Method for cloning restriction fragments containing the termini of BAC inserts.

We have developed a method to isolate the termini of BAC clones. The method is based on the two unique NotI sites located approximately 300 bp on either side of the EcoRI cloning site of the BAC vector pECS-BAC4. Our strategy includes the following steps: (i) generation of Southern blots with BAC clones digested with NotI and a second restriction enzyme; (ii) identification of the termini attached to the NotI/EcoRI fragment of the BAC vector via hybridization with a probe derived from sequences located between one NotI site (left or right arm) and the cloning site; (iii) ligation of the doubly digested BAC clone (NotI and the selected second restriction enzyme) with an equally doubly digested cloning plasmid vector; and (iv) confirmation of the clone as a terminus. This strategy has allowed us to begin the construction of a contig near a common bean gene that controls resistance to a group of potyviruses.

Rapid Detection of the Fusarium oxysporum Lineage Containing the Canary Island Date Palm Wilt Pathogen.

ABSTRACT Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. canariensis causes Fusarium wilt disease on the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis). To facilitate disease management, a polymerase chain reaction diagnostic method has been developed to rapidly detect the pathogen. A partial genomic library of F. oxysporum f. sp. canariensis isolate 95-913 was used to identify a DNA sequence diagnostic for a lineage containing all tested isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. canariensis. Two oligonucleotide primers were designed and used to amplify a 567-bp fragment with F. oxysporum f. sp. canariensis DNAs. DNA from 61 outgroup isolates did not amplify using these primers. Once the primers were shown to amplify a 0.567-kb fragment from DNA of all the F. oxysporum f. sp. canariensis isolates tested, a rapid DNA extraction procedure was developed that led to the correct identification of 98% of the tested F. oxysporum f. sp. canariensis isolates.