AAV Vectors & Virus
As a leader in Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) technology, abm offers an affordable, comprehensive collection of human, mouse and rat genes cloned into ready-to-use AAV vectors or packaged AAV virus (Serotypes 1-11) for gene over-expression studies within a wide range of host cells. Can't find the AAV construct you're looking for? Contact our team for a custom construct.
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Advantages of the AAV System:
- Used as a promising candidate for gene therapy
- Does not elicit significant immune responses in vivo
- Broad tropism - tissue specificity with different AAV serotypes
- No integration into the host genome
- Ability to transduce both proliferating and quiescent cells
- Long-term expression in non-dividing cells
Additional Information
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The Adeno-Associated Virus
Learning Resources -
Supporting Data
EGFP expression in lumbar neuronal cells 4 weeks after intrathecal injection into mice (Left), and seen with β-tubulin (red) and DAPI (blue) overlay (Right). Courtesy of Dr. D Lopes, King's college London.
Documents
Top Publications
| 01 | Hypothalamic stem cells control ageing speed partly through exosomal miRNAs. Zhang Y. et al. Nature (2017) doi: 10.1038/nature23282 |
| 02 | Tet1 and Tet2 maintain mesenchymal stem cell homeostasis via demethylation of the P2rX7 promoter. Yang R. et al Nature Communications (2018) doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04464-6 |
| 03 | Ubiquitin-specific protease 53 promotes osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Baek D. et al. Cell Death & Disease (2021) doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-03517-x |
FAQs
| What are AAV expression vectors and how do they work? |
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AAV expression vectors (adeno-associated virus vectors) are engineered viral vectors used to deliver transgenes into mammalian cells. They are replication-deficient and integrate minimally into the host genome, making them ideal for long-term, stable gene expression with a strong safety profile.
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| Why choose AAV expression vectors for gene delivery? |
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Researchers prefer AAV expression vectors because they:
• Show low immunogenicity and high safety • Provide long-term expression in non-dividing cells • Efficiently transduce a wide variety of tissues, including muscle, neurons, and liver These features make AAV ideal for in vivo gene therapy and functional genomics studies. |
| What types of promoters are used in AAV expression vectors? |
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Common promoters in AAV expression vectors include:
• CMV (cytomegalovirus promoter) for strong ubiquitous expression • CAG (hybrid CMV/β-actin promoter) for broad, high-level expression • Tissue-specific promoters (e.g., Synapsin (Syn) for neurons, TnT for muscle) for targeted gene expression Choosing the right promoter depends on the target tissue and experimental goal. |
| What serotypes are available for AAV expression vectors? |
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AAV expression vectors are available in multiple serotypes, each with different tissue tropisms. Refer to our AAV Serotype Selection Chart for more information.
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| What is the difference between self-complementary AAV (scAAV) and single-stranded AAV (ssAAV)? |
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• ssAAV carries single-stranded DNA that must be converted to double-stranded DNA before transcription, causing slower expression onset.
• scAAV contains double-stranded DNA, allowing faster gene expression but has a smaller packaging capacity (~2.5 kb). Our system is based on ssAAV to allow for a larger subset of genes to be expressed using AAV. |
| What is the packaging capacity of AAV expression vectors? |
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The AAV packaging capacity is approximately 4.7 kb, including the promoter, gene of interest, and regulatory elements. Larger genes may require dual-vector systems or truncated transgenes.
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| Can AAV expression vectors be used for in vivo studies? |
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Yes. AAV expression vectors are widely used for in vivo gene delivery due to their tissue specificity, long-term expression, and low immunogenicity. They are the vector of choice for preclinical and clinical gene therapy studies.
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| How long does gene expression last with AAV vectors? |
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Gene expression from AAV expression vectors can last months to years in post-mitotic cells such as neurons and muscle cells. This stability is one of the key reasons AAVs are preferred for long-term gene therapy applications.
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| Are AAV expression vectors suitable for CRISPR delivery? |
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Yes. AAV vectors are frequently used to deliver Cas9 and sgRNA components for CRISPR-based genome editing, especially for in vivo applications, where tissue-specific gene editing is required. Click here for more information.
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| What is the difference between AAV expression vectors and lentiviral expression vectors? |
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• AAV vectors provide episomal, long-term expression with low immunogenicity, making them ideal for in vivo use.
• Lentiviral vectors integrate into the host genome, providing stable expression in dividing cells but carry higher safety considerations. The choice depends on experimental goals, cell type, and whether integration is required. |