Vantablack
S. melongena · Nightshade heat
Scoville Heat Units
861,228
5.4% of pure capsaicin
This is a computed design target (5.4% of pure-capsaicin concentration), derived from the flux model and blend chemistry — not a measured value. It sits within concentrations measured in real peppers. See the evidence behind it:
Genes
13
Construct
19,610 bp
Variant
Triple
Promoter
E8/fruit
Technical Manifest
Construct Type
T-DNA binary vector
Selection Marker
nptII (kanamycin resistance)
Codon Optimization
solanaceae
Capsaicinoid Profile
Standard
Gene Cassettes (10)
Construct map
19,610 bp · T-DNA binary vectorBurn Profile
Nightshade heat
About this design
Vantablack is an engineered S. melongena construct targeting 861.2K SHU — a Dark Matter Series design in the Tier 1 tier. Nightshade heat
The construct is 19,610 bp, carrying 13 gene cassettes. T-DNA binary vector with solanaceae-native codon optimization. Selection marker: nptII (kanamycin resistance).
Package contents
- FASTA constructAnnotated full-length DNA sequence (19,610 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 S. melongena: selection conditions, tissue preparation, and PCR-based screening strategy.
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How to use this
This construct is packaged for introduction into S. melongena. The transformation protocol covers the complete procedure for this host:
- 1
Prepare the expression system
This construct is packaged as a T-DNA binary vector for introduction into S. melongena. See the transformation protocol for delivery method and host preparation details.
- 2
Transform Eggplant
Introduce the construct using the method specified in the protocol. Delivery conditions are specific to S. melongena tissue competency and the construct's integration requirements.
- 3
Select with nptII (kanamycin resistance)
Propagate on selection medium at conditions given in the protocol. Non-transformed lines will not survive.
- 4
Screen and advance
Confirm integration using the primers included in the CRISPR guide designs. Advance confirmed transformants to the appropriate developmental stage to assess capsaicinoid expression.
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 eggplant 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 eggplant 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 Vantablack?
Vantablack is engineered to a target of 861,228 Scoville Heat Units. Burn character: Nightshade heat. Capsaicinoid profile: -.
What host organism does Vantablack use?
Vantablack is a Tier 1 cultivar in the Dark Matter series, built on Eggplant (S. melongena). The construct runs 13 genes across 19,610 base pairs, driven by the E8/fruit promoter system.
What license tiers are available for Vantablack?
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 Vantablack download package?
The Vantablack 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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How we design a cultivar
A guided tour of the Scoville Splice pipeline: target SHU, gene cassette, assembly, QA, release.
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