A
bacteriophage (a
virus which infects
bacteria) that has single-stranded
DNA. It is used as a method of obtaining single strands of
foreign DNA so that the foreign DNA can be
sequenced (that is, the order of its
nucleotide bases can be determined). It is also used in procedures to create
mutations
in vitro (in a
test tube rather than within an
organism).
From the BioTech Dictionary at http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/. For further information see the BioTech homenode.