Template:HelpPage/Assembly Methods
There are different methods for assembling parts: some are due to different standards requiring different materials and methods (i.e. restriction enzymes), others are due to preferences in protocol (faster assembly, higher efficiency, ease of use, etc).
3A Assembly
3A Assembly (which stands for three antibiotic assembly) is a method for assembling two parts, specifically BioBrick parts, and selecting for correct assemblies through antibiotics. 3A assembly is currently the preferred assembly method for BioBrick parts at iGEM.
It uses effective antibiotic selection to eliminate unwanted background colonies and eliminates the need for gel purification and colony PCR of the resulting colonies. In theory, about 97% of the colonies should be the desired assembly.
The Registry has been providing iGEM teams and Registry labs with linearized plasmid backbones to further improve this assembly method.
The advantages of 3A assembly include...
- No PCR
- No Gel purification
- Success Rate
See the 3A assembly page for more information