Technique / Molecular Biology / Cloning library construction and screening


Blue / white colonies selection problem



Blue / white colonies selection problem

I am using blue/white selection to choose colonies with my insert.
Unfortunately, my white colonies don't have inserts. What could be causing this. ... ...

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Principle of blue white selection of positive recombinant colony: Plasmid contains bacterial lacZ gene can produce b-galactosidase (b-gal) if its ORF isn't interrupted by insert DNA. Together with alpha peptide expressed by hosting e.coli strain, functional b-galactosidase can be produced by transforming wild type lacZ containing plamid into e.coli cell and the b-galactosidase can turn the X-gal into a blue corlor products. When a foreign DNA is inserted into the multiple cloning site (MCS) within the lacZ gene, the open reading frame of lacZ is changed and will not produce b-galactosidase therefore the recombinant colony will be in white corlor. Figure illustration

Last update 17-Jul-2002, Rating of 19 votes.

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