question_answer

You have chosen a plasmid as vector for cloning your gene. However this vector plasmid lacks a selectable marker. How would it affect your experiment?

Answer:

In a gene cloning experiment, first a recombinant DNA molecule is constructed, where the gene of interest is ligated to the vector and introduced inside the host cell (transformation). Since, not all the cells get transformed with the recombinant/plasmid DNA, in the absence of selectable marker, it will be difficult to distinguish between transformants and non-transformants. Because the role of selectable marker is in the selection of transformants.