Molecular Engineering & Cloning

From bespoke gene design through high-throughput vector construction to endotoxin-free plasmid prep, the molecular foundation that determines whether your protein expresses, folds, and yields.

Project Design & Gene Engineering

Every project begins with a co-designed strategy. We work with users to select the right host, vector backbone, fusion partners, signal peptides, and purification tags for the intended downstream application, whether that is structural biology, functional assay, animal study, or biotherapeutic candidate progression.

Codon optimisation, signal peptide engineering, domain truncation, mutagenesis, and synthetic gene assembly are routine. Multi-domain constructs, fusion proteins, antibody formats (scFv, Fab, IgG, bispecifics), and complex multi-subunit assemblies are all supported.

Researcher at the bench performing molecular cloning

Endotoxin-Free Plasmid Production

For projects destined for cell-based assays, transfection of mammalian cells, in vivo studies, or downstream therapeutic development, NBF produces endotoxin-free plasmid preparations to research and pre-clinical grade.

Yields are scaled to project need, from microgram screening preps through to milligram-scale production of precursor plasmids for transient transfection campaigns and stable cell line generation.

Researcher preparing endotoxin-free plasmid samples

Vector Suite

A comprehensive backbone library covering every supported host, with a curated tag panel for solubility, affinity capture, fluorescent tracking and protease cleavage.

Host Vector Backbones & Tag Options
E. coli
pOPIN-NHis pOPIN-NHis3C pOPIN-TRX pOPIN-SUMO pOPIN-GST pOPIN-NusA pET series pGEX series pDEST series
Yeast
pPink-αHC pPICZα-A/B/C pPICZ-A/B/C pHIL-S1
Insect (BEVS)
pFastBac-1 pFastBac Dual pBac-1 (flashBAC) pVL1392 / pVL1393 (BaculoGOLD) pENTR (BaculoDirect)
Mammalian
pcDNA3.1 pcDNA3.3 pOPIN mammalian
Fluorescent
EGFP fusions ECFP EBFP Citrine mCherry
UQ staff and students can access most of these vectors directly via the UQ Resource Centre.

Frequently Asked Questions

Both options are supported. Many users send their construct of interest as a plasmid or sequence file, and NBF performs subcloning into the optimal expression vector. Alternatively, NBF can specify and order codon-optimised synthetic genes on the user's behalf as part of a Gene-to-Protein package.
The vector library includes affinity tags (His, GST, His-SUMO), solubility tags (TRX, NusA, SUMO), and fluorescent reporters (GFP, CFP, BFP, Citrine, mCherry). Most NBF vectors include a protease cleavage site so the tag can be removed during purification using TEV, HRV3C, SUMO, thrombin, or enterokinase.
A single subcloning into an existing NBF vector with sequence-verified delivery typically completes in 1 to 2 weeks. High-throughput cloning campaigns of 10 to 50 constructs are usually delivered in 3 to 5 weeks depending on complexity. Synthetic gene synthesis, when required, adds an additional 2 to 3 weeks.
Endotoxin-free plasmid preparations have residual lipopolysaccharide (LPS) below thresholds that would otherwise activate immune cells or interfere with sensitive cell-based assays. They are essential for transfection of primary or immune cells, in vivo studies, and any work feeding into pre-clinical or clinical development.

NBF is proudly supported by

NCRIS Therapeutic Innovation Australia The University of Queensland