Genewiz adds gene synthesis

11-Mar-2010 - Last updated on 11-Mar-2010 at 11:41 GMT

DNA sequencing specialist Genewiz has added gene synthesis to its service portfolio, providing researchers with a time- and cost-saving alternative to techniques such as molecular cloning and protein engineering.

Marc Schwartz, Genewiz project manager for gene synthesis, believes the sector represents an opportunity for contract research organisations (CRO). He explained that outsourcing bio-reagent construction can generate cost savings and this attracts pharma, biotech and academics.

Leveraging its expertise has allowed it to secure gene synthesis contracts with major pharma and biotechs, according to Genewiz. Also, the company claims to have performed projects that were rejected or failed by rival service providers because of the complexity of the gene.

Long, 50-kb genes and those with high GC-content, repetitive sequences or secondary structures can be sequenced by the team at Genewiz because of the technical expertise it possesses, according to the company.

In particular, Genewiz states it has proprietary technologies that help handle complex genes and a bioinformatics platform that can improve expression by optimising certain sequences.

Genewiz acknowledges that such genes require longer turnaround times but claims a “very high success rate” overall. For simpler genes Genewiz is marketing its offering as having competitive prices, comprehensive project management and turnaround times as short as two weeks.

The two to three week turnaround is for 2-kb genes and smaller, with times increasing for larger, more complex projects. Throughout the course of the process weekly updates will be sent by the project manager assigned to work, according to Genewiz.

Ping Yang, Genewiz business leader for gene synthesis, added that the services can support client programmes in the fields of nanotechnology, protein and antibody engineering, vaccines, and gene therapy.