The present invention describes the development of a 
positive selection vector based on regulatory element modulation, wherein such modulation is achieved via insertional reconstruction or destruction of a regulatory element controlling transcription, translation, 
DNA replication and termination. A 
positive selection cloning vector pREM5Tc has been developed based on insertional reconstruction of a regulatory element of a 
reporter gene. The vector pREM5Tc carries the 
tetracycline resistance 
reporter gene with no functional -35 region of its 
promoter, a regulatory element, thus resulting in no expression of the 
tetracycline resistance 
gene. Hence a host 
cell carrying the vector pREM5Tc is unable to produce the 
tetracycline resistance 
gene protein resulting in inhibition of its growth in presence of tetracycline. An E. coli 
consensus -35 region is recognized as 5'-TTGACA-3' and a primer used in 
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) carries at its 5' end the sequence 5'-TGTCAA-3', which is the complementary sequence of 5'-TTGACA-3'. The PCR-amplified 
DNA fragment is ligated to pREM5Tc thus reconstructing the functional 
promoter of the tetracycline resistance 
reporter gene. Subsequent transformation of a host 
cell with the recombinant vector (carrying an insert 
DNA) results in production of the tetracycline resistance reporter 
gene protein that confers resistance to tetracycline thus allowing only the recombinants to grow in presence of tetracycline. The 
positive selection vector pREM5Tc greatly reduces, if not eliminates, the number of 
exonuclease-generated false positive clones.