<b>A set of ordered cosmids and a detailed genetic and physical map for the 8 Mb <i>Streptomyces coelicolor</i> A3(2) chromosome</b>

A Supercos-1 library carrying chromosomal DNA of a plasmid-free derivative of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was organized into an ordered encyclopaedia of overlapping clones by hybridization. The minimum set of overlapping clones representing the entire chromosome (with three short gaps) consists of 319 cosmids. The average insert size is 37.5 kb and the set of clones therefore divides the chromosome into 637 alternating unique and overlapping segments which have an average length of approx. 12.5 kb. More than 170 genes, gene clusters and other genetic markers were mapped to their specific segment by hybridization to the encyclopaedia. Genes could be cloned by direct transformation and complementation of S. coelicolor mutants with cosmids isolated from Escherichia coli, selecting for insertion into the chromosome by homologous recombination. As in other streptomycetes, the ends of the chromosome have long terminal inverted repeats.