We describe here a new strategy of fragment preparation for sequencing procedures using endlabelled DNA fragments as substrates (2,3) which is directly applicable to DNA fragments cloned into the Pst I site of pBR322, or in modified form, to inserts into the BamH I or Sal I site of the same plasmid. Ordered sets of subclones of predetermined overlap are are generated. These can be sequenced directly without further strand- or fragment separation steps.