Twist Bioscience HQ
681 Gateway Blvd
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Technical Documents
How it works
Walk through our standardized workflow
1
Intake
Sequence submission and order configuration.
2
Gene synthesis
Synthesis, cloning into an antibody vector (from our catalog or we can onboard yours), and NGS verification.
3
Transient expression
Robust, reproducible protein production. Parallel expression across 96 deep well plates.
4
Purification
Protein A or His-tag batch purification of anitbodies. Purity, size, concentration, and yield data for every antibody.
5
QC & Characterization
Optional analytical SEC, endotoxin testing, binding, developability and custom assays available.
Characterization specsPerformance data
HEK293 expression: VHH and IgG Panel
Reliable expression results you can use as an early indicator of developability.
CHO expression: VHH and IgG Panel
Predictable results whether your antibodies are experimental or clinically validated candidates.
Cell-free expression: SPR affinity validation
Binding kinetics of cell-free IgG measured by SPR alongside mammalian-expressed reference material, spanning four orders of magnitude in KD.
Quality antibodies for discovery
Trust your data from the start. Our antibodies deliver highly reproducible purity across every sample, verified by CE-SDS, so your results are built on a foundation of quality.
How to order
Order antibodies, data, or both
1
Configure order preferences
2
Download sequence template
3
Upload sequences & submit
Ready to get started?
Start your design now or speak with an expert to scope your project.
Start order
Talk to an expert 
Antibody Characterization
Characterization data in as few as 8 business days
Antibody characterization assays
The prices (per sample) and turnaround times shown are in addition to antibody production and
may vary based on volume. Start an order to get a real-time quote for antibodies and/or
characterization data.
Binding assessment (6)
See comprehensive pricing table
KD Affinity Determination by SPR
Determine full binding kinetics (ka, kd, KD) for large antibody panels using high-throughput surface plasmon resonance.
Starting at $80
From 3 business days
From 3 business days
Epitope Binning by SPR
Map competitive binding relationships across large antibody panels to identify epitope families and guide lead selection.
Starting at $140
From 5 business days
From 5 business days
On-Cell Binding Confirmation by Flow Cytometry
Confirm target engagement on cells expressing native antigen. Generates dose-response binding curves for ranking.
Starting at $160
From 5 business days
From 5 business days
Single-Point Kinetics by BLI
Rapidly confirm target engagement across large antibody panels at a single concentration. Used for early-stage hit triage before committing to full kinetic analysis.
Starting at $55
From 3 business days
From 3 business days
KD Affinity Determination by BLI
Determine full binding kinetics and affinity constants across a concentration series. Orthogonal to SPR for candidate confirmation or programs where SPR is not suitable.
Starting at $100
From 3 business days
From 3 business days
Epitope Binning by BLI
Map competitive binding relationships to identify epitope diversity and guide lead selection. Suitable for panels where SPR throughput is not required.
Starting at $80
From 5 business days
From 5 business days
Product specifications
Complete product details
| Specification | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Expression system | HEK293 | CHO | Cell-free | |
| Turnaround time |
HEK293: 8 – 11 BDs CHO: 11 – 14 BDs Cell-free: 5 BDs |
|
| Scale Add-on |
|
|
| Average yield |
HEK293
CHO
Cell-free
|
For antibody-only orders. Delivered yield is lower for orders that include characterization assays. |
| Average purity |
HEK293 | CHO:
Cell-free:
|
For purified antibodies. Not measured for supernatant antibodies. |
| Purification |
|
|
| Elution buffer |
|
Buffer exchange also available. |
| Buffer exchange Add-on |
|
+1 business day |
| Normalization Add-on |
HEK293
CHO
Cell-free
|
+1 business day |
| Sterile filtration Add-on | 0.2 µm filtration | |
| Aliquoting Add-on |
Purified (µL)
Supernatant (µL)
|
|
| Delivery format | Suspended in solution | Buffer options are listed above in Elution buffer and Buffer exchange. |
| Container |
|
Available for all orders except:
|
| Specification | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Product format | Antibodies | ScFv, VHH, VHH-His, IgG, Fab, VHH-Fc, B-Body, KiH, Monovalent bispecifics |
| Length | 0.3 kb – 5.0 kb | |
| Complexity | Low | Medium | A sequence’s complexity score is based on the combined presence, frequency, and length of various features within the design of a sequence. Impacts the ease and speed of production. |
| Codon optimization | 100s of target organisms | Large language model-driven for protein expression. |
| Specification | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Vectors |
|
One-time onboarding for new custom vectors with unlimited use thereafter. |
| Custom vector onboarding Add-on | 10 business days | Learn about custom vector onboarding |
| Glycerol stocks | Included for all antibody production orders. |
Every antibody we ship includes a Certificate of Analysis (COA) that contains the following information.
| Specification | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Purity | % Purity | Includes chain size(s) in kDa. |
| Purity and size verification | Capillary electrophoresis SDS | |
| Concentration | ≥0.05 mg/mL | |
| Concentration verification | Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy | |
| Analytical SEC (aSEC) Add-on | Predicted target peak (%) and/or dominant peak (%) | +2 – 3 business days |
| Endotoxin testing Add-on | ≤4 EU/mg |
Available for subsampling or entire order. +2 business days |
Turnaround times do not include antibody production and vary based on the number of samples.
| Assay | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Effective concentration at 50% binding affinity - EC50 | EC50 value |
Available platforms:
5 – 10 business days |
| Epitope binning |
|
Available platforms:
5 – 10 business days |
| Kinetic dissociation binding affinity (KD affinity) - single-point / multi-point |
|
Available platforms:
3 – 15 business days |
| Single-point binding confirmation | Yes / no |
Available platforms:
5 – 10 business days |
Available for HEK293 and CHO expression systems. Turnaround times do not include antibody production and vary based on the number of samples.
| Assay | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Affinity-Capture Self-Interaction Nanoparticle Spectroscopy (AC-SINS) |
|
2 – 5 business days |
| Baculovirus particle (BVP ELISA) | OD | 3 – 5 business days |
| Cross-Interaction Chromatography (CIC) |
|
Available in plate-based format. 1 – 10 business days |
| Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) |
|
Available as an add-on to nanoDSF. 2 – 5 business days |
| Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography (HIC) | RT (minutes) |
Available formats:
|
| Nano Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (nanoDSF) |
Default:
With DLS:
|
Available with or without DLS. 2 – 5 business days |
| Ovalbumin (OVA) | RFU |
Available in plate-based format. 1 – 10 business days |
| Assay | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Intact mass spec Add-on |
|
5 business days |
| Functional cell-based assays | Contact us | |
| Custom assay development | Contact us |
Our antibodies and services are just one part of the workflow
Pair our high-throughput antibodies and services with a full range of versatile Twist solutions.
Antibody Discovery Services
Partner with our team of experts to navigate the entire discovery funnel from target to lead.
Oligo Pools
High-diversity, silicon-synthesized oligo pools designed for high-throughput screening and complex library construction.
Libraries
Explore vast sequence space with high-diversity libraries where every variant is base-by-base synthesized and NGS-verified to match your design.
Genes
Explore vast sequence space with high-diversity libraries where every variant is base-by-base synthesized and NGS-verified to match your design.
FAQ
General
Does Twist supply prepped DNA along with purified or supernatant antibodies?
Twist supplies clonal gene glycerol stocks from the clonal genes synthesized for antibody production. During antibody production, the DNA is consumed for transfection; however, glycerol stocks are reserved and delivered along with the antibodies post-production. Please see our protocol for preparing fresh DNA from glycerol stocks.
What does a leader (signal peptide) sequence do and what leader sequence do we use in our pTwist vectors?
A leader or secretory signal sequence acts as a peptide signal bound by cellular machinery early in the translation process. This allows for the correct localization of the translation complex to the endoplasmic reticulum where the antibody chains can enter into the secretory pathway for protein assembly and secretion from the cell. The leader sequence is cleaved during the protein assembly process and is not a part of the final protein. Twist recommends the following leader sequence for both heavy and light chains when using our pTwist IgG expression vectors as these sequences have been tested and validated with our pTwist vectors in both Expi293™ and ExpiCHO™ cell lines:
VH: MRAWIFFLLCLAGRALA
VL: MRAWIFFLLCLAGRALA
What is a Kozak sequence, and what is the Kozak sequence used when I select "Twist sequence" during antibody design
The Kozak sequence directs the pre-initiation complex (PIC) and ribosome to the translation initiation site (start codon) and mediates ribosome assembly ensuring the correct protein sequence is translated.
The consensus Kozak sequence is generally considered as GCCGCCACCATGG, where ATG is the start codon (typically the start of the signal sequence). Twist recommends the version GCCGCCACC upstream of the start codon ATG.
I am receiving my samples in media as Supernatants, how do I purify my antibodies?
You can use a Protein A or G solid phase to purify, which binds to the FC region of the antibodies, depending on species and isotype of IgG. Alternatively, you can use immobilized antigen (full length or short peptide antigen) to purify the antibodies. The method will depend on the downstream application and specificity of the antibody.
What strain of cells was used to produce these antibodies?
Twist uses the industry standard cell lines, Thermo Fisher Scientific Expi293™ and Thermo Fisher Scientific ExpiCHO™
Can I have an antibody made with a custom Fc region such as IgG3 Fc, mutated IgG 1 Fc or other species such as mouse?
Customers may select the pTwist CMV BG WPRE Neo expression vector when they would like to use their own Fc region sequence (IgG3, Mouse IgG, or modified Fc) or have another type of Fc-fusion antibody to express.
Please remember to include a stop codon at the end of your coding sequence. If you have any design questions, please email igg@twistbioscience.com for help with your custom request.
Why are the C-terminal lysine residues missing from our IgG constructs?
Research has shown that C-terminal lysine residues of the heavy chain (present on all IgG isotypes) are cleaved off once the IgG is in circulation. Studies have also shown that there is no functional impact of the lysine once it's cleaved and its presence is actually inhibitory to allowing the antibody to reach full cytotoxicity potential: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4622059/
Why is the 10th positon cystein in our VHH-Fc fusion vectors mutated to a serine?
This cystein in a full IgG forms a disulfide bond with the LC constant region which is not present in the VHH-Fc fusion construct.
How should I upload my antibody sequences?
Please ensure you have the following sequence format for uploading variable regions:
- Removed signal leader peptide (if using pTwist vectors + Twist recommended signal leader peptide)
- Variable regions should not end with any CH1 starting sequence
- Sequences are divisible by three if your ORF is in line with your insertion site
What is our pricing breakdown for custom antibodies?
Delivery Format
What formulation and buffer exchange options are available for antibody shipments?
Antibodies are typically supplied in standard commercial Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS). Depending on your application parameters, you can specify alternative pH preparations—such as PBS at pH 7.4 or custom configurations like PBS at pH 6.0—directly through the portal configuration window.
What are the expected delivery volumes and yields for the 1 mL and 8 mL production scales?
Final metrics vary based on individual antibody sequence expression characteristics. Standard yields break down across the following parameters:
- 1 mL Scale: Delivers a final elution volume of approximately 220 µL, with target yields ranging from 15 µg to 300 µg.
- 8 mL Scale: Delivers a final elution volume of approximately 750 µL, with target yields ranging from 15 µg to 3,000 µg.
What physical layout options and vial formats can be selected for final delivery?
To ensure seamless compatibility with downstream laboratory automation systems, microfluidics arrays, and fluid handlers, products can be specified in several array configurations:
- 96-deep well plates featuring fully customizable grid array mapping.
- 1.4 mL matrix-compatible micronic tube racks.
- Individual specialized tubes available in 2 mL, 4 mL, or 10 mL capacities (10 mL tubes are optimized for large volume supernatant shipments).
Resources and guidance for sequence design
1
abYsis provides an integrated, comprehensive, and annotated sequence assessment for one or multiple
antibodies. abYsis provides a thorough regional breakdown of antibody sequences to quickly identify where
your
variable region starts and ends. A tabular breakdown of the leader, FWK, and CDR sequences as well as the
tail, or constant region sequence is also provided.
2
It can be helpful to apply the annotations provided by abYsis to your sequence using bioinformatic programs to help visualize and isolate your variable region. Below is an example of a sequence imported to the Geneious Prime software platform with abYsis annotations applied.
3
One additional option that may provide comprehensive breakdown of leader, variable, and constant regions is ANARCI. The resulting analysis provides the exact variable region sequence highlighted in red, which can then be uploaded to the Antibodies application on our eCommerce website. ANARCI also provides detail on the light chain domain type and the sequence species.
4
Please keep in mind that variable region sequences should never start with a methionine (M). If you are uploading sequences that start with the amino acid M, or nucleotides ATG, and are planning to use pTwist vectors, please contact our support for assistance.
5
Reformatting variable domains from one species to another can be complicated given differences between disulfide bonding and other features. By default, the Twist eCommerce platform will not correct any of these issues. We typically rely on you to account and inspect for these types of reformatting complications. If you need assistance, please contact our support team.
Consult with an expert
Collaborate with a scientific partner to guide your project specs. From bespoke data configurations to workflow design, get the support you need to reduce friction at every step.
Talk to an expert
View FAQs For Research Use Only.
Not for Diagnostic Procedures.
Turnaround time (TAT) is defined as the period from order submission to delivery, in business days: HEK293 8–11 BD, CHO 11–14 BD, Cell-free 5 BD. All pricing in USD. Stated times reflect the fastest available configuration; actual TAT varies with format, order size and sequence complexity.
