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phagemid

(Science: molecular biology) A phage whose genome contains a plasmid that can be excised by co-infection of the host with a helper phage.

Useful as vectors for library production, as the library can be amplified and screened as phage, but the inserts of selected plaques can readily be prepared as plasmids without subcloning.

Example of a commercial phagemid: _Zap, from which pBluescript can be excised with helper phage.