pSIR-bsr, a self-inactivating retrovirus vector expressing the blasticidin S-resistance gene

Self-inactivating retrovirus vectors are useful tools for generating stable cell lines harbouring designed exogenous sequences but lacking the constitutive transcriptional activity of the long terminal repeats that are usually retained by non-self-inactivating retrovirus vectors. Thus, self-inactivating retrovirus vectors are ideal vehicles for integrated transgenes comprising transcriptional regulatory sequences, and for the genes expressed by these regulatory sequences. This article describes the development of a self-inactivating retrovirus vector retaining a blasticidin S-resistance (bsr) gene. The vector, named pSIR-bsr, would be useful for transducing multiple expression vectors with different selection markers.