The present disclosure provides improved systems and methods for production of bacteriophage-based engineered transducing particles and uses thereof in manipulating bacterial populations to express any nucleic acid sequence of interest. The disclosed systems are based on inserting to producing cells nucleic acid molecules that comprise the nucleic acid sequence of interest and a protective regulated array, and regulators specific for the regulator array. The system further provides helper transducing particle that facilitates the propagation of the transducing particle.