Background
The pOP series of expression vectors are replacing our old workhorses, the pBAT vectors which we have used for years.
These new vectors are very much similar to the pBAT series (and all the old benefits apply), but they are more consistent in their structure and in their multiple cloning sites in particular. 
A few of the key features we have introduced to the pOP series, in addition to all the goodness that the pBATs had, are:
- We have now octa-His fusion in all vectors
- We have all the old fusions (GST, MBP, TrxA) but also new ones like Sumo and GB1 (latter is great for making smaller proteins or peptides)
- We have TEV or HRV 3c (aka Prescission) protease sites after the fusions
- We have Avi-tag in the pOP3 series in the N-terminus and in the pOP5 series in the C-terminus, in case one wants to use BirA directed biotinylation of the protein for immobilisation
- All the elements are introduced in a modular way, making the system very malleable and easy to extend
- The polylinkers (for those old folks there still doing restriction-based cloning) are all identical, allowing one to use the same insert for all constructs
- the XhoI in the 3′ end of the polylinker is in a frame that translates to two serines and this is either in frame with stop codon (if no C-terminal fusion is needed) or in frame with C-terminal tag (Avi-tag in pOP5 series and His or StrepTag in pOP2 series
- The C-terminal His-tag is preceeded by a proline should you want to remove it by carboxypeptidase P
- The polylinkers are relatively short and translate into soluble sequence with stop codon at the end of the polylinker, when no insert is included in the vector. Good for positive/negatve controls
- They have very logical names. The number refers to the series. The first letter after the number indicates the fusion partner (or C-terminal tag) and the second letter the protease that cleaves the fusion:
Tags
H His8-tag A Avi-tag S StrepTagII Fusions
B GB1-fusion G GST-fusion M MBP-fusion S Sumo-fusion T TrxA-fusion Proteases
T TEV-cleavable P 3C/Prescission-cleavable U Sumo protease-cleavable
More details of the plasmids are in this PDF file.
Note on vector maps: The maps are rather basic, listing typically all of the fusion protein sector with DNA and protein sequences, and the unique restriction sites both between different part of the fusion protein and the complete polylinker. You can also get file
When using these vectors, please cite them as Hyvönen et. al, unpublished.
