Stabilization of antibody fragments in adverse environments.
Antibody fragments have the potential to be used as sensitive and specific binding agents in a broad range of industrial applications. Genetic manipulation has been used to design a series of antibody fragment configurations with a flexible linker and/or a disulphide bond between the heavy chain and light chain of an antibody fragment against the herbicide atrazine. The thermostability and stability to a range of denaturants, polar and non-polar solvents, surfactants and proteases have been compared. It has been found that a novel antibody fragment construct (STAB: stabilized antibody) containing both a flexible linker and a disulphide bond can be effectively produced and shows greatly improved stability in these diverse environments. These STABs should be useful in environmental diagnostics and remediation, and may provide a generic approach for stabilizing antibody fragments in formulations containing detergents and penetrants for topical application in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, U.K.
H
H
Dooley
S D
SD
Grant
W J
WJ
Harris
A J
AJ
Porter
D001280:Atrazine / Q000378:metabolism; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006540:Herbicides / Q000378:metabolism; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000737:chemistry*; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature
D004220:Disulfides; D006540:Herbicides; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D001280:Atrazine