Encapsidation of the DNA of the virulent Bacillus subtilis phage SPP1 follows a processive unidirectional headful-mechanism and initiates at a unique genomic location (pac). We have cloned a fragment of SPP1 DNA containing the pac site flanked by reporter genes into the chromosome of B. subtilis. Infection of such cells with SPP1 led to highly efficient packaging, initiated at the inserted pac ...

The introduction of DNA into plant cells, protoplasts, or intact tissue s has been accomplished by a variety of mechanisms, including electropo-ration, electrofusion, particle bombardment, liposome transfer, the us e of bacterial vectors, polyethylene glycol treatment, and other procedures. As new techniques are developed or modified, it is necessary to use a reliable gene-expression system to ...

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most important imaging technologies used in clinical diagnosis. Reporter genes for MRI can be applied to accurately track the delivery of cell in cell therapy, evaluate the therapy effect of gene delivery, and monitor tissue/cell-specific microenvironments. Commonly used reporter genes for MRI usually include genes encoding the enzyme (e.g., tyrosi...

814 BioTechniques Vol. 39, No. 6 (2005) The discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) has opened up new areas of biological research, particularly for the visualization of protein dynamics and gene expression in living cells and organisms (1,2). The development of wavelengthshifted variants of GFP has further expanded the impact on biological research. One of the fluoresc...