Part families are a great asset to the Parts Registry. Our process for expanding basic parts into part families is quick, easy, and prioritizes the use of materials that most iGEM teams already have on hand. By following these steps, you can improve the utility of your favorite part and help build a strong foundation of useful parts for use by synthetic biologists around the world.

At a Glance

Our part family expansion process is broken down into four major steps:

Selection: Choose your basic part of interest and obtain a DNA sample.
Mutagenesis: Create a library of mutants from your basic part.
Screening: Select a range of mutants that will offer the most utility for future projects.
Characterization: Collect detailed information on each mutant to document its behavior.