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Codex DNA Releases Long Gene Fragment Cloning on the BioXp™ System

Automated synthesis of gene fragments using the BioXp™ system enables overnight production of error-corrected, de novo synthetic genes of up to 7,200 base pairs in length

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Codex DNA, Inc.

Creators of the BioXp™ system, a hands-free fully automated synthetic biology platform, and the industry-standard Gibson Assembly® methodology, Codex DNA empowers researchers with the tools they need to rapidly and...

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SAN DIEGO, CA — May 4, 2021 — Codex DNA, Inc., creators of the BioXp™ system, a fully automated benchtop instrument that enables numerous synthetic biology workflows, announced the addition of longer fragment cloning to the BioXp™ system. Scientists are now able to produce error-corrected, multivariant, de novo synthetic genes up to 7.2 kilobase pairs (kb) in length, and clone them into custom vectors hands-free and overnight, using the company’s Gibson Assembly® technology.

“We’ve developed a process for automated synthesis of long gene fragment cloning using the BioXp™ system. This enables our customers to create error-corrected genes at a faster rate while eliminating the need to synthesize them manually or through outsourcing,” said Todd R. Nelson, PhD, chief executive officer of Codex DNA. “Producing error-corrected genes up to 7.2 kb in length through our system remarkably expands the number of applications available and could support exciting discoveries for vaccine development, therapeutics, and other emerging synthetic biology applications. Efforts in automation have been well received by the community since it accomplishes the goal of democratizing complex laboratory processes and allows highly skilled technicians to focus on more complex tasks.”

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Given that the average protein size in humans is around 400 amino acids, the ability to synthesize genes up to 7.2kb in length means that the BioXp™ can enable researchers to study proteins roughly 6 times the size of the average human protein. Such improvement in size dramatically expands the menu of applications that can be studied, such as antibody engineering, metabolic engineering, small genome construction, targeted gene variant analysis, and more. Examples include the expression of critical molecules like monoclonal antibodies, nucleic acid-based vaccine sequences, and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.