DNA vaccination is vaccination at its simplest. Due to renewed interest in vaccination against anthrax and other biothreat agents, a genetic immunisation approach offers attractive possibilities for rapid, responsive vaccine development. DNA vaccination against anthrax is an active area of research showing promising results at present, which in the short-term and in the future could form the basis for new advances in multi-agent vaccine development. The anthrax 'model' constitutes an important experimental system for genetic immunisation technology development.