[bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts] PCR fragment cloning into m13 vectors

pollanen@csc.fi (03/12/91)

Hello

Can anyone help me with m13 cloning I have some problems
with ligation a PCR product into m13 vector (m13mp18)
The size of fragments is varying from about 100bp to
300bp size in lenght. I have opened the m13 vector 
by pstI /HindIII double digestion and also I have 
digested these PCR products same way because we have
planned primers so that PCR is (probably) producing
pstI and HindIII sites to the ends or near of the ends
of these fragments.... If anyone has tried to introduce 
DNA fragments into m13 vector please let me know of 
the problems and how did you solve those problems...
Especially talking about PCR fragment cloning into 
m13 and also into expression vectors too...

Sincerely yours Raimo Pollanen (M.S.)

Pollanen@CSC.FI

fish@LINDA.LLNL.GOV (chris) (03/13/91)

RP>Can anyone help me with m13 cloning I have some problems
RP>with ligation a PCR product into m13 vector (m13mp18)
RP>The size of fragments is varying from about 100bp to
RP>300bp size in lenght. I have opened the m13 vector
RP>by pstI /HindIII double digestion and also I have
RP?di>tested these PCR products same way because we have
RP>planned primers so that PCR is (probably) producing
RP>pstI and HindIII sites to the ends or near of the ends
RP>of these fragments.... If anyone has tried to introduce
RP>DNA fragments into m13 vector please let me know of
RP>the problems and how did you solve those problems...
RP>Especially talking about PCR fragment cloning into
RP>m13 and also into expression vectors too...

An alternative and efficient cloning method for PCR products was developed by Aslanidis
and de Jong (see Nucleic Acids Research, 18:6069-6074).  The method does not use
ligation, and the cloning efficiency is extremely high (only recombinants are
produced).  As mentioned by John Nash in an earlier response, small inserts give
light blue colonies when a pUC-based vector is employed. 

Chris T. Amemiya
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
fish@amoeba.llnl.gov

msalminen@nphi.fi (03/16/91)

In article <1991Mar12.155321.1@csc.fi>, pollanen@csc.fi writes:
> Hello
> 
> Can anyone help me with m13 cloning I have some problems
> with ligation a PCR product into m13 vector (m13mp18)
> The size of fragments is varying from about 100bp to
> 300bp size in lenght. I have opened the m13 vector 
> by pstI /HindIII double digestion and also I have 
> digested these PCR products same way because we have
> planned primers so that PCR is (probably) producing
> pstI and HindIII sites to the ends or near of the ends
> of these fragments.... If anyone has tried to introduce 
> DNA fragments into m13 vector please let me know of 
> the problems and how did you solve those problems...
> Especially talking about PCR fragment cloning into 
> m13 and also into expression vectors too...
> 
> Sincerely yours Raimo Pollanen (M.S.)
> 
> Pollanen@CSC.FI

Hi Raimo!

You could try two things:

a) after PCR add 5-10 u Klenow. This repairs the ragged ends sometimes left by
Taq. Then precipitate and digest. Precipitate again and clone. If you do a
Kinase reaction the yield of inserts is better. Check the size of pcr-product
before cloning by gel-electrophoresis.

b) Do the fill-in with Klenow and precipitate. Blunt-end clone in suitable site
such as Sal1. Again, kinase gives better yield. 


If you need more details, feel free to contact me at msalminen@finnphi (bitnet)
or msalminen@nphi.fi (Internet) or nphi02::msalminen (Decnet)

Mika Salminen KTL, HIV-Unit.

suttle@mbcf.stjude.org (03/16/91)

In article <1991Mar12.155321.1@csc.fi>, pollanen@csc.fi writes:                
>  .... If anyone has tried to introduce (PCR)
> DNA fragments into m13 vector please let me know of 
> the problems and how did you solve those problems...
> Especially talking about PCR fragment cloning into 
> m13 and also into expression vectors too.

I clone PCR fragments into M13 vectors all the time, by pretty much the
same method you are trying to use.  I design my primers so that a restriction
site is included near each end.  I can think of some problems that may be
causing your cloning difficulties:
   1.  The primers should be designed so that the restriction cleavage site
is near the center of @20mer.  If you are hoping that the enzyme will cleave 
off the very last nucleotide or two of the PCR product, you may have trouble.
       A method was described in Nucleic Acids Research 18:6156 (1990) for 
"Efficient cloning of PCR generated DNA containing terminal restriction
endonuclease recognition sites"  In this article, Jung et al. showed that
if the PCR product is generated with 5'-Phosphorylated primers and then
concatemerized with T4 DNA ligase, it is more readily digested at the
terminal restriction sites.  I have not had a reason to try this, but it
sounds reasonable.  
   2.  The M13 DNA may not be completely digested with both PstI and HindIII.
There was a BRL Focus article about double digestions of the multiple cloning
site (Focus 8:3 p. 9, 1986) in which they investigated the importance of using
the restriction enzymes in particular order.  They found that HindIII should be
used before PstI and not the reverse.  Also, it would be difficult to use them
simultaneously because their sites are so close together.
   3.  You can verify that your M13 DNA is cut by both restriction enzymes
by a simple test described in FMC Resolutions newsletter vol.2 no. 3.  It 
basically involves taking aliquots of your DNA after both the first and
second restriction digestion and digesting them together with an enzyme which
cuts outside of the polylinker - like MstI.  This produces two pieces of DNA
which differ in length by the distance between the first two sites (like
PstI and HindIII).  Separation on 4% NuSieve agarose makes it possible to
distinguish the two bands, which may be as few as 10 bp apart.  I have used
this protocol many times and would be glad to fax you a copy, if you need it.

If none of these ideas solves your problem, you could directly sequence your 
PCR product, but that involves a whole new set of problems!!!
Good luck!  -- Barbara Bugg (also M.S.)  St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital  Memphis, TN  at SUTTLE@STJUDE.ORG