M13 and Phagemid-Based Cloning Vectors

Bacteriophage-based vectors, such as λ have been useful in creating gene llbrarles and in the expression of proteins However, a number of techniques used in molecular biology require DNA to be ina single-stranded form, such as chain termmatlon sequencing, ollgonucleotlde-directed mutagenesis, and certain probe synthesis strategies A small number of naturally occurring viruses produce single-stranded DNA as part of their life cycle, these include M13, fl , and fd, and a number of them have been mampulated and adapted as cloning vectors for the purpose of single-strand DNA production