Abstract
A rapid protocol was developed for constructing plasmid libraries from small quantities of genomic/metagenomic DNA. The technique utilizes linker amplification with topoisomerase cloning and allows for inducible transcription in Escherichia coli. As proof of principle, several anti-Bacillus lysins were cloned from bacteriophage genomes and an aerolysin was cloned from a metagenomic sample.