Reporter Constructs
and pEPito Plasmids

Reporter constructs to go – ready-to-use reporter gene plasmids and Minicircles

Reporter

PlasmidFactory provides a portfolio of ready-to-use reporter gene plasmids and Minicircle DNA constructs designed for fast-track experimental workflows.

Our products include standard reporter genes such as GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein), luciferase (luc), and β-galactosidase (LacZ), optimized for high expression in a variety of systems.

Moreover, we offer our proprietary pEPito plasmids, representing an advanced iteration of the well-established pEPI family with S/MAR elements.

Reporter vectors and pEPito plasmids are available from our In-Stock service for immediate delivery:

  • Guaranteed amount and reproducible quality with constant specifications of the pDNA, including verified LPS-Endotoxin removal, and culture free from animal-derived media.
  • Precisely defined quality standards and homogeneous product, thanks to our proprietary CGE analysis technology for the quantification of different plasmid topologies.

Finally, we offer the McBox®, reporter systems for direct comparison of Minicircle DNA and the corresponding plasmid in experimental settings

GFP

GFP expression in skeletal mouse muscle

GFP expression in skeletal mouse muscle (1)

luc

luc expression in mouse lung

luc expression in mouse lung (2)

lacZ

lacZ expression in mouse tumour tissue

lacZ expression in mouse tumour tissue (3)

In-Stock:

Reporter plasmids & Minicircles

Our ready-to-use reporter plasmids and Minicircle constructs are available from our In-Stock service and can be shipped at short notice, reducing the need for in-house cloning, preparation, and quality control.

They provide reliable tools for monitoring transfection efficiency, validating promoter activity, studying gene regulation, and performing in vivo imaging or functional assays.

Reporter constructs are available both as conventional plasmid DNA and as Minicircle DNA, which is free of bacterial backbone sequences. Due to their smaller size and non-bacterial content, Minicircles can support enhanced expression and reduced immunogenicity, making them particularly attractive for therapeutic gene delivery, in vivo imaging, and other sensitive applications.

Our reporter constructs can be used in a wide range of applications, including:

  • Transient or stable expression analyses
  • Cell tracking and lineage tracing
  • Promoter/enhancer validation
  • Drug screening and pathway monitoring

All In-Stock products are pre-produced in Research Grade quality and are therefore available at short notice. Other quality grades are available on request.

Item No. Name Special features Vector size
PF0450 pUC21 Control plasmid, Amp resistance 3.2 kbp
PF0451 pUK21 Control plasmid, Kan resistance 3.1 kbp
PF0464 pCMV Control plasmid, CMV, Amp resistance 3.5 kbp
PF0461 pCMV-luc CMV, firefly luciferase, Amp resistance 6.2 kbp
PF0462 pCMV-lacZ CMV, β–galactosidase, Amp resistance 7.2 kbp
PF0463 pCMV-GFP CMV, GFP, Kan resistance 3.5 kbp
MC3048 MC.CMV-luc CMV, firefly luciferase, no bacterial backbone (e.g.,no resistance gene, no ori) 3.6 kbp
MC3291 MC.CMV-lacZ CMV, β–galactosidase, no bacterial backbone (e.g., no resistance gene, no ori) 4.6 kbp
MC3293 MC.CMV-GFP CMV, GFP, no bacterial backbone (e.g.,no resistance gene, no ori) 1.8 kbp
tabelle-cursor
pEPito

pEPito plasmids with
S/MAR elements

S/MAR elements (scaffold/matrix attachment regions) are anchor sequences that link independently regulatable chromatin domains to the protein skeleton of the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, creating an autonomous and therapeutically relevant expression system that avoids genomic integration.

In addition to supporting transcription and protecting against inactivation of (foreign) genetic information, a specific feature of these S/MAR elements has proven particularly important for the production of highly efficient plasmid DNA. Plasmids that contain a S/MAR element inserted at a defined location, in addition to the therapeutically effective gene, are replicated episomally and passed on as independent units to the daughter cells of the eukaryotic target cell.

In other words, the DNA construct is maintained as an episome for many generations, even in the absence of selection pressure, and will be stably expressed as an autonomous genetic unit without integrating.

The anchor sequence has been successfully reduced to a minimal motif of about 733 base pairs, without significantly affecting stable propagation to the daughter cells.

Key features and benefits of pEPito-based plasmids:

  • Episomal replication: After delivery into eukaryotic cells, pEPito plasmids replicate independently of the host genome. This makes them ideal for long-term gene expression studies and reduces the risk of insertional mutagenesis, a critical safety concern for therapeutic applications.
  • Stable transgene expression: Unlike conventional plasmids, which are often lost over successive cell generations without selection, S/MAR-based constructs are retained in daughter cells and exhibit robust, long-term expression – even in the absence of antibiotic pressure.
  • Non-integrating platform: The plasmid remains extrachromosomal, preserving the genetic integrity of the host cell. This feature is especially important in clinical-grade plasmid DNA for cell and gene therapy applications.
  • Reduced silencing: The presence of the S/MAR element supports open chromatin configurations and prevents epigenetic silencing of the transgene, ensuring sustained expression in both dividing and non-dividing cells.

PlasmidFactory offers a range of pEPito plasmids with customizable promoters and also produces minicircle DNA versions of S/MAR-containing vectors, further enhancing delivery efficiency and transgene expression by eliminating bacterial backbone sequences.

Our S/MAR-enabled plasmids can be used in:

  • Long-term expression studies in stem cells and primary cells
  • Gene therapy research without risk of insertional mutagenesis
  • Vaccine development platforms requiring prolonged antigen expression
  • Biomanufacturing of recombinant proteins in non-integrative systems

Through licensing agreements, PlasmidFactory provides access to both the pEPI and pEPito vector families, enabling researchers to incorporate this technology into their development pipelines.

All plasmid DNA preparations – whether standard vectors, reporter constructs, or S/MAR-based platforms – are subject to the same high standards of quality control. Optional upgrades to High Quality or GMP-compliant DNA are also available for projects progressing toward clinical applications.

Item No. Name Special features Vector size
PF1160 pEPito-hCMV/EF1-EGFPLuc hCMV enhancer, EF1 promotor, eGFP, firefly luciferase, S/MAR, Amp and Zeo resis 7.0 kbp
PF1161 pEPito-CMV-EGFPLuc CMV-IEP, eGFP, firefly luciferase, S/MAR, Amp and Zeo resistance 7.0 kbp
PF1162 pEPito-CMV-EGFP-IRES-BSD CMV-IEP, eGFP, IRES, BSD, MARS, Amp and Zeo resistance 5.8 kbp
PF1163 pEPito-hCMV/EF1-EGFP-IRES-BSD hCMV enhancer, EF1 promotor, eGFP, IRES, BSD, S/MAR, Amp and Zeo resistance 5.7 kbp
PF1164 pEPito-hCMV/EF1-EGFP hCMV enhancer, EF1 promotor, eGFP, S/MAR, Amp and Zeo resistance 5.2 kbp
PF1165 pEPito-CMV-EGFP-IRES-BSD-∆S/MAR CMV-IEP, eGFP, IRES, BSD, Amp and Zeo resistance 3.9 kbp
PF1166 pEPito-hCMV/EF1-EGFP-IRES-BSD-∆S/MAR hCMV enhancer, EF1 promotor, eGFP, IRES, BSD, Amp and Zeo resistance 3.8 kbp

McBox®

McBox® reporter systems (GFP, luc, lacZ) are available for direct comparison of Minicircle DNA and the corresponding plasmid in experimental settings. Each McBox® contains 100 µg certified Minicircle DNA and the matching plasmid, both carrying the same reporter gene. Learn more about Minicircle and McBox®.

mcbox-s

All In-Stock reporter constructs and pEPito plasmids are pre-produced in Research Grade quality and are therefore available at short notice. Other quality grades are available on request.

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References

  1. Trollet, Bigey and Scherman, Chemical and Genetic Pharmacology, Université René Descartes, Paris Ref. [1] and [2] in M. Schleef (ed.), DNA Pharmaceuticals, Wiley-VCH, 2005
  2. Rudolph, Maucksch and Aneja, Kinderklinik and Polyklinik, Dr. v. Haunersches Kinderspital, LMU München
  3. Walther and Stein, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin