Gateway® Cloning in Geneious Prime

This Gateway® cloning series shows how to simulate cloning in Geneious Prime: design attB-flanked primers, run a BP reaction with a donor vector to create an entry clone, then an LR reaction with a destination vector to produce the final expression clone, or combine both steps in one operation. A second video covers multisite Gateway® cloning with multiple fragments. Two videos.

Course Content

Gateway® Cloning with a Single Insert

Design attB1/attB2 primers, extract the PCR product, then simulate a BP reaction with a donor vector (such as pDONR221) to create an entry clone. Run the LR reaction with a destination vector (such as pDEST17) for the final expression clone.
LENGTH 9 minutes

Gateway® Cloning with Multiple Inserts

Design attB-flanked primers per fragment using compatible site combinations (refer to Geneious’s site table), then run separate BP reactions against matching donor vectors. Combine the entry clones with a destination vector in one LR reaction.
LENGTH 7 minutes

Common Questions About Gateway Cloning

What Gateway cloning workflows does Geneious Prime support?

Geneious Prime supports both single-site and multisite Gateway cloning. The software simulates BP reactions (generating an entry clone from an attB PCR product and a pDONR™ vector), LR reactions (transferring inserts into destination vectors), and combined single-step BP+LR reactions. Multisite Gateway workflows with multiple attB sites are also supported for assembling multiple inserts in a single reaction.

How does Geneious Prime handle multisite Gateway cloning?

Geneious Prime supports multisite Gateway cloning for assembling multiple inserts from separate entry clones into a single destination vector. The software guides selection of the appropriate attB site combinations for multisite reactions and simulates the final construct, confirming that all att site recombination events produce the intended arrangement of inserts.

Does Geneious Prime automatically design Gateway cloning primers?

Geneious Prime automatically designs Gateway cloning primers with the correct attB site extensions. The tool adds the required four guanine residues at the 5′ end, the 25 bp attB motif, appropriate spacers, and at least 18–25 bp of gene-specific sequence — including the requirement that attB1 sites end with thymidine. Researchers specify the gene-specific region; Geneious Prime handles the att site architecture.

How does Geneious Prime compare to designing Gateway experiments manually?

Manually designing Gateway primers requires calculating attB site sequences, spacers, and Tm values across primer components — a process prone to sequence errors that only surface after PCR. Geneious Prime automates att site primer design and simulates the complete reaction, flagging potential issues before any reagents are ordered. The visual construct output also provides a clear record of the intended design for documentation.

Can I simulate a Gateway cloning reaction before ordering primers?

Geneious Prime lets you simulate the complete Gateway cloning reaction in silico before committing to reagent orders. The software extracts and validates PCR products, simulates BP and LR reactions, and displays the annotated final construct — so you can confirm insert orientation, verify att site placement, and check the expression clone sequence before running the reaction in the lab.

Is Gateway cloning simulation included in all Geneious Prime subscription tiers?

Gateway cloning simulation is available in all Geneious Prime subscription plans, including Student, Academic, Corporate personal tiers, as well as Team and Enterprise plans. A free trial is available with no commitment required to evaluate the Gateway cloning workflow before purchasing.

More Geneious Academy

Design attB-linked primers for the mature xynB CDS, then simulate the BP and LR reactions into pDest17.
Join Drosophila trpA1 regulatory elements to a yeast GAL4 activator using multisite Gateway cloning.
Design primers in Geneious Prime, import existing sets, test them against a target, and add 5' extensions for cloning or Gateway applications.
Annotate sequences in Geneious Prime by importing files, transferring or copying annotations between homologs, using a database, or annotating by BLAST.
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