*Easy*, free, open source software to draw plasmids

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Mega [Andreas Stuermer]

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Oct 29, 2013, 3:07:01 PM10/29/13
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Hi!

I'd like to draw a plasmid that I may use for a publication in the not-too distant future... So it should be open source or at least permit to use the picture afterwards.

Which programs do you usually use?

Thanks,
Andreas

Nathan McCorkle

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Oct 29, 2013, 3:31:35 PM10/29/13
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I've previously used ApE and/or Gentle, but found they couldn't do the
beautiful things I wanted... so I ended up polishing the plasmid maps
in Inkscape or Gimp.
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Andreas Stuermer

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Oct 29, 2013, 3:59:46 PM10/29/13
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Thanks for sharing your experience.

Anyone ever tried SimVector?


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Andreas Stuermer

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Oct 29, 2013, 4:02:25 PM10/29/13
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I installed SimVector. After installing it told me it is only a Demo version. Ok.
Then it asked me for my email adress. Deleting it.

I want something simple :D

Andreas Stuermer

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Oct 29, 2013, 4:10:53 PM10/29/13
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JFYI: Didn't delete it just because it wanted my email adresse, but said "if this is your first run, please fill out your personal data completly first" or something thelike.

An ideal program - in my eyes - would not make so much trouble/ require so much efforts. Klick on it and it has to run :D

Avery louie

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Oct 29, 2013, 6:09:59 PM10/29/13
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Do you want a vector image or jpeg?  Use inkscape.

--A

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Nathan McCorkle

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Oct 29, 2013, 6:36:07 PM10/29/13
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It took me about 3 or 4 hours to get into a groove with inkscape the
first time I really wanted to use it, but after that I was able to
make a lot of really beautiful diagrams!
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shamrock

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Oct 30, 2013, 12:54:39 PM10/30/13
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A free open source program that I have found useful is PlasmaDNA. You can do in silico PCR, cloning, RE digestion, etc. and the maps are attractive.

Koeng

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Oct 30, 2013, 4:58:17 PM10/30/13
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I use SnapGene... although it is not open source you can get some free trials from them. Other then that, I absolutely love it (I have 2 copies and am going to buy a third) and it can do almost anything with it and the staff is great. I highly recommend trying their free trials, all you need is your email! (*cough* mailinator*cough*)

Xabier Vázquez Campos

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Oct 30, 2013, 10:49:01 PM10/30/13
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UGENE included something about that in the last versions, but I don't use it so I can't tell much about. But it's free so give it a try.

Mega [Andreas Stuermer]

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Oct 31, 2013, 5:29:50 AM10/31/13
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I have installed SnapGene Viewer (viewe is free). It is really awesome. You just insert your sequence and it compares to a database.

Finds a lot of genes.


SnapGene's full version would be too expensive though...

Koeng

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Oct 31, 2013, 8:45:30 AM10/31/13
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you can download a free trial for a month with your email, which I think you can just keep doing 

Anyway, I asked for a better price and they gave me a hundred bucks a year, which is pretty good for what the full version does. The full version you can simulate cloning, gibson assemblies, automatically making primers with desired melting temperature, you can pick which restrictive enzymes to show, you can simulate agarose gels, and you can add genes to their little database for your usage

-Koeng

Rehan Chawdry

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Mar 13, 2015, 1:43:50 PM3/13/15
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Not sure if you're still looking, but an open source project called AngularPlasmid (http://angularplasmid.vixis.com) will render things very well using scalable vector graphics, which can scale to any size.  The output can also be opened by SVG editors like Inkscape for review/editing.

Here are some samples

Mega [Andreas Stuermer]

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Mar 13, 2015, 4:02:14 PM3/13/15
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Thanks, this looks cool!
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