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Stabilization of antibody fragments in adverse environments
Author(s) -
Dooley Helen,
Grant Steven D.,
Harris William J.,
Porter Andrew J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
biotechnology and applied biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.468
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1470-8744
pISSN - 0885-4513
DOI - 10.1111/j.1470-8744.1998.tb00515.x
Subject(s) - thermostability , linker , chemistry , antibody , proteases , immunoglobulin light chain , combinatorial chemistry , organic chemistry , enzyme , biology , computer science , immunology , operating system
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.