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Life Science > Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) > CompoZr® Custom ZFN Service
Targeted Genome Editing

CompoZr® Custom ZFN Service

Custom CompoZr ZFN 

Genome Engineering using Zinc Finger Nucleases

CompoZr Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) are a class of engineered DNA-binding proteins that facilitate highly specific targeted editing of any genome by creating double-strand breaks in DNA at user specified locations. You can use ZFNs to create your choice of stable genetically engineered cell lines or organisms with gene deletions, gene integrations and gene modifications. The CompoZr Custom ZFN Service provides researchers with a validated pair of ZFNs that have been custom designed and assembled to edit their target gene in a highly specific manner.
Now modify any gene in any biological system!

Benefits

  • Ability to conduct genetic manipulation in any cell line or organism of your choice
  • Rapid design, assembly and validation of a ZFN pair targeting your gene of interest
  • Quick, permanent and highly specific modification of any endogenous genome
  • Highly specific, single or multi-allelic edits occur in 1–20% of clonal population
  • Rapid mutation rate in founder animals with high percentage of germline transmission.
  • Knockout or knock-in at any genomic loci in cells in as little as two months
  • Edits induced through a single transfection
  • No antibiotic selection required for screening

 

Sigma Advantage

  • Each Custom ZFN Project is handled individually as a project moves through the three elements of the CompoZr Custom ZFN service: ZFN Design, Assembly, and biological validation.
  • Sigma-Aldrich provides very high quality after sales support through technical services and dedicated scientists to ensure experimental success in your hands
  • There are several published examples of ground-breaking research using Sigma’s proprietary CompoZr ZFNs

 

Order a Custom CompoZr ZFN

 

Custom ZFN Chart

ZFN Custom Design Process

ZFN Candidate Design
Once an order is placed, Sigma's bioinformatics team will use the Sangamo proprietary algorithm to design ZFN candidates targeting the gene region of interest. This proprietary algorithm, continuously updated by Sangamo Biosciences and trained on feedback from validation testing, has been designed to yield ZFNs with high binding affinity to their specific target site.

ZFN Candidate Design Approval
Once the ZFN candidates have been designed, the selected candidates are sent to you, the customer, for verification. Only after the ZFN designs have been approved by you, do we start production.

ZFN Candidate Assembly
ZFN candidates approved by you will be assembled by the CompoZr ZFN Production Team. Using the Zinc Finger Protein (ZFP) modules from the proprietary Sangamo ZFN archive the production team will assemble sequence-specific ZFPs and attach the FokI nuclease domain creating a ZFN. Sigma-Aldrich produced ZFNs will have a 24-36 base pair specific target site.

ZFN Candidate Validation
The final step of the Custom CompoZr ZFN service involves validation of ZFN candidates.

  1. If the desired modification is in the human, mouse, rat or hamster genome, cell lines from the specific organism will be used for validation. Each ZFN pair constructed is transfected into the cells, and a mismatch sensitive assay is used to identify the functional ZFN pair. Cell line validated ZFNs require 10 weeks for production and validation, starting at your design approval.*
  2. If the desired modification is in the genome of any other organism, a yeast-based proxy system will be used, that accurately reflects ZFN activity in several cell types. Each ZFN pair constructed is transfected into the yeast-based proxy cells and a mismatch sensitive assay is used to identify the functional ZFN pair. Yeast-based proxy validated ZFNs require 12 weeks for production and validation, starting at your design approval.*

 

ZFN Products Delivered
Once the Custom ZFNs have been validated you will receive the following:

  1. Human, Mouse, Rat or Hamster :
    The best performing ZFN pair in 10 aliquots of ready-to-deliver mRNA and in plasmid form, forward and reverse primers for screening and positive control DNA from validated samples.
  2. Any other organism :
    The best performing ZFN pair in 10 aliquots of ready-to-deliver mRNA and plasmids for the top three performing pairs of ZFNs

*Assumes successful validation of at least one pair of ZFNs from the initial design. Our on time delivery rate is > 80%.

Ordering Information
Please fill out the CompoZr ZFN Order Form and a Sigma® representative will contact you in regards to your project.

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