Cloning Vehicles -

Cloning vehicles are small plasmid, phage, or animal virus DNA molecules used to transfer a DNA fragment from a test tube into a living cell.

Cloning vehicles are also called vectors. To be useful, a cloning vehicle must have an origin of replication, i.e., be able to replicate.

The types of vectors most commonly used today are plasmids and bacteriophages; several animal viruses are also gaining in use. It is possible to cut DNA molecules from plasmids and bacteriophages in a specific place and insert a piece of DNA from another source.