pACYC184-derived cloning vectors containing the multiple cloning site and lacZ alpha reporter gene of pUC8/9 and pUC18/19 plasmids.

A new series of vectors, pSU2716, pSU2717, pSU2718, and pSU2719, has been constructed. The plasmids contain (i) the P15A replicon, (ii) the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT)-coding gene from Tn9, and (iii) the HaeII fragment which carries the multiple cloning site and the lacZ alpha reporter gene of pUC8, pUC9, pUC18 and pUC19, respectively. These vectors allow rapid and simple transfer of inserts from pUC plasmids, have an intermediate copy number (which allows regulated expression from the lac promoter), and are compatible with ColE1-derived vectors (and, therefore, can be used in studies requiring the joint expression of two genes, for example, in genetic complementation analysis). Furthermore, the accumulation of CAT instead of beta-lactamase, allows an easy visualization in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of proteins of 28-35 kDa, which can otherwise be obscured by the beta-lactamase.