The ability to order whole genes just got even easier, as Sigma-Aldrich has announced an integrated web-based ordering and quote system for gene synthesis, made possible through expanded distribution agreements with GENEWIZ and Oxford Genetics.

Sigma Aldrich is a giant in the life science world, supplying a vast range of chemicals, proteins, and other products to customers across 37 countries. They have long been active in the DNA and gene-synthesis space, utilising a collaboration with synthetic biology experts GENEWIZ to provide a number of the final products. This recent announcement solidifies this agreement and allows both sides to focus on their areas of skill.Sigma’s strengths lie in their global reach and well-developed e-commerce systems, and they will be using their technology to extend the web-based ordering system into gene synthesis. GENEWIZ, a contract research organisation founded in 1999, has a long history of genetic sequencing and synthesis. They will thus use their well-honed processes to provide the genes which are ordered through Sigma’s platform, including the option to provide these genes in the SnapFast range of modular plasmids developed by Oxford Genetics.Oxford Genetics, as the name implies, was founded by several researchers from Oxford University. It is a synthetic biology company focusing on the production of modular plasmids and expression systems, by which we mean that the plasmid vectors can be easily cut, cloned, rearranged, in many different manners. A notable bonus to Oxford’s offerings is that SnapFast, the system which underlies all of their offerings, is available to all users developing commercial products free of reach-through IP rights – i.e. no licensing is required for anything you make from their vectors. This of course provides significant bonuses to IP-lawyer-poor synthetic biology startups, making Sigma’s platform yet more tempting.One further interesting facet to this announcement is the integration of instantaneous quotes for genes of up to 5kb. A major bottleneck in ordering many products, not just genes, is the time required to wait for your expression of interest to wend its way through the marketing system and return as a quoted price. The disadvantage of this system is explicitly addressed in the article by Josef Zihlmann, VP of Product Management and R&D for Sigma-Aldrich, who commented that “when researchers purchase synthetic biology or gene synthesis services, they often rely on a quoting system that delays orders by 24 hours or more.” Sigma’s e-commerce platform already uses instant quotes for many chemicals, and by including a set price-quoting system for genes they will speed up the overall ordering process.This announcement and the underlying agreement should lead to wider uptake of gene-synthesis by researchers and biotech firms alike, with a corresponding bump in revenue for all three companies. The platform should be live soon, so we would encourage our readers to have a look and let us know your opinions – both good and bad.