pZErO-1 vector from INVITROGEN

[EVELYN MOELLER]

Anyone on the net has first hand experience with the cloning vector pZErO-1 
from INVITROGEN containing the ccd-gene for positive selection? I would like 
to share the experiences and I am interested to know 

a.  whether the vector is at least half as good as the company promises - that 
     means that majority (or even all?) of the transformants are really 
     positive recombinants with insert?
     Is it possible to use another strain than the one recommended by 
     Invitrogen (TOP10F') for transformation without severe loss of 
     transformation efficiency?
b.  whether it is possible to makr your own pZErO-DNA by amplifying the vector 
     in a normal E.coli host with strong lac-repressor?
c.  What is the reason for using the antibiotic zeocin? Does it have special 
     features or has it only to do with the fact that only Invitrogen is 
     selling it?The company says that it will produce less satellite colonies 
     than ampicillin. Any other company known which sells Zeocin?

Every comment  welcome. Thanks!

Evelyn Moeller
Univ. of Hohenheim, Inst. Plant Breeding, Stuttgart, Germany
personal e-mail: moellere at rs1.rz.uni-hohenheim.de