Frequently Asked Questions

Top 3 most commonly asked questions!

How should I prepare and label my samples? (sample submission protocol)

NOTE: Please do not send us any samples before your project has been set up and you can access your sample IDs through your project portal.

Here is our protocol for preparing and sending plasmid samples.

Please read the whole document, it’s the best place to ensure you have all of the information you need to prepare your samples properly and get the best results out of our service!

*Inappropriately prepared, labelled, and packaged samples cannot be accepted!

If you have any questions, please email us at info@plasmidsng.com prior to sending your samples.

My samples are ready to be submitted. What do I do now?

NOTE: Please do not send us any samples before your project has been set up and you can access your sample IDs through your project portal.

 

  1. Ensure you have followed the plasmid sample submission protocol.
  2. Upload your sample information into your project portal (we will not be able to accept the samples if the information is missing!). 
  3. Either post the samples to us (the address label is available to download directly through your project portal) or if your institution has a Dropbox collection service, check the collection date and place the samples in the box in time for the scheduled collection. 

 

We’ll send you an email when we receive your samples, and you can keep track of your sample status in your project portal.

How do I label my PCR tubes?

Please send 0.2 ml PCR tube strips. The first tube (left) of every strip you’re sending needs to be labelled with your 4 letter project ID number that you can find in your project portal.

Then, sequentially number the remaining tubes. This helps us identify any cases where a sample should be present, but no liquid can be observed. If you only have one sample, you’ll just need to label the leftmost tube with your 4-digit project ID, and leave the rest of the tubes blank. 

If you are sending samples from the same project in different batches please do not restart the numbering i.e do not start the numbering of the second batch from 1.

*Inappropriately prepared, labelled, and packaged samples cannot be accepted!

plasmid PCR tube labelling

If you have any questions, please email us at info@plasmidsng.com prior to sending your samples.

Quotes, Ordering and Payment

How do I get a quote?

Once you have filled in the quote request form, a member of our team will send you your quote by email, so make sure info@plasmidsng.com is on your safe senders list*.

If there’s anything you want us to know, just add it in the comments section at the end of the quote request form.

*If despite that, our email ends up in your junk/spam folder, your IT team can add @plasmidsng.com to the list of allowed email domains.

Please let us know if you have any problems receiving our emails at info@plasmidsng.com.

How do I proceed with payment/place my order?

Once you have a quote you can:

  • Send us a Purchase Order
  • Provide invoicing details or
  • Use a credit card to pay online

You will receive detailed instructions via email on how to proceed with each option when we send you your quote.

* Please note that PlasmidsNG and MicrobesNG are our Trading names, and Microbial Genomics Ltd is our Registered name. Your purchasing system may have us set up under any of these names *

I have placed my order/made payment. What happens next?

Each order is split into projects, with a maximum of 93 samples per project. Once your order is placed, we will email you with a unique link to your project(s) portal(s), where you can find the sample ID numbers that you need to use to label your PCR tubes.

IMPORTANT: You must upload your sample information in the project portal BEFORE sending any samples!

*Please check your junk/spam folder. If our email ends up there, please speak to your IT team and ask them to add @plasmidsng.com to the list of allowed email domains.

Please let us know if you have any problems receiving our emails at info@plasmidsng.com.

Can I place a larger order and send samples when I want?

Yes, you can purchase as many samples as you want using a single purchase order/making one online payment, and you can draw on this credit for 12 months.

We will set up all the projects as soon as we receive the purchase order/online payment unless you request to send your samples in batches. If that’s the case, please indicate that in the comments section of the quote request form and email info@plasmidsng.com when you want to prepare a batch. We will set up your project within two working days.

You must await for your project(s) to be set up before you send us your samples, as you need access to the project portal to submit your sample information and use the unique project and sample ID to label your samples.


I’m looking for microbial whole genome or metagenomic sequencing, is that a service you provide?

Yes! Please visit https://microbesng.com to see all of our microbial whole genome and metagenomic sequencing services.

Preparing and Sending your Samples

How should I prepare and label my samples? (sample submission protocol)

NOTE: Please do not send us any samples before your project has been set up and you can access your sample IDs through your project portal.

Here is our protocol for preparing and sending plasmid samples.

Please read the whole document, it’s the best place to ensure you have all of the information you need to prepare your samples properly and get the best results out of our service!

*Inappropriately prepared, labelled, and packaged samples cannot be accepted!

If you have any questions, please email us at info@plasmidsng.com prior to sending your samples.

My samples are ready to be submitted. What do I do now?

NOTE: Please do not send us any samples before your project has been set up and you can access your sample IDs through your project portal.

 

  1. Ensure you have followed the plasmid sample submission protocol.
  2. Upload your sample information into your project portal (we will not be able to accept the samples if the information is missing!). 
  3. Either post the samples to us (the address label is available to download directly through your project portal) or if your institution has a Dropbox collection service, check the collection date and place the samples in the box in time for the scheduled collection. 

 

 

We’ll send you an email when we receive your samples, and you can keep track of your sample status in your project portal.

Do you have a Dropbox service?

Yes, we do! And the best part is you can use them both for PlasmidsNG and MicrobesNG samples!

If you are interested in getting a Dropbox at your location, please see our Dropbox criteria and information, then register your interest, and a member of the team will contact you to get the process started.

How much purified plasmid DNA do I need to send?

 

  • 25 ng/”L measured using a fluorometric assay (e.g. Qubit)
  • 100 ng/”L measured using a spectrophotometric assay (e.g. Nanodrop - this method often over estimates sample concentration)

Please read our plasmid submission protocol to ensure you prepare your samples appropriately!

 

How do I label my PCR tubes?

Please send 0.2 ml PCR tube strips. The first tube (left) of every strip you’re sending needs to be labelled with your 4 letter project ID number that you can find in your project portal. Then, sequentially number the remaining tubes.

This helps us identify any cases where a sample should be present, but no liquid can be observed. If you only have one sample, you’ll just need to label the leftmost tube with your 4-digit project ID, and leave the rest of the tubes blank.

If you are sending samples from the same project in different batches please do not restart the numbering i.e do not start the numbering of the second batch from 1.

 

*Inappropriately prepared, labelled, and packaged samples cannot be accepted!

plasmid PCR tube labelling

If you have any questions, please email us at info@plasmidsng.com prior to sending your samples.

 

General

What are the basics of the PlasmidSeq service?

PlasmidSeq is:

  • Affordable: ÂŁ10 per plasmid (excl. VAT)
  • Fast: 1-5 business days, from sample receipt to data delivery.
  • High Quality: Oxford Nanopore flowcell R10.4.1 for the highest accuracy possible.
  • Simple: with a simple mini-prep, you’ll get the sequence of the whole plasmid back.
  • User Friendly: with your online Project Portal, easily enter your sample data, track progress and access results from your project page.

Why sequence my plasmids?

This service is particularly useful for verifying plasmid constructs and vectors, and can provide a much richer source of information than typical validation methods.

It’s also way easier: you don’t have the hassle of designing primers and targeting specific regions, with a simple mini-prep, you’ll get the sequence of the whole plasmid back.

What can I expect from the PlasmidSeq service?

Our Service Description and Results Guide include more information regarding the service and the outputs you can expect.

If you have any questions, please reach out to info@plasmidsng.com and we'll be happy to help!

What can I do in my online Project Portal?

  • Submit your Sample Data/Information: Your project portal is where you provide us with the information we need about your samples in order to get you the best sequencing results*.
  • Track the progress of your samples in our pipeline through the sample status.
  • Add/remove collaborators on your project: using their email addresses, to easily share with them sequencing results and maintain confidentiality.
  • Find information on how to prepare and send your samples.
  • View your sequencing results.
  • Give us feedback once your project is completed.

The project portal functionality is always improving! Please let us know if there is a specific feature that you would like to see - just drop us an email at info@plasmidsng.com. 

*NOTE: If you do not upload your sample information before the sample(s) arrive in our lab we will not be able to accept them into the sequencing pipeline.

Do I need to register for a user account to access my project portal?

Yes. You can register for a user account here.

Once you are signed in, you will be able to view a list of all your existing projects and access them individually.

Please ensure that you use the same email address that you used to request your quote.

If your email address has changed, please let us know by emailing info@plasmidsng.com.

Privacy Policy, Data Processing and Terms of Service

What personal data will be processed?

The personal data we process is that which you provide to us. This is generally gathered from the completion of the online quote request form, but may also be taken from other communications such as email, telephone, and conferences.

The communications we send you will be tailored to any preferences you have expressed or derived from your use of our services to date.

How long will you keep my personal data?

PlasmidsNG will keep your personal data indefinitely unless you specifically request its permanent deletion.

To request this please contact info@plasmidsng.com.

How do you use my personal data?

PlasmidsNG will process your personal data for the following purposes:

  • To prepare formal quotes, progress orders and manage financial transactions.
  • To communicate in relation to all samples and sample progress.
  • To ensure ongoing communications regarding existing projects and enquiries.
  • With your consent, to provide you with communications on our services, events, and promotions.

Information on how to exercise your right can be found through accessing our privacy information by following this link: Privacy Policy

What are your Terms and Conditions of Service?

Our Terms and Conditions of Service were updated on 14/04/2023 and can be downloaded here.

What are your data processing terms?

In some instances, PlasmidsNG may become a Data Processor. To reflect this our Terms and Conditions of Service include our detailed Data Processing Terms. Full details can be found in our T&Cs.