Table 2.

Common vectors in gene cloning

Plasmid name	Advantages	Disadvantages	References
pBR322	Small size (4.4 kb), variety of cloning sites, medium copy number (15–20)		[24, 25]
pUC18 and pUC19	Small size (2.7 kb), high copy number (500–700), multiple cloning site, sequencing using M13 primers	Not good if target protein is toxic or for membrane proteins, needs blue/white screen	[24, 26]
pLG338	General purpose plasmid vector, size 7.3 kb, low copy number (6–8), genes coding for membrane and regulatory proteins which cannot be cloned into high-copy-number plasmids		[27]
pMiniT	Inserted PCR product disrupts a toxic minigene, no blue/white selection required, works for both blunt end and single-base overhang-containing PCR products		NEB
pCR™4Blunt-TOPO®	Inserted PCR product disrupts ccdB toxic gene [28], works based on topoisomerase I [29], no blue/white selection required	Needs blunt-end PCR products	Life Technologies
pDrive	Size 3.8 kb	Needs single A overhangs, not usable for proofreading DNA polymerases, needs blue/white screening	QIAGEN
StrataClone Blunt PCR Cloning Vector pSC-B-amp/kan	Uses the DNA topoisomerase I and the DNA recombination activity of Cre recombinase, up to 9 kb PCR product size	Needs blunt-end PCR products, needs special competent cells for transformation (cells expressing Cre recombinase)	Agilent Technologies
pJET1.2/blunt	Inserted PCR product disrupts the toxic gene eco47IR, no need for blue/white screen, works for both blunt end and single-base overhang-containing PCR products, up to 10 kb PCR product size		Thermo Scientific

Data are derived from vector providers or the cited references. pBR322, pUC18, pUC19, and pLG338 are cloning vectors and the rest are PCR sequencing vectors.