Retroviral Packaging Systems

Retro-X™ Universal Packaging System

The Retro-X Universal Packaging System, featuring the GP2-293 packaging cell line, allows you to cater the tropism of the packaged virus to your target cell line. The envelope protein of your choice is cotransfected with your retroviral expression vector. High titers of amphotropic, ecotropic, dualtropic or pantropic virions, can be obtained in less than 48 hours. This packaging system uses the same cell line as the Pantropic Expression System. GP2-293 is an HEK 293-based cell line that produces viral titers of ≥10⁶ cfu/ml. VSV-G pseudotyped retrovirus can be concentrated by ultracentrifugation to titers as high as 10⁹ cfu/ml. For more details on this premium system click here.

EcoPack™ 2-293 Cell Line

EcoPack 2-293 is an ecotropic HEK 293-based packaging cell line that produces high-titer recombinant MMLV-based virus 24 to 72 hours after transfection. It is easy to transfect and the virus can efficiently infect a broad range of mouse and rat cells. The viral envelope protein expressed by EcoPack 2-293 recognizes the ecotropic receptor (mCAT1).

AmphoPack™ 293 Cell Line

AmphoPack 293 can be used to produce recombinant MMLV-based viral particles that infect a broad range of mammalian cells. AmphoPack 293 is derived from an HEK 293-based cell line that is easily transfected, and produces viral titers that can exceed 10⁶ cfu/ml. The viral envelope protein recognizes the amphotropic receptor (Ram-1).

RetroPack™ PT67 Cell Line

RetroPack PT67 is an NIH/3T3-based packaging cell line that expresses the 10A1 viral envelope. Virus packaged from PT67 cells can be used to infect a broad range of mammalian cells because the virus is able to enter cells via two different surface molecules, the amphotropic retrovirus receptor (Ram-1) and the GALV receptor. The RetroPack Cell Line is included in the Retro-X System.

Pantropic Retroviral Expression System

The Pantropic Retroviral Expression System, also features the GP2-293 packaging cell line that expresses gamma-retroviral gag and pol proteins together with  pVSV-G. Upon transient transfection of pVSV-G the cell line expresses an envelope glycoprotein from the vesicular stomatitis virus that is not dependent on a cell surface receptor; instead, it mediates viral entry through lipid binding and plasma membrane fusion (1). Two transfer expression vectors are included with the Pantropic System, giving you the choice of using a retroviral 5' LTR or the Drosophila hsp70 promoter to express your gene of interest. Additionally any of Clontech’s retroviral expression vectors can be used in the Pantropic System, including Clontech’s Retro-X™ Q vectors for the highest possible titers. Also included are a control vector and cell line that allow you to quickly determine if pVSV-G is functioning properly and can introduce virus into your cells. 

All retroviral packaging cell lines and systems are compatible with all of our retroviral vectors.