An improved yeast transformation method for the generation of very large human antibody libraries.
Antibody library selection by yeast display technology is an efficient and highly sensitive method to identify binders to target antigens. This powerful selection tool, however, is often hampered by the typically modest size of yeast libraries (approximately 10(7)) due to the limited yeast transformation efficiency, and the full potential of the yeast display technology for antibody discovery and engineering can only be realized if it can be coupled with a mean to generate very large yeast libraries. We describe here a yeast transformation method by electroporation that allows for the efficient generation of large antibody libraries up to 10(10) in size. Multiple components and conditions including CaCl(2), MgCl(2), sucrose, sorbitol, lithium acetate, dithiothreitol, electroporation voltage, DNA input and cell volume have been tested to identify the best combination. By applying this developed protocol, we have constructed a 1.4 x 10(10) human spleen antibody library essentially in 1 day with a transformation efficiency of 1-1.5 x 10(8) transformants/microg vector DNA. Taken together, we have developed a highly efficient yeast transformation method that enables the generation of very large and productive human antibody libraries for antibody discovery, and we are now routinely making 10(9) libraries in a day for antibody engineering purposes.
Benatuil
Lorenzo
L
Biologics Department, Abbott Bioresearch Center, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
Perez
Jennifer M
JM
Belk
Jonathan
J
Hsieh
Chung-Ming
CM
D000906:Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018274:Electroporation; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019151:Peptide Library; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
D000906:Antibodies; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D019151:Peptide Library