Recovery of an integration shuttle vector from tandem repeats in Methanococcus maripaludis.

Transformation of Methanococcus maripaludis by using an integration vector, pKAS102, is described. Selection and subsequent growth at high concentrations of puromycin caused pKAS102 to develop tandem repeats within the genome. As a result, total DNA isolated from the transformant could be used to recover the intact vector by direct transformation of competent Escherichia coli.