- Collection name: BCCM/GeneCorner Plasmid Collection
- Acronym: BCCM/GeneCorner
- WDCM number: 643
- Institution: Ghent University
- Address:
Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71
9052 Gent
Belgium
- Website: https://bccm.belspo.be/about-GeneCorner
Website of the catalogue or database of the collection: https://bccm.belspo.be/genecorner-catalogue-search
Twitter/X: https://x.com/BCCMCollections
LinkedIn: https://be.linkedin.com/company/bccm-belgian-coordinated-collections-of-microorganisms
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bccmcollections.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bccm_collections - Correspondent:
E-mail: bccm.genecorner@ugent.be
Tel.: +32 9 33 13 843
Correspondent: Lic. Martine Vanhoucke
Members holdings
Group(s) of biological resources stored in the collection:Bacteria (strains carrying plasmids or intended as host for plasmids) Yeasts (strains carrying plasmids or intended as host for plasmids) Plasmids, including individual plasmids and pooled cDNA libraries Animal and human cell lines, incl. hybridomas cell lines (mainly in the confidential collections) Animal viruses x bacteriophages (only in the confidential collections) Invertebrates (e.g. nematodes) (only in the confidential collections) Protein samples (only in the confidential collections) With regard to plasmids, BCCM/GeneCorner’s main interest lies with: • empty cloning plasmids useful for recombinant (over)expression of proteins of interest in bacteria, yeast, fungi, insect cells, plant and mammalian cells; • (expression) plasmids carrying specific protein-coding genes and derivatives from a wide range of organisms (human, mouse, various bacterial species, ...); • expression plasmids with specific non-coding genes such as shRNA and miRNA; • plasmids for mouse genetic engineering, allowing the generation of transgenic mice. BCCM/GeneCorner’s main subcollections of plasmids are the human ORFeome, the human and mouse genome-wide shRNA collection and the Pichia pastoris modular cloning toolbox. Additionally, BCCM/GeneCorner holds a wide range of microbial host strains, intended for specific applications such as: • (toxic) protein expression • yeast 2-hybrid experiments • genome engineering • labelled protein production • glycoengineering • …
The BCCM/GeneCorner Plasmid Collection warrants the long-term storage and distribution of plasmids, microbial host strains and DNA libraries of fundamental, biotechnological, educational or general scientific importance.
The focus is on the collection of recombinant plasmids that can replicate in a microbial host strain, and recombinant microbial hosts themselves.
In total, the public BCCM/GeneCorner catalogue contains more than 216000 individual plasmids, 231 microbial host strains and 17 pooled DNA libraries, providing cDNA of 6 different species (figures of 24/04/2025).
BCCM/GeneCorner also holds natural and genetically modified animal or human cell lines, including hybridomas, as well as viruses, bacteriophages and other genetic material, in the safe deposit and patent deposit collections.
Services offered
GeneCorner strives to share its biological material, as well as its molecular biology expertise and know-how with its partners and customers via: • Deposit, preservation and storage of recombinant plasmids and related host strains of fundamental, biotechnological, educational or general importance in the public collection, the transit collection, the confidential deposit collections (safe deposit, patent deposit and storage of third party’s biological material (STPM)). In the confidential collections, also cell lines, hybridoma’s, viruses, bacteriophages and other genetic material are accepted. • Distribution of the biological resources mentioned above. • Characterization and gene technology services: plasmid profile analysis, bacteriophage contamination testing, plasmid DNA extraction (small and large scale), plasmid sequencing (outsourced) and annotation, genomic modification of (host)strains, transformation of host strains, construction/modification of plasmids. • Training: DNA handling techniques, preparation and quality controls of chemically competent and electrocompetent bacterial cells, plasmid collection management. • Consultancy: preservation of plasmid DNA and plasmid-carrying bacterial cultures, microbial biosafety and biosecurity management and quality assurance of microbial resources, literature studies, advisory support in scientific dossiers.
Research
BCCM/GeneCorner does currently not have a staff member for autonomous research, but participates in collaborative research whenever there is an opportunity, e.g. • to improve plasmid DNA storage and to enlarge its scope of basic vectors and genes in view of the needs of the academic and industrial communities; • in projects of the host laboratory, which focus on molecular and cellular mechanisms of immunity and inflammation using the most advanced methods of molecular biotechnology, genetics, cell biology, and immunology. In this context, expression plasmids and microbial host strains for the expression of recombinant proteins, genetic engineering of cells, and functional studies, are frequently generated and extensively used. Research of the host laboratory is multidisciplinary with molecular biologists, immunologists, cell biologists, and bioinformaticians collaborating with clinicians. It is the ambition of the host laboratory to translate basic research into innovative ways for diagnosis and therapy of human diseases; • in the frame of partnerships. The embedding in its host laboratory offers an ideal environment for BCCM/GeneCorner, supporting its activities on a continuous basis. Furthermore, the collaborative research leads to co-authorship on peer reviewed publications, e.g. • A concise guide to choosing suitable gene expression systems for recombinant protein production. Schütz et al., STAR Protocols (2023); 4:102572 ( doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102572 ) • Engineering a highly sensitive biosensor for abscisic acid in mammalian cells. Kim et al., FEBS Lett (2022), 596:2576-2590 (doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14431) • Engineering a minimal cloning vector from a pUC18 plasmid backbone with an extended multiple cloning site. Staal et al., Biotechniques (2019), 66, 254-259 (doi.org/10.2144/btn-2019-0014)
Quality Management System
Accession, control, preservation, storage and supply of plasmids and bacterial hosts, incl. related information, in the frame of public deposits, safe deposits and patent deposits is ISO 9001:2015 certified.