| Affiliation: | (1) Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA;(2) Athersys Inc., 3201 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA |
| Abstract: | Background Human Artificial Chromosomes (HACs) are potentially useful vectors for gene transfer studies and for functional annotation of the genome because of their suitability for cloning, manipulating and transferring large segments of the genome. However, development of HACs for the transfer of large genomic loci into mammalian cells has been limited by difficulties in manipulating high-molecular weight DNA, as well as by the low overall frequencies of de novo HAC formation. Indeed, to date, only a small number of large (>100 kb) genomic loci have been reported to be successfully packaged into de novo HACs. |
