Bxb1 phage recombinase assists genome engineering in Drosophila melanogaster

Rapid and reliable genome modifications provide the basis for detailed in vivo functional analysis of any genomic entity (gene, regulatory DNA, non-coding RNA, etc). With the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, manipulation of a particular genomic locus has become a routine undertaking in variety of model organisms, including the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. To further diversify the available tools for genome engineering, we successfully harnessed the phage recombinase Bxb1 to perform recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) in D. melanogaster. We demonstrate that Bxb1 possesses highly efficient recombinase activity and could be used alone or in conjunction with other currently available recombinases for creating platforms for cassette exchange of targeted loci.