Artificially constructed
cloning vector containing the
cos gene of the
lambda phage. Cosmids can be packaged in lambda phage particles for infection into
E. coli; this permits
cloning of larger
DNA fragments (up to 45
kb) that can be introduced into bacterial hosts in
plasmid vectors.
From the BioTech Dictionary at http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/. For further information see the BioTech homenode.