Plant Genome IV Conference Plant Genome IV Conference
Increasing emphasis is being given to genomic cloning using Escherichia coli vectors of intermediate insert capacity, such as bacteriophage P1, P1-derived artificial chromosomes (PACs) and bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs). These are being used in addition to yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) in recognition of the difficulties encountered with stability, fidelity and handling of YACs, problems which will not be quickly overcome. Nevertheless, YACs remain the most practical cloning system for large scale contig building. Efforts are well underway to produce YAC contigs representing the human and mouse genomes, which will increasingly rely on extensive anchoring to detailed genetic/radiation hybrid maps. Our work on the mouse will be discussed. Intermediate capacity genomic clone collections will follow, enabling the compilation of mapped gene catalogues. In this way the era of big gene hunts will reach its end.