Theoretical Maximum
C. chinense · Nova: Theoretical Maximum
Scoville Heat Units
3,322,752
20.8% of pure capsaicin
This is a computed design target (20.8% of pure-capsaicin concentration), derived from the flux model and blend chemistry — not a measured value. It is above anything measured in a pepper to date. See the evidence behind it:
Genes
10
Construct
15,914 bp
Variant
de novo
Promoter
2A11
Technical Manifest
Construct Type
T-DNA binary vector
Selection Marker
nptII (kanamycin resistance)
Codon Optimization
pepper
Capsaicinoid Profile
novel capsaicinoid
Gene Cassettes (10)
Construct map
15,914 bp · T-DNA binary vectorBurn Profile
Nova: Theoretical Maximum
Capsaicinoid blend: novel capsaicinoid
Specimen library
Organism documentation
On-plant
Cross-section
Clinical specimen
About this design
Theoretical Maximum is an engineered C. chinense construct targeting 3.3M SHU — a Nova Series design in the Pepper tier. Nova: Theoretical Maximum
The construct is 15,914 bp, carrying 10 gene cassettes. T-DNA binary vector with pepper-native codon optimization. Selection marker: nptII (kanamycin resistance). Capsaicinoid profile: novel capsaicinoid.
Package contents
- FASTA constructAnnotated full-length DNA sequence (15,914 bp) with all cassette boundaries, promoter elements, and selection markers labeled.
- One-page datasheetVisual lab reference: SHU target, gene cassette diagram, key parameters, and capsaicinoid blend ratio.
- Technical manifestMachine-readable JSON with full construct specification: component list, selection marker, codon optimization, and capsaicinoid profile.
- Flux balance analysisComplete FBA model output underlying the SHU design target: pathway flux predictions, reaction constraints, and metabolic network assumptions.
- CRISPR guide designsGuide RNA sequences for cassette integration loci, with Tm values, GC content, off-target risk scores, and integration confirmation primers.
- Plasmid mapCircular diagram, proportionally scaled, with all components labeled by position and function.
- Transformation protocolStep-by-step guide for introducing this construct into C. chinense: selection conditions, tissue preparation, and PCR-based screening strategy.
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How to use this
This is a T-DNA binary vector for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of C. chinense. Path from this package to a living plant:
- 1
Transform Agrobacterium
Introduce the construct into Agrobacterium tumefaciens (strain GV3101 or LBA4404) by electroporation or freeze-thaw.
- 2
Inoculate pepper explants
Co-cultivate with leaf discs or cotyledon sections from C. chinense seedlings at the 4–6 leaf stage.
- 3
Select on nptII (kanamycin resistance)
Non-transformed tissue will not survive. Run selection on MS medium at conditions specified in the protocol.
- 4
Screen regenerants by PCR
Use the integration confirmation primers from the CRISPR guide designs file to verify cassette insertion before advancing to T1 generation.
- 5
Grow out and measure
Advance confirmed transgenic lines to fruit-bearing stage. Confirm capsaicinoid content by HPLC or capsaicin-specific colorimetric assay.
License this cultivar
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Take it further with CRISPR
The CRISPR guide designs in this package are ready to use with Cas9 or Cpf1 for precision integration at defined genomic loci — and for disrupting competing pathway enzymes that reduce capsaicinoid yield. For site-specific insertion, pathway stacking, or multiplexed editing across pepper cultivars, the guides are your starting point.
Work with Scoville Splice
This construct is a research tool. What it can become is an ingredient.
Scoville Splice works with food and beverage companies to take engineered capsaicinoid constructs from sequence to supply chain. If you’re developing a product — a sauce, a seasoning, a functional food — and you need a precise, consistent heat profile that no natural pepper can deliver, that’s what we were built for. We offer custom cultivar development, strain characterization, pilot-scale grow protocols, and formulation consulting.
Contact us about a partnership →Already licensed?
Common questions
What is the target SHU of Theoretical Maximum?
Theoretical Maximum is engineered to a target of 3,322,752 Scoville Heat Units. Burn character: Nova: Theoretical Maximum. Capsaicinoid profile: novel capsaicinoid.
What host organism does Theoretical Maximum use?
Theoretical Maximum is a Pepper cultivar in the Nova series, built on Pepper (C. chinense). The construct runs 10 genes across 15,914 base pairs, driven by the 2A11 promoter system.
What license tiers are available for Theoretical Maximum?
Every catalog cultivar can be licensed at Specimen (one SKU, non-exclusive) or Sector (industry-sector exclusive) tiers. Genome and Platform licensing are available on request for category or stack-wide deals. See the licensing page for pricing structure.
What is included in the Theoretical Maximum download package?
The Theoretical Maximum bundle contains the full construct FASTA, a JSON manifest (gene list, promoter stack, codon-optimization notes), the FBA predictions, computationally designed CRISPR guide RNAs, the datasheet, a short product paper, and a signed ZIP for provenance.
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