Viral Vector Packaging Service: Caltech Systemic Capsids
As part of our Viral Vector Packaging Service , Addgene is distributing ready-to-use viral preparations in engineered systemic serotypes from the Viviana Gradinaru laboratory and the Caltech CLOVER Center (Link opens in a new window) . As part of our standard viral production , these viral vectors undergo quality control, including AAV titering by probe-based droplet digital PCR, in vitro and (when possible) in vivo testing, and full sequencing of the final viral vector preparation.
Systemic Delivery AAV Capsid Choice
Need help deciding which capsid to choose? The following decision tree was developed at the CLOVER Center at Caltech and can help guide your decision.
Figure 1: Decision tree for choosing your AAV capsid. Your choice could depend on several factors including: the delivery method, mouse strain, target cell type or tissue of interest, and model organism under study. *Many engineered AAVs for mice use LY6A to cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to strain-specific tropism (See S3 table (Huang, et al., 2019) for LY6A-permissive mouse strains). AAV-PHP.eC, AAV9-X1.1 and AAV1-X1 do not display strain-specific tropism and can be used in LY6A-nonpermissive mouse strains. **AAV1-X1 has not been tested in rats. Abbreviations: AAV, adeno-associated virus; GRE, gene regulatory element; NHP, non-human primate. Image courtesy of the Gradinaru Lab and the Caltech CLOVER Center (Link opens in a new window) and was adapted from Challis et al. (2022). Text version of the AAV decision tree can be found at the bottom of this page.
For more in depth descriptions of each serotype, check out Addgene's blog on Systemic Capsids . To review performance data of each of these serotypes, please refer to Addgene’s Data Hub and the Caltech CLOVER Center’s repository of published capsid use (Link opens in a new window) .
PHP.eB
These viral vector preparations were produced with the pUCmini-iCAP-PHP.eB plasmid (Addgene #103005) .
Note on PHP.eB tropism and specific mouse lines: Enhanced CNS tropism exhibited by the PHP.eB serotype has been reported to occur by using the cellular receptor LY6A (Huang et al., 2019 (Link opens in a new window) ) to cross the blood brain barrier. For information on whether the PHP.eB serotype will work in your mouse line, see Supplementary Table 3 (Link opens in a new window) .
Browse Available PHP.eB AAV
ID
Name
Promoter
Description
Category
PI
Controls
28306
pAAV-FLEX-tdTomato
CAG
tdTomato, Cre-dependent
Control
Boyden
37825
pAAV-CAG-GFP
CAG
GFP
Control
Boyden
50469
pAAV-CaMKIIa-EGFP
CamKIIa
EGFP
Control
Roth
59462
pAAV-CAG-tdTomato
CAG
tdTomato
Control
Boyden
83900
pAAV-mDlx-GFP-Fishell-1
Dlx
GFP
Control
Fishell
99130
pAAV-mDlx-NLS-mRuby2
Dlx
mRuby2
Control
Gradinaru
104055
pAAV-CAG-eYFP
CAG
EYFP
Control
Gradinaru
104061
CAG-NLS-GFP
CAG
NLS-GFP
Control
Gradinaru
105530
pAAV.CMV.PI.EGFP.WPRE.bGH
CMV
EGFP
Control
Wilson
105547
pENN.AAV.EF1a.eGFP.WPRE.rBG
EF1a
EGFP
Control
Wilson
114469
pAAV-CaMKIIa-mCherry
CamKIIa
mCherry
Control
Deisseroth
114470
pAAV-Ef1a-mCherry
EF1a
mCherry
Control
Deisseroth
117382
hSyn1-eYFP
Syn
EYFP
Control
Gradinaru
135630
pAAV-S5E2-dTom-nlsdTom
E2 regulatory element
dTomato
Control
Dimidschstein
135631
pAAV-S5E2-GFP-fGFP
E2 regulatory element
GFP, membrane-targeted GFP
Control
Dimidschstein
192552
pAAV-CAG-2xNLS-tdTomato-WPRE-hGHpolyA
CAG
tdTomato
Control
Feng
163505
CN1390-rAAV-DLX2.0-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA
minBetaGlobin
SYFP2
Control
Ting
163509
CN1839-rAAV-hSyn1-SYFP2-10aa-H2B-WPRE3-BGHpA
hSyn1
H2B-SYFP2
Control
Ting
191706
AiP13044 - pAAV-AiE0779m_3xC2-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN3044)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
191707
AiP12237 - pAAV-AiE0452h-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN2237)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
191720
AiP13038 - pAAV-AiE0743m_3xC2-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN3038)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
191726
AiP12787 - pAAV-AiE0140h_3xC2-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN2787)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
191728
AiP12408 - pAAV-AiE0600m-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN2408)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
191737
AiP12610 - pAAV-AiE0780m-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN2610)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
199773
AiP13863 - pAAV-AiE0888m_C4-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN3863)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
199774
AiP13905 - pAAV-AiE0441h_3xC2-minBG-SYFP2-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN3905)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
214858
AiP14496: pAAV-AiE0873m_3xC2-minBG-SYFP2-P2A-3XFLAG-10aa-H2B-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN4496)
minBG
SYFP2
Control
AIBS , Ting
213814
pAAV_BiSSTe10_dTomato_nlsdTomato
BiSSTe10
dTomato/nlsdTomato
Control
Fishell
213829
pAAV_BiCHATe27_dTomato_nlsdTomato
BiCHATe27
dTomato/nlsdTomato
Control
Fishell
213855
pAAV_BiVIPe4_dTomato_nlsdTomato
BiVIPe4
dTomato/nlsdTomato
Control
Fishell
213914
pAAV_BiLAMP5e3_dTomato_nlsdTomato_nlsdTomato
BiLAMP5e3
dTomato/nlsdTomato
Control
Fishell
213936
pAAV_BiPVe4_dTomato_nlsdTomato
BiPVe4
dTomato/nlsdTomato
Control
Fishell
213940
pAAV_BiPVe3_dTomato_nlsdTomato
BiPVe3
dTomato/nlsdTomato
Control
Fishell
213944
pAAV_BiSSTe4_dTomato_nlsdTomato
BiSSTe4
dTomato/nlsdTomato
Control
Fishell
Chemogenetics
44361
pAAV-hSyn-DIO-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry
Syn
Activator, Cre-dependent
DREADD
Roth
44362
pAAV-hSyn-DIO-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry
Syn
Inhibitor, Cre-dependent
DREADD
Roth
135635
pAAV-S5E2-Gq-P2A-dTomato
E2 regulatory element
Activator
DREADD
Dimidschstein
Biosensors
104491
pGP-AAV-syn-FLEX-jGCaMP7s-WPRE
Syn
Calcium sensor, Cre-dependent
GCaMP
Kim , GENIE
104492
pGP-AAV-syn-FLEX-jGCaMP7f-WPRE
Syn
Calcium sensor, Cre-dependent
GCaMP
Kim , GENIE
104495
pGP-AAV-CAG-FLEX-jGCaMP7s-WPRE
CAG
Calcium sensor, Cre-dependent
GCaMP
Kim , GENIE
104496
pGP-AAV-CAG-FLEX-jGCaMP7f-WPRE
CAG
Calcium sensor, Cre-dependent
GCaMP
Kim , GENIE
104487
pGP-AAV-syn-jGCaMP7s-WPRE
Syn
Calcium sensor
GCaMP
Kim , GENIE
104488
pGP-AAV-syn-jGCaMP7f-WPRE
Syn
Calcium sensor
GCaMP
Kim , GENIE
135632
pAAV-S5E2-GCaMP6f
E2 regulatory element
Calcium sensor
GCaMP
Dimidschstein
100854
pAAV.Syn.NES-jRGECO1a.WPRE.SV40
Syn
Calcium sensor
RGECO
Kim , GENIE
162375
pGP-AAV-syn-jGCaMP8m-WPRE
Syn
Calcium sensor
GCaMP
GENIE
Optogenetics
26973
pAAV-hSyn-hChR2(H134R)-EYFP
Syn
Activator
ChR2
Deisseroth
20298
pAAV-EF1a-double floxed-hChR2(H134R)-EYFP-WPRE-HGHpA
EF1a
Activator, Cre-dependent
ChR2
Deisseroth
127090
pAAV-CAG-DIO-ChR2(H134R)-eYFP
CAG
Activator, Cre-dependent
ChR2
Gradinaru
135633
pAAV-S5E2-C1V1-eYFP
E2 regulatory element
Activator
C1V1
Dimidschstein
135634
pAAV-S5E2-ChR2-mCherry
E2 regulatory element
Activator
ChR2
Dimidschstein
214846
AiP13755: pAAV-AiE0743m_3xC2-minBG-ChR2(H134R)-EYFP-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN3755)
minBG
Activator
ChR2(H134R)
AIBS , Ting
214852
AiP14033: pAAV-AiE0779m_3xC2-minBG-CoChR-EGFP-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN4033)
minBG
Activator
CoChR
AIBS , Ting
214853
AiP14035: pAAV-AiE0452h_3xC2-minBG-CoChR-EGFP-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN4035)
minBG
Activator
CoChR
AIBS , Ting
214869
AiP15140: pAAV-AiE0873m_3xC2-minBG-CoChR-EGFP-WPRE3-BGHpA (Alias: CN5140)
minBG
Activator
CoChR
AIBS , Ting
213815
pAAV_BiSSTe10_ChR2_mCherry
BiSSTe10
Activator
ChR2
Fishell
213830
pAAV_BiCHATe27_ChR2_mCherry
BiCHATe27
Activator
ChR2
Fishell
213856
pAAV_BiVIPe4_ChR2_mCherry
BiVIPe4
Activator
ChR2
Fishell
213915
pAAV_BiLAMP5e3_ChR2_mCherry >
BiLAMP5e3
Activator
ChR2
Fishell
213937
pAAV_BiPVe4_ChR2_mCherry
BiPVe4
Activator
ChR2
Fishell
213941
pAAV_BiPVe3_ChR2_mCherry
BiPVe3
Activator
ChR2
Fishell
213945
pAAV_BiSSTe4_ChR2_mCherry
BiSSTe4
Activator
ChR2
Fishell
Recombinases
105540
pENN.AAV.hSyn.HI.eGFP-Cre.WPRE.SV40
Syn
Cre-EGFP expression
Cre
Wilson
105550
pAAV.GFAP.Cre.WPRE.hGH
GFAP
Cre-expression
Cre
Wilson
107738
pAAV-hSyn-Cre-P2A-dTomato
Syn
Cre-expression
Cre
Larsen
140135
pAAV-EF1a-iCreV
EF1a
light-inducible recombinase
iCreV
Zeng
140136
pAAV-EF1a-iDreV
EF1a
light-inducible recombinase
iDreV
Zeng
140137
pAAV-EF1a-iFlpV
EF1a
light-inducible recombinase
iFlpV
Zeng
164450
CN1851-rAAV-hI56i-minBglobin-iCre-4X2C-WPRE3-BGHpA
minBG
iCre expression
iCre
Ting
199775
AiP13778 - pAAV-AiE0450h-minBG-iCre(R297T)-BGHpA (Alias: CN3778)
minBG
iCre(R297T) expression
iCre
AIBS , Ting
199776
AiP13779 - pAAV-AiE0779m_3xC2-minBG-iCre(R297T)-BGHpA (Alias: CN3779)
minBG
iCre(R297T) expression
iCre
AIBS , Ting
199777
AiP13781 - pAAV-AiE0452h-minBG-iCre(R297T)-BGHpA (Alias: CN3781)
minBG
iCre(R297T) expression
iCre
AIBS , Ting
214862
AiP14825: pAAV-AiE0441h_3xC2-minBG-iCre(R297T)-BGHpA (Alias: CN4825)
minBG
iCre(R297T) expression
iCre
AIBS , Ting
PHP.S
These viral vector preparations were produced with the pUCmini-iCAP-PHP.S plasmid (Addgene #103006) .
Browse Available PHP.S AAV
PHP.V1
These viral vector preparations were produced with the pUCmini-iCAP-PHP.V1 plasmid (Addgene #127847) .
Browse Available PHP.V1 AAV
MaCPNS1
These viral vector preparations were produced with the pUCmini-iCAP-AAV.MaCPNS1 plasmid (Addgene #185136) .
Browse Available MaCPNS1 AAV
MaCPNS2
These viral vector preparations were produced with the pUCmini-iCAP-AAV.MaCPNS2 plasmid (Addgene #185137) .
Browse Available MaCPNS2 AAV
CAP-B10
These viral vector preparations were produced with the pUCmini-iCAP-AAV.CAP-B10 plasmid (Addgene #175004) .
Browse Available CAP-B10 AAV
CAP-B22
These viral vector preparations were produced with the pUCmini-iCAP-AAV.CAP-B22 plasmid (Addgene #175005) .
Browse Available CAP-B22 AAV
AAV9-X1.1
These viral vector preparations were produced with the pUCmini-iCAP-AAV9-X1.1 plasmid (Addgene #196836) .
Browse Available AAV9-X1.1
Citation Information
When using the Caltech serotypes in future publications, please acknowledge Viviana Gradinaru and cite as follows:
PHP.eB, PHP.S: Chan et al., 2017 Pubmed 28671695 (Link opens in a new window)
PHP.V1: Kumar et al., 2020 Pubmed 32313222 (Link opens in a new window)
MaCPNS1, MaCPNS2: Chen et al., 2022 Pubmed 35643078 (Link opens in a new window)
CAP-B10, CAP-B22: Goertsen, Flytzanis, et al., 2022 Pubmed 34887588 (Link opens in a new window)
AAV9-X1.1: Chen et al., 2023 Pubmed 37291094 (Link opens in a new window)
Don’t See What You’re Looking For?
Please let us know (Link opens in a new window) what you would like to see available in viral format. Please note this does not guarantee viral service, but lets us know what viruses would be helpful to the scientific community.
Text Description for the AAV Decision Tree
The AAV decision tree graphic above helps you choose the best capsid for your cell type. First, do you want to
target CNS or PNS? Then consider species, and then cell type.
For CNS:
For infant rhesus macaques:
Broad tropism - AAV.MaCPNS1, AAV.MaCPNS2
Cell type-biased:
Neurons - AAV.CAP-Mac, AAV9-X1.1
For marmosets:
Broad tropism - AAV.CAP-B22
Cell type-biased:
Neurons - AAV.CAP-B10
Brain vascular cells - AAV.CAP-Mac
For rats:
Broad tropism - AAV-PHP.eB
Cell type-biased:
Neurons - AAV.CAP-Mac
Brain vascular cells - AAV9-X1.1, AAV1-X1
For mice:
Broad tropism - AAV-PHP.eB, AAV-PHP.AX, AAV-PHP.eC
Cell type-biased:
Astrocytes - AAV-PHP.AX with GRE or transgenic animal
Oligodendrocytes - AAV-PHP.eB with GRE or transgenic animal
Brain vascular cells - AAV9-X1.1, AAV1-X1
Neurons - AAV.CAP-B10, AAV-PHP.N
Broad - AAV-PHP.AX with GRE or transgenic animal
L5 & Inhibitory - AAV-PHP.eB with GRE or transgenic animal
L2/3 & L4 - AAV.CAP-B10 with GRE or transgenic animal
Excitatory - AAV.PHP.N with GRE or transgenic animal
For PNS applications in rodents and NHPs:
Broad tropism - AAV-MaCPNS2, AAV-PHP.S
Sensory nervous system - AAV-MaCPNS1
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