Bioinformatics Tools

Codon Harmonisation

Poor expression of homologous genes can sometimes be overcome with codon harmonisation. Harmonisation involves selecting the codon of the expression species which most closely matches that of the original species in terms of percentage usage. This differs from many “codon optimisation” methods which choose the most commonly used codon in the expression species in all cases. The logic behind this is that correctly-folded proteins often require a pause during translation caused by the use of a rare codon. Using our harmonisation tool to design your DNA construct mirrors this effect in the target species for expression, therefore increasing the chances of the desired protein folding.