A Buyers' Guide to Transposon Kits

© Dr. Jeremy Burgess/Science Photo Library

If you thought transposons were mere genetic curiosities, think again. In the hands of research scientists, genetic elements akin to those that give Indian corn its unique coloration can be used to sequence genes and genomes, create libraries of mutants in vitro, and even make mutations in vivo.

Geneticists have been tinkering with the Drosophila genome for years using transposable P-elements. Mammalian researchers have recently identified transposon systems for their work, too (see sidebar). Three companies, Epicentre Biotechnologies in Madison, Wis., Finnzymes of Espoo, Finland, and New England Biolabs (NEB) in Ipswich, Mass., have packaged prokaryotic transposon technology into easy-to-use kits.

A transposon, or "jumping gene," is simply a gene coding for a transposase (an enzyme that catalyzes excision and insertion of the DNA between specific recognition sequences) sandwiched between two copies of the enzyme's recognition sequence – the epitome of minimalist functionality. In ...