Drosophila Microinjection Services and Prices
Important information about our service - Please read
- Our microinjection service prices have increased (from February 2024): Go here for more information
- All you need to know: Go here for detailed information about our microinjection service (including sample shipment and payment).
- Sample preparation: Sample quality is the major factor that determines the success or failure of microinjection work. Please read our guidelines for sample preparation before sending your samples for microinjection.
- Microinjection request form:
- Injection-only requests from outside the UK: We no longer accept injection-only requests (e.g. Plans 1, 4, 6, 8) from outside the UK. This is because we are uncertain whether shipping from the UK to the EU will be efficient enough to ensure the viability of injected larvae.
- Free repeat injections: Our offer of a free injection only applies to repeats of the original injection with, perhaps, minor modifications (freshly prepared sample, change of host stock etc.). It is not a credit for future injection requests.
- VAT payments: Our microinjection service does not qualify for medical VAT-exemption. All Purchase Orders covering microinjection requests from research groups in the UK (outside of Cambridge University) must include VAT at 20%.
- Microinjection service enquiries: Please direct enquiries to flyinject@gen.cam.ac.uk, this address reaches Alla Madich (Microinjection Technician), Glynnis Johnson (Senior Research Technician) and Simon Collier (Fly Facility Manager).
P-element / piggyBac transformation
Plan 1 | Inject 200 embryos - provide surviving larvae | £160 ex VAT £192 inc VAT |
Plan 2 | Inject 200 embryos – provide unbalanced G2 transformants. Plan 2 takes at least 4 weeks from injection to completion | £225 ex VAT £270 inc VAT |
Plan 3 | Inject 200 embryos – provide balanced lines. Plan 3 takes at least 8 weeks from injection to completion | £310 ex VAT £372 inc VAT |
- For Plans 1-3, we will inject into white1118 embryos unless you request otherwise.
- For Plans 2 and 3, we will provide a minimum of 5 independent transgenic lines, unless your insert is large (i.e. more than 13kb). If we fail to generate 5 or more independent lines, we will offer you the option of a repeat injection at no additional cost.
- Plan 1 is injection only, we do not normally offer a free repeat if no transformants are obtained.
phiC31 integrase-mediated transgenesis
Plan 4 | Inject 200 phiC31; attP embryos - provide surviving larvae | £160 ex VAT £192 inc VAT |
Plan 5 | Inject 200 phiC31; attP embryos – provide balanced lines (integrase removed). Plan 5 takes at least 6 weeks from injection to completion | £260 ex VAT £312 inc VAT |
- Go here for further information on phiC31 transgenesis including our recommendations on choosing the appropriate host stock for your injection work
- A list of phiC31 stocks currently available in the Fly Facility is here. Please note that we will inject into any phiC31 line providing the user can supply a healthy stock for embryo collection. Our guidelines to sending stocks for microinjection work are in section 5 of our 'Drosophila Microinjection - All you need to know' page.
- For Plan 5, we will provide a single transformant line, unless your insert is large (i.e. more than 13kb). Additional lines may be available on request. If we fail to generate any lines, we will offer you the option of a repeat injection at no additional cost.
- Plan 4 is injection only, we do not normally offer a free repeat if no transformants are obtained.
MiMIC RMCE
Plan 6 | Inject 200 MiMIC embryos - provide surviving larvae | £160 ex VAT £192 inc VAT |
Plan 7 | Inject 200 MiMIC embryos – provide balanced lines. Plan 7 takes at least 6 weeks from injection to completion | £260 ex VAT £312 inc VAT |
- For Plan 7, we will provide five independent transformant lines, unless your insert is large (i.e. more than 13kb). Additional lines may be available on request. If we fail to generate five transformant lines, we will offer you the option of a repeat injection at no additional cost.
- Plan 6 is injection only, we do not normally offer a free repeat if no transformants are obtained.
CRISPR / TALEN genome engineering
Plan 8 | Inject 200 embryos - provide surviving larvae | £160 ex VAT £192 inc VAT |
Plan 9 | Inject 200 embryos - perform screening and/or balancing as negotiated. | Variable |
- A list of Cas-9 expressing stocks currently available in the Fly Facility is here. Please note that we will inject into any Cas-9 expressing line providing the user can supply a healthy stock for embryo collection. Our guidelines to sending stocks for microinjection work are in section 5 of our 'Drosophila Microinjection - All you need to know' page.
- We can provide additional screening of CRISPR / TALEN injected embryos if required. For example, we can screen for integration of visible genetic markers (e.g. w+, GFP, DsRed) and provide balanced lines. Although we do not currently offer PCR screening, we can provide multiple unmarked candidate fly lines for you to screen by PCR. The cost of any additional screening will depend upon the nature and extent of the work – please contact Simon Collier for more information.
Other Microinjection Work
We can provide other embryo injections services on request including (but not limited to):
- Transformation of other (non-melanogaster) Drosophila species
- Injection of constructs for transient somatic expression
- Injection of drugs, inhibitors etc.
- Transfer and injection of Wolbachia (or other) infectious agents
Prices for these services will depend upon the nature of the work, please contact Simon Collier for more information.
Term and Conditions
Term and Conditions for our Microinjection work are here.