Method and kits for preparing multicomponent nucleic acid constructs

16-30. (canceled)

A method of producing a vector, comprising:

• a) providing nucleic acid components and optionally a linking nucleic acid molecule to be assembled into the construct, each component comprising a double stranded nucleic acid molecule having at least one single stranded 5′ or 3′ terminal sequence, the terminal sequence having sufficient complementarity to either a terminal sequence in a separate nucleic acid component or to a sequence in a linking nucleic acid molecule so as to allow for specific annealing and linkage of the components in a predetermined order, wherein the nucleic acid components encode:
• i) an origin of replication ii) a selectable marker iii) an insert of interest;
• (b) incubating the nucleic acid components under conditions which allow for specific annealing and linkage of the nucleic acid components to thereby produce the functional vector.

35-41. (canceled)

A method of linking nucleic acid components in a predetermined order to produce a nucleic acid multicomponent construct, comprising:

• (a) providing the nucleic acid components and one or more linking nucleic acid molecules to be assembled into the construct, each nucleic acid component comprising a double stranded nucleic acid molecule having at least one single stranded 5′ or 3′ terminal sequence, the terminal sequence having sufficient complementarity to a sequence in a linking nucleic acid molecule so as to allow for specific annealing of complementary sequences and linkage of the components in a predetermined order;
• (b) incubating the nucleic acid components under conditions which allow for the specific annealing and linkage of the nucleic acid components to thereby produce the nucleic acid multicomponent construct.