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Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Site-specific Bacterial Chromosome Engineering: ΦC31 Integrase Mediated Cassette Exchange (IMCE)
Published on: March 16, 2012
Molecular analysis of recombinase-mediated cassette exchange reactions catalyzed by integrase of coliphage HK022
Natalia Malchin1, Tatiana Molotsky, Ezra Yagil
1Department of Biochemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel.
Abstract:
The integrase (Int) protein of coliphage HK022 can catalyze in Escherichia coli as well as in in vitro integrative and excisive recombinase-mediated cassette exchange reactions between plasmids as substrates. Atomic force microscopy images have revealed that in the protein-DNA complexes that are formed, the plasmid substrates are connected via one and not two pairs of attachment sites. This observation, together with the elucidation of intermediate co-integrates between the two circular plasmids, suggest that a sequential mechanism of the RMCE reaction is possible.

