Rapid arbitrary PCR insertion libraries, a new tool for defining bacterial promoter regions

Abstract

In this issue, Hustmyer and colleagues (C. M. Hustmyer, C. A. Simpson, S. G. Olney, M. L. Bochman, and J. C. van Kessel, J Bacteriol 200:e00724-17, 2018) describe a new method for rapidly generating reporter libraries. This technique, rapid arbitrary PCR insertion libraries (RAIL), uses arbitrary PCR and isothermal DNA assembly to insert random fragments of promoter regions into reporter plasmids, resulting in libraries that can be screened to identify regions required for gene expression. This technique will likely be useful for a number of different genetic applications.