Gram negative shuttle BAC vector for heterologous expression of metagenomic libraries

Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vectors enable stable cloning of large DNA fragments from single genomes or microbial assemblages. A novel shuttle BAC vector was constructed that permits replication of BAC clones in diverse Gram-negative species. The "Gram-negative shuttle BAC" vector (pGNS-BAC) uses the F replicon for stable single-copy replication in E. coli and the broad-host-range RK2 mini-replicon for high-copy replication in diverse Gram-negative bacteria. As with other BAC vectors containing the oriV origin, this vector is capable of an arabinose-inducible increase in plasmid copy number. Resistance to both gentamicin and chloramphenicol is encoded on pGNS-BAC, permitting selection for the plasmid in diverse bacterial species. The oriT from an IncP plasmid was cloned into pGNS-BAC to enable conjugal transfer, thereby allowing both electroporation and conjugation of pGNS-BAC DNA into bacterial hosts. A soil metagenomic library was constructed in pGNS-BAC-1 (the first version of the vector, lacking gentamicin resistance and oriT), and recombinant clones were demonstrated to replicate in diverse Gram-negative hosts, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Salmonella enterica, Serratia marcescens, Vibrio vulnificus and Enterobacter nimipressuralis. This shuttle BAC vector can be utilized to clone genomic DNA from diverse sources, and then transfer it into diverse Gram-negative bacterial species to facilitate heterologous expression of recombinant pathways.     

Construction of random sheared fosmid library from Chinese cabbage and its use for Brassica rapa genome sequencing project

As a part of the Multinational Genome Sequencing Project of Brassica rapa, linkage group R9 and R3 were sequenced using a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) by BAC strategy. The current physical contigs are expected to cover approximately 90% euchromatins of both chromosomes. As the project progresses, BAC selection for sequence extension becomes more limited because BAC libraries are restriction enzyme-specific. To support the project, a random sheared fosmid library was constructed. The library consists of 97536 clones with average insert size of approximately 40 kb corresponding to seven genome equivalents, assuming a Chinese cabbage genome size of 550 Mb. The library was screened with primers designed at the end of sequences of nine points of scaffold gaps where BAC clones cannot be selected to extend the physical contigs. The selected positive clones were end-sequenced to check the overlap between the fosmid clones and the adjacent BAC clones.Nine fosmid clones were selected and fully sequenced. The sequences revealed two completed gap filling and seven sequence extensions, which can be used for further selection of BAC clones confirming that the fosmid library will facilitate the sequence completion of B. rapa.     

Construction and characterization of a copy number-inducible fosmid library of Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae MAFF311018

A fosmid library of Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae MAFF311018 (T7174), the causative agent of bacterial blight on rice, was constructed and characterized. The average fosmid library insert size was > 34 kb, and 967 clones were uniquely positioned on its sequenced genome. The entire Xoo MAFF311018 genome was covered by end-sequenced clones with at least 5 kb of overlap. The fosmid vector contains both the single-copy Escherichia coli fertility factor origin, which enhances fosmid stability, and the multi-copy IncPα origin, allowing amplification of copy number upon induction with l-arabinose. Real-time quantitative PCR on 12 randomly picked fosmid library clones determined that fosmid copy number increased 8- to 58-fold after 5 hour induction. This library provides a new resource for complementation experiments and systematic functional studies in Xoo and related species.     

Identification and Cloning of Genes Involved in Specific Desulfurization of Dibenzothiophene by Rhodococcus sp. Strain IGTS8

The gram-positive bacterium Rhodococcus sp. strain IGTS8 is able to remove sulfur from certain aromatic compounds without breaking carbon-carbon bonds. In particular, sulfur is removed from dibenzothiophene (DBT) to give the final product, 2-hydroxybiphenyl. A genomic library of IGTS8 was constructed in the cosmid vector pLAFR5, but no desulfurization phenotype was imparted to Escherichia coli. Therefore, IGTS8 was mutagenized, and a new strain (UV1) was selected that had lost the ability to desulfurize DBT. The genomic library was transferred into UV1, and several colonies that had regained the desulfurization phenotype were isolated, though free plasmid could not be isolated. Instead, vector DNA had integrated into either the chromosome or a large resident plasmid. DNA on either side of the inserted vector sequences was cloned and used to probe the original genomic library in E. coli. This procedure identified individual cosmid clones that, when electroporated into strain UV1, restored desulfurization. When the origin of replication from a Rhodococcus plasmid was inserted, the efficiency with which these clones transformed UV1 increased 20- to 50-fold and they could be retrieved as free plasmids. Restriction mapping and subcloning indicated that the desulfurization genes reside on a 4.0-kb DNA fragment. Finally, the phenotype was transferred to Rhodococcus fascians D188-5, a species normally incapable of desulfurizing DBT. The mutant strain, UV1, and R. fascians produced 2-hydroxybiphenyl from DBT when they contained appropriate clones, indicating that the genes for the entire pathway have been isolated.     

苏云金芽胞杆菌大质粒pBMB165的克隆与分析

以pBeloBAC11为载体,成功构建了苏云金芽胞杆菌YBT-1765的基因组人工染色体(BAC)文库和质粒BAC文库.根据已克隆的包含复制子ori165在内的3.6kb片段中编码复制蛋白Rep165的核苷酸序列设计探针,通过染色体步移方式,对质粒文库和基因组文库进行筛选,得到13个覆盖YBT-1765菌株中质粒pBMB165不同区域的克隆子.通过Hind Ⅲ和BamH Ⅰ酶切分析,建立了质粒pBMB165的物理图谱和线状重叠连锁图,并测算出该质粒的大小为82kb.根据部分核苷酸序列初步统计了pBMB165上转座因子的存在机率.YBT-1765菌株基因组文库的构建和物理图谱的绘制为克隆苏云金芽胞杆菌大质粒提供了一套可行的方案,成功解决了大质粒难克隆的问题.     

Nucleotide sequence, structural organization and host range of pRS4, a small cryptic Pediococcus pentosaceus plasmid that contains two cassettes commonly found in other lactic acid bacteria

The complete nucleotide sequence of the cryptic plasmid pRS4 (3550 bp) from Pediococcus pentosaceus RS4 was determined. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of three open reading frames (ORFs). The putative protein coded by ORF 1 showed 93% identity with the mobilization protein of Lactobacillus casei plasmid pLC88 and 94% identity with a sequenced fragment of the mobilization protein of P. damnosus plasmid pF8801, suggesting a common origin for these three mobilization proteins. The putative protein coded by ORF 2 showed 92% identity with the replication protein of L. plantarum plasmid pWCFS101, a plasmid that replicates via the rolling circle (RC) mechanism, suggesting a similar replication mechanism for pRS4. Supporting this hypothesis, a putative double strand origin (dso) and a region with palindromic sequences that could function as single strand origin (sso), were detected in pRS4. A function could not be assigned to ORF 3. Since ORF 1 exhibits high identity with L. casei plasmid pLC88 but lower identity (58%) with other Lactobacillus plasmids, and ORF 2 exhibits high identity with the L. plantarum plasmid pWCFS101 but lower identity (55-58%) with other Lactobacillus plasmids (including pLC88), two independent cassettes, from different sources, seem to be involved in the structure of pRS4. Plasmids derived from pRS4 containing the chloramphenicol resistance gene were successfully electrotransformed in L. plantarum, L. casei, P. pentosaceus, and Pediococcus acidilactici, suggesting that pRS4 could be used as a cloning vector for lactic acid bacteria. To our knowledge pRS4 is the first RC-replicating plasmid of P. pentosaceus that has been completely sequenced and used as cloning vector.     

A Low-Copy-Number Plasmid for Retrieval of Toxic Genes from BACs and Generation of Conditional Targeting Constructs

Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) clones are widely used for retrieving genomic DNA sequences for gene targeting. In this study, low-copy-number plasmids pBAC-FB, pBAC-FC, and pBAC-DE, which carry the F plasmid replicon, were generated from pBACe3.6. pBAC-FB was successfully used to retrieve a sequence of a BAC that was resistant to retrieval by a high-copy-number plasmid via λ Red-mediated recombineering (gap-repair cloning). This plasmid was also used to retrieve two other genes from BAC, indicating its general usability retrieving genes from BAC. The retrieved genes were manipulated in generating targeting vectors for gene knockouts by recombineering. The functionality of the targeting vector was further validated in a targeting experiment with C57BL/6 embryonic stem cells. The low-copy-number plasmid pBAC-FB is a plasmid of choice to retrieve toxic DNA sequences from BACs and to manipulate them to generate gene-targeting constructs by recombineering.     

适用于链霉菌大片段基因组DNA 克隆和异源表达的细菌人工染色体(BAC)载体的构建及应用

【目的】很多链霉菌来源的天然产物的生物合成基因簇往往很大,用传统的cosmid载体很难完整的克隆和异源表达。本研究通过载体改造,成功构建出一个新的细菌人工染色体(BAC)载体,用于链霉菌来源的天然产物生物合成基因簇的克隆及异源表达实验。【方法】从复合型载体pCUGIBAC1出发,通过λRED介导的PCR-targeting方法,用链霉素抗性基因替换掉原有的氯霉素抗性基因标记,同时插入链霉菌中常用的安普拉霉素抗性标记、转移起始位点oriT、φC31整合酶基因int、整合位点attP等元件。【结果】成功构建出可装载链霉菌大片段DNA的BAC载体pMSBBACs。使用pMSBBACs构建出链霉菌U27的基因组BAC文库,平均插入片段大小为100 kb。选取其中一个大小为140 kb的BAC质粒进行功能验证,实验证明通过接合转移和原生质体转化的方法都能够将这个大型BAC质粒导入链霉菌模式菌株,并通过位点特异性重组整合到染色体中进行异源表达。【结论】BAC载体pMSBBACs可成功用于放线菌大片段基因组DNA的克隆和异源表达实验。     

Metagenome microarray for screening of fosmid clones containing specific genes

A critical step in the process of metagenome analysis is to screen for clones that contain specific genes among a large number of clones. To form one of the sequence-based screening tools of a metagenome library, we designed a format of microarray [metagenome microarray (MGA)] that is arrayed with fosmid library clone DNA samples on a glass slide. We evaluated the MGA using random prime labeled fluorescent probes prepared from PCR products of the target gene and found that we could obtain specific hybridization signals only for the fosmid clone that contained the target gene. We found that the detection limit of the MGA was c. 10 ng microL(-1) of fosmid clone DNA, and that the MGA-based hybridization was quantitative within a concentration range of 10-200 ng microL(-1) of fosmid clone DNA. We used the MGA successfully to identify two fosmid clones that contained 16S rRNA genes from a fosmid library from the sediment of the East Sea, Korea. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the MGA can be used for screening for fosmid clones containing specific genes in a metagenome library, and that this technology has potential application as a high-throughput metagenome screening tool.     

Estimating P-coverage of biosynthetic pathways in DNA libraries and screening by genetic selection: biotin biosynthesis in the marine microorganism Chromohalobacter

Traditional approaches to natural product discovery involve cell-based screening of natural product extracts followed by compound isolation and characterization. Their importance notwithstanding, continued mining leads to depletion of natural resources and the reisolation of previously identified metabolites. Metagenomic strategies aimed at localizing the biosynthetic cluster genes and expressing them in surrogate hosts offers one possible alternative. A fundamental question that naturally arises when pursuing such a strategy is, how large must the genomic library be to effectively represent the genome of an organism(s) and the biosynthetic gene clusters they harbor? Such an issue is certainly augmented in the absence of expensive robotics to expedite colony picking and/or screening of clones. We have developed an algorism, named BPC (biosynthetic pathway coverage), supported by molecular simulations to deduce the number of BAC clones required to achieve proper coverage of the genome and their respective biosynthetic pathways. The strategy has been applied to the construction of a large-insert BAC library from a marine microorganism, Hon6 (isolated from Honokohau, Maui) thought to represent a new species. The genomic library is constructed with a BAC yeast shuttle vector pClasper lacZ paving the way for the culturing of libraries in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts. Flow cytometric methods are utilized to estimate the genome size of the organism and BPC implemented to assess P-coverage or percent coverage. A genetic selection strategy is illustrated, applications of which could expedite screening efforts in the identification and localization of biosynthetic pathways from marine microbial consortia, offering a powerful complement to genome sequencing and degenerate probe strategies. Implementing this approach, we report on the biotin biosynthetic pathway from the marine microorganism Hon6.     

Construction and characterization of two bacterial artificial chromosome libraries of pea (Pisum sativum L.) for the isolation of economically important genes.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) has a genome of about 4 Gb that appears to share conserved synteny with model legumes having genomes of 0.2-0.4 Gb despite extensive intergenic expansion. Pea plant inventory (PI) accession 269818 has been used to introgress genetic diversity into the cultivated germplasm pool. The aim here was to develop pea bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries that would enable the isolation of genes involved in plant disease resistance or control of economically important traits. The BAC libraries encompassed about 3.2 haploid genome equivalents consisting of partially HindIII-digested DNA fragments with a mean size of 105 kb that were inserted in 1 of 2 vectors. The low-copy oriT-based T-DNA vector (pCLD04541) library contained 55 680 clones. The single-copy oriS-based vector (pIndigoBAC-5) library contained 65 280 clones. Colony hybridization of a universal chloroplast probe indicated that about 1% of clones in the libraries were of chloroplast origin. The presence of about 0.1% empty vectors was inferred by white/blue colony plate counts. The usefulness of the libraries was tested by 2 replicated methods. First, high-density filters were probed with low copy number sequences. Second, BAC plate-pool DNA was used successfully to PCR amplify 7 of 9 published pea resistance gene analogs (RGAs) and several other low copy number pea sequences. Individual BAC clones encoding specific sequences were identified. Therefore, the HindIII BAC libraries of pea, based on germplasm accession PI 269818, will be useful for the isolation of genes underlying disease resistance and other economically important traits.     

Phylogenetic screening of a bacterial,metagenomic library using homing endonuclease restriction and marker insertion

Metagenomics provides access to the uncultured majority of the microbial world. The approaches employed in this field have, however, had limited success in linking functional genes to the taxonomic or phylogenetic origin of the organism they belong to. Here we present an efficient strategy to recover environmental DNA fragments that contain phylogenetic marker genes from metagenomic libraries. Our method involves the cleavage of 23S ribsosmal RNA (rRNA) genes within pooled library clones by the homing endonuclease I-CeuI followed by the insertion and selection of an antibiotic resistance cassette. This approach was applied to screen a library of 6500 fosmid clones derived from the microbial community associated with the sponge Cymbastela concentrica. Several fosmid clones were recovered after the screen and detailed phylogenetic and taxonomic assignment based on the rRNA gene showed that they belong to previously unknown organisms. In addition, compositional features of these fosmid clones were used to classify and taxonomically assign a dataset of environmental shotgun sequences. Our approach represents a valuable tool for the analysis of rapidly increasing, environmental DNA sequencing information.     

A binary-BAC system for plant transformation with high-molecular-weight DNA

A binary-BAC (BIBAC) vector suitable for Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation with high-molecular-weight DNA was constructed. A BIBAC vector is based on the bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library vector and is also a binary vector for Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation. The BIBAC vector has the minimal origin region of the Escherichia coli F plasmid and the minimal origin of replication of the Agrobacterium rhizogenes Ri plasmid, and thus replicates as a single-copy plasmid in both E. coli and in A. tumefaciens. The T-DNA of the BIBAC vector can be transferred into the plant nuclear genome. As examples, a 30-kb yeast genomic DNA fragment and a 150-kb human genomic DNA fragment were inserted into the BIBAC vector; these constructs were maintained in both E. coli and A. tumefaciens. In order to increase the efficiency of transfer of unusually large BIBAC T-DNAs, helper plasmids that carry additional copies of A. tumefaciens virulence genes virG and virE were constructed. These helper plasmids are compatible with, and can be present in addition to, the BIBAC vector in the A. tumefaciens host. This report details the components of the BIBAC system, providing information essential to the general understanding and the application of this new technology.     

Construction of a bacterial artificial chromosome library, determination of genome size, and characterization of an Hsp70 gene family in Phytophthora nicotianae

The oomycete plant pathogen Phytophthora nicotianae causes diseases on a wide range of plant species. To facilitate isolation and functional characterization of pathogenicity genes, we have constructed a large-insert bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library using nuclear DNA from P. nicotianae H1111. The library contains 10,752 clones with an average insert size of 90 kb and is free of mitochondrial DNA. The quality of the library was verified by hybridization with 37 genes, all of which resulted in the identification of multiple positive clones. The library is estimated to be 10.6 haploid genome equivalents based on hybridization of 23 single-copy genes and the genome size of P. nicotianae was estimated to be 95.5 Mb. Hybridization with a nuclear repetitive DNA probe revealed that 4.4% of clones in the library contained 28S rDNA. Hybridization of total genomic DNA to the library indicated that at least 39% of the BAC library contains repetitive DNA sequences. A BAC pooling strategy was developed for efficient library screening. The library was used to identify and characterize BAC clones containing an Hsp70 gene family whose four members were identified to be clustered within approximately 18 kb in the P. nicotianae genome based on the physical mapping of eight BACs spanning a genomic region of approximately 186 kb. The BAC library created provides an invaluable resource for the isolation of P. nicotianae genes and for comparative genomics studies.     

Creation of a BAC resource to study the structure and evolution of the banana (Musa balbisiana) genome.

The first bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of the banana species Musa balbisiana 'Pisang Klutuk Wulung' (PKW BAC library) was constructed and characterized. One improved and one novel protocol for nuclei isolation were employed to overcome problems caused by high levels of polyphenols and polysaccharides present in leaf tissues. The use of flow cytometry to purify cell nuclei eliminated contamination with secondary metabolites and plastid DNA. Furthermore, the usefulness of the inducible pCC1BAC vector to obtain a higher amount of BAC DNA was demonstrated. The PKW BAC library represents nine haploid genome equivalents of M. balbisiana and its mean insert size is 135 kb. It consists of two sublibraries, of which the first one (SN sublibrary with 24,960 clones) was prepared according to an improved standard nuclei isolation protocol, whereas the second (FN sublibrary with 11,904 clones) was obtained from flow-sorted nuclei. Screening with 12 RFLP probes, which were genetically anchored to 8 genetic linkage groups of the banana species Musa acuminata, revealed an average of 11 BAC clones per probe, thus confirming the genome coverage estimated based on the insert size, as well as a high level of conservation between the two species of Musa. Localization of selected BAC clones to mitotic chromosomes using FISH indicated that the BAC library represented a useful resource for cytogenetic mapping. As the first step in map-based cloning of a genetic factor that is involved in the activation of integrated pararetroviral sequences of Banana streak virus (BSV), the BSV expressed locus (BEL) was physically delimited. The PKW BAC library represents a publicly available tool, and is currently used to reveal the integration and activation mechanisms of BSV sequences and to study banana genome structure and evolution.     

DNA shuttling between plasmid vectors and a genome vector: systematic conversion and preservation of DNA libraries using the Bacillus subtilis genome (BGM) vector

The combined use of the contemporary vector systems, the bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector and the Bacillus subtilis genome (BGM) vector, makes possible the handling of giant-length DNA (above 100 kb). Our newly constructed BGM vector efficiently integrated DNA prepared in the BAC vector. A BAC library comprised of 18 independent clones prepared from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Arabidopsis thaliana was converted to a parallel BGM library using the new BGM vector. The effectiveness of the combined use of the vector systems was confirmed by the stable recovery of all 18 DNAs as BAC clones from the respective BGM clones. We show that DNA in BGM was stably preserved at room temperature after spore formation of the host B.subtilis. Rapid and stable shuttling between Escherichiacoli and the B. subtilis host, combined with spore-mediated DNA storage, may facilitate the long-term and low-cost preservation and the transportation of DNA resources.     

A metagenomic analysis of soil bacteria extends the diversity of quorum-quenching lactonases

A metagenomic library of 10 121 clones, generated from bacteria inhabiting a pasture soil from France, was screened for the presence of fosmids conferring either N -acylhomoserine lactone (NAHL) synthesis or NAHL degradation ability upon their Escherichia coli host. No clone producing NAHLs was identified whereas one, containing a 31 972 bp insert in fosmid p2H8, allowed NAHL degradation. This led to the cloning and identification of a gene, qlcA , encoding an NAHL-lactonase activity, as judged by lactone-ring closure and HPLC/MS analyses of NAHL degradation products. The qlcA gene efficiently quenched quorum-sensing regulated pathogenic functions when expressed in Pectobacterium carotovorum . The QlcA peptide belongs to the family of zinc-dependent metallohydrolases and appears to be distantly related to other NAHL-lactonases discovered in Agrobacterium , Bacillus , Photorhabdus and Rhizobium . In-silico analysis of the metagenomic insert revealed the occurrence of 20 orf , with a constant GC% and codon usage, suggesting a unique bacterial origin. Nine out of these 20 orf were homologous to genes encoding biosynthesis of arginine; they were clustered with an unusual succession argFJADBCRGH . The fosmid p2H8 is able to complement the argA , argB and argC mutants in E. coli . Phylogenetic analysis showed that 9 orf out of 20 were related to sequences from members of the Acidobacteria , supporting the hypothesis that the analysed insert might be originated from an organism related to this phylum.     

Characterization of the genomic organization of the region bordering the centromere of chromosome V of Podospora anserina by direct sequencing

A Podospora anserina BAC library of 4800 clones has been constructed in the vector pBHYG allowing direct selection in fungi. Screening of the BAC collection for centromeric sequences of chromosome V allowed the recovery of clones localized on either sides of the centromere, but no BAC clone was found to contain the centromere. Seven BAC clones containing 322,195 and 156,244bp from either sides of the centromeric region were sequenced and annotated. One 5S rRNA gene, 5 tRNA genes, and 163 putative coding sequences (CDS) were identified. Among these, only six CDS seem specific to P. anserina. The gene density in the centromeric region is approximately one gene every 2.8kb. Extrapolation of this gene density to the whole genome of P. anserina suggests that the genome contains about 11,000 genes. Synteny analyses between P. anserina and Neurospora crassa show that co-linearity extends at the most to a few genes, suggesting rapid genome rearrangements between these two species.     

Lateral gene transfer and phylogenetic assignment of environmental fosmid clones

Metagenomic data, especially sequence data from large insert clones, are most useful when reasonable inferences about phylogenetic origins of inserts can be made. Often, clones that bear phylotypic markers (usually ribosomal RNA genes) are sought, but sometimes phylogenetic assignments have been based on the preponderance of blast hits obtained with predicted protein coding sequences (CDSs). Here we use a cloning method which greatly enriches for ribosomal RNA-bearing fosmid clones to ask two questions: (i) how reliably can we judge the phylogenetic origin of a clone (that is, its RNA phylotype) from the sequences of its CDSs? and (ii) how much lateral gene transfer (LGT) do we see, as assessed by CDSs of different phylogenetic origins on the same fosmid? We sequenced 12 rRNA containing fosmid clones, obtained from libraries constructed using DNA isolated from Baltimore harbour sediments. Three of the clones are from bacterial candidate divisions for which no cultured representatives are available, and thus represent the first protein coding sequences from these major bacterial lineages. The amount of LGT was assessed by making phylogenetic trees of all the CDSs in the fosmid clones and comparing the phylogenetic position of the CDS to the rRNA phylotype. We find that the majority of CDSs in each fosmid, 57-96%, agree with their respective rRNA genes. However, we also find that a significant fraction of the CDSs in each fosmid, 7-44%, has been acquired by LGT. In several cases, we can infer co-transfer of functionally related genes, and generate hypotheses about mechanism and ecological significance of transfer.     

A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of Malus floribunda 821 and contig construction for positional cloning of the apple scab resistance gene Vf.

The apple scab resistance gene Vf, originating from the wild species Malus floribunda 821, has been incorporated into a wide variety of apple cultivars through a classical breeding program. With the aim of isolating the Vf gene, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library consisting of 31 584 clones has been constructed from M. floribunda 821. From the analysis of 88 randomly selected BAC clones, the average insert size is estimated at 125 kb. If it is assumed that the genome size of M. floribunda 821 is 769 Mb/haploid, the library represents about 5x haploid genome equivalents. This provides a 99% probability of finding any specific sequence from this library. PCR-based screening of the library has been carried out using eight random genomic sequence-characterized amplified regions (SCARs), chloroplast- and mitochondria-specific SCARs, and 13 high-density Vf-linked SCAR markers. An average of five positive BAC clones per random SCAR has been obtained, whereas less than 1% of BAC clones are derived from the chloroplast or mitochondrial genomes. Most BAC clones identified with Vf-linked SCAR markers are physically linked. Three BAC contigs along the Vf region have been obtained by assembling physically linked BAC clones based on their fingerprints. The overlapping relatedness of BAC clones has been further confirmed by cytogenetic mapping using fiber fluorescence in situ hybridization (fiber-FISH). The M. floribunda 821 BAC library provides a valuable genetic resource not only for map-based cloning of the Vf gene, but also for finding many other important genes for improving the cultivated apple.