Two new Haloferax-Escherichia shuttle vectors are described, pMDS20 an
d pMLH3. These vectors contain the E. coli ColE1 plasmid ori region an
d ampicillin-resistance(Ap(R))-conferring bla gene, and the Haloferax
pHK2 replicon region and novobiocin-resistance(Nb-R)-encoding gyrB gen
e, enabling maintenance and selection in both hosts. Plasmid pMLH3 has
, in addition, a H. volcanii mevinolin-resistance (Mv(R)) determinant
and restriction sites allowing insertional inactivation of either mark
er, to facilitate the identification of Haloferax transformants harbou
ring cloned sequences. Sequencing of gyrA, within the Nb-R determinant
, and the pHK2 ori region has been completed so the complete sequence
of both pMDS20 and pMLH3 is now known.