UniVec, NCBI’s non-redundant database of vector sequences, has been updated to build 10.0, which enables searches run using NCBI’s VecScreen tool to detect more of the foreign sequences introduced during the cloning or sequencing process. UniVec build 10.0 is also available via FTP.
This build added 174 complete vector sequences and 214 adapter, primer and other sequences, including 133 RNA Spike-In sequences, bringing the total number of sequences represented in the UniVec database to 3,039.
The FTP site now also provides files that detail the origin of various segments in the vector sequences. The information in these new files can be used to evaluate whether matches to sequences in the UniVec database represent true contamination or matches based on a common taxonomic origin.
UniVec is a non-redundant database of sequences commonly attached to cDNA or genomic DNA during the cloning process. UniVec primarily consists of the unique segments from a large number of vectors but also includes many linker, adapter and primer sequences. Redundant sub-sequences have been eliminated from the database to make searches more efficient and to simplify interpretation of the results. For more details, see the UniVec page.