2A peptide-linked polycistronic vectors can be used to express multiple proteins from a single open reading frame (ORF). The small 2A peptide sequences, when cloned between genes, allows for efficient, stoichiometric production of discrete protein products within a single vector through a novel “cleavage” event within the 2A peptide sequence.

2A was discovered in the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV, a picornavirus). The 2A peptide acts through ribosomal skipping to allow for the encoding of polyproteins which can dissociate into individual proteins upon translation. Anti-T2A antibody recognises 2A tagged recombinant proteins and is an excellent tool for researchers using 2A peptide based expression systems.