We report the design, construction, and use of the first very large non-immunized phage antibody library in Fab format, which allows the rapid isolation and affinity analysis of antigen-specific human antibody fragments. Individually cloned heavy and light chain variable region libraries were combined in an efficient two-step cloning procedure, permitting the cloning of a total of 3.7 ؋ 10 10 independent Fab clones. The performance of the library was determined by the successful selection of on average 14 different Fabs against 6 antigens tested. These include tetanus toxoid, the hapten phenyl-oxazolone, the breast cancer-associated MUC1 antigen, and three highly related glycoprotein hormones: human chorionic gonadotropin, human luteinizing hormone, and human follicle-stimulating hormone. In the latter category, a panel of either homone-specific or crossreactive antibodies were identified. The design of the library permits the monitoring of selections with polyclonal phage preparations and to carry out large scale screening of antibody off-rates with unpurified Fab fragments on BIAcore. Antibodies with off-rates in the order of 10 ؊2 to 10 ؊4 s ؊1 and affinities up to 2.7 nM were recovered. The kinetics of these phage antibodies are of the same order of magnitude as antibodies associated with a secondary immune response. This new phage antibody library is set to become a valuable source of antibodies to many different targets, and to play a vital role in target discovery and validation in the area of functional genomics.
Mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene are linked to the dysplastic transformation of colorectal polyps and represent an early step in the development of colorectal tumors. Ninety-four percent of all mutations result in the expression of a truncated APC protein lacking the C-terminal region. The C-terminal region of the APC protein may have a tumor suppressor function as its absence appears to be linked to the development of dysplastic lesions. Recently, we discovered and characterized a protein called RP1 which binds specifically to the C-terminal region of the APC protein. We show now that RP1 and the other known members of the EB/RP family (EB1 and RP3) also bind directly to tubulin, both in vitro and in vivo. Immunohistochemical analyses reveal a distinct staining pattern during interphase as well as an association of RP1/EB1 with mitotic microtubule structures. The previously described puncta of the APC protein at the leading edge of membrane protrusions contact microtubule fibers that contain RP1 or EB1. Int.
Protein scaffolds can provide a promising alternative to antibodies for various biomedical and biotechnological applications, including therapeutics. Here we describe the design and development of the Alphabody, a protein scaffold featuring a single-chain antiparallel triple-helix coiled-coil fold. We report affinity-matured Alphabodies with favourable physicochemical properties that can specifically neutralize human interleukin (IL)-23, a pivotal therapeutic target in autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. The crystal structure of human IL-23 in complex with an affinity-matured Alphabody reveals how the variable interhelical groove of the scaffold uniquely targets a large epitope on the p19 subunit of IL-23 to harness fully the hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding potential of tryptophan and tyrosine residues contributed by p19 and the Alphabody, respectively. Thus, Alphabodies are suitable for targeting protein–protein interfaces of therapeutic importance and can be tailored to interrogate desired design and binding-mode principles via efficient selection and affinity-maturation strategies.
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