comparable to commercial PCR-cloning kits and at a close to zero PCR product negative background. In conclusion we present a simple, versatile and cheap approach to an efficient ‘home made’ PCR-cloning vector that allows integration of crude blunt end PCR products at close to zero background.