High-copy-number derivatives of the plasmid cloning vector pBR322.

A stable copy-number mutant of a pBR322-derived plasmid was isolated. The mutation was found to be a single G----T transversion located near the 3' end of a DNA segment coding for the regulatory RNA I. The resulting copy number for this plasmid is approx. 1000 per cell or 65% of total cellular DNA. Several cloning vectors have been constructed from this copy-number mutant and their practical application is discussed.