title: Back to BAC: the use of infectious clone technologies for viral mutagenesis.
abstract: Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vectors were first developed to facilitate the propagation and manipulation of large DNA fragments in molecular biology studies for uses such as genome sequencing projects and genetic disease models. To facilitate these studies, methodologies have been developed to introduce specific mutations that can be directly applied to the mutagenesis of infectious clones (icBAC) using BAC technologies. This has resulted in rapid identification of gene function and expression at unprecedented rates. Here we review the major developments in BAC mutagenesis in vitro. This review summarises the technologies used to construct and introduce mutations into herpesvirus icBAC. It also explores developing technologies likely to provide the next leap in understanding these important viruses.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia. r.hall4@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Robyn N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meers
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mahony
mesh_terms: D022202:Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D016296:Mutagenesis; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*