ATUM (formerly DNA2.0) was founded in 2003, in
Menlo Park,
California. The company is privately held[1] and continues to have all research, development and production in California, currently in their 50,000 sq ft Newark facility.[2] It began and continues as a
gene synthesis and
protein engineering provider to academia, government and the pharmaceutical, chemical, agricultural and biotechnology industries. Gene synthesis rapidly replaced molecular cloning for many academic and corporate labs, as "foundries for the biotechnology age" allowing made-to-order genes for biological research.[3]
DNA2.0 was featured on the
PBS show Nova ScienceNow[4] to show how genes are created synthetically in a lab. In 2008, the company supplied some of the DNA stretches used to create a synthetic bacterial
genome.[5]
In 2009, The Scientist named the
codon design algorithms[7] (now trademarked as GeneGPS) developed by DNA2.0 as one of the "Top 10 Innovations" of the year for
life sciences.[8] ATUM developed the Electra Vector System, a universal
cloning system that utilizes the type IIS
restriction enzyme SapI and T4
DNA ligase in a single-tube reaction.[9] ATUM has made some molecular components, such as synthetic fluorescent proteins, available in open-access collections of DNA parts (
BioBricks Foundation).[10] Atum is a founding member of the International Gene Synthesis Consortium (IGSC) to promote biosecurity in the gene-synthesis industry.[11][12] There are over 1,200[13] published scientific articles using DNA2.0 products and/or services, of which 44[14] include company employees as authors.
Adimab LLC. and ATUM employ an alliance in the area of
antibody discovery and biomanufacturing via the design and construction of antibody libraries.
Cytovance Biologics utilizes GeneGPS from ATUM as part of their Keystone Expression System for microbial strain development for successful biomanufacturing.
ATUM is a sponsor of BioBuilder, a resource for hands-on activities and informative animations on synthetic biology for middle school and high school students and teachers; founded by Dr. Natalie Kuldell at MIT.
^McEnery, Regina (February 4, 2013),
"Delivering the DNA", VAX: The Bulletin on AIDS Vaccine Research, 11 (1), archived from
the original on November 29, 2014, retrieved November 19, 2014