Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes

Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs) are large pieces of DNA, which have been used to clone, express and modify genes for various biomedical and research purposes. Through the development of BACs, researchers have been able to modify large pieces of DNA, instead of single genes, in order to better understand the roles of genes and the genetic pathways that control their expression. BACs are particularly advantageous for large-scale genomic sequencing and functional genomics studies, as well as other molecular biology applications. Furthermore, the larger size of BACs allows for multiple gene modifications and genetic engineering, as compared to traditional methods. BACs are a valuable tool in the study and manipulation of genes, which has dramatically improved our understanding of the genetic mechanisms that control gene expression.