Prokaryotic expression of antibodies

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Molecular Biology
• Immunology

Background:

• High-level expression of recombinant antibodies and fragments is crucial for cost-effective biomanufacturing.
• Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a popular prokaryotic system for expressing antibody fragments due to its cost-effectiveness and convenience.
• Suboptimal yields are frequently encountered, necessitating investigation into factors affecting antibody production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review various aspects of antibody expression in E. coli.
• To highlight strategies for maximizing expression yields of antibody fragments.
• To focus specifically on optimizing single-domain antibody production in E. coli.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on antibody expression systems.
• Analysis of factors influencing recombinant protein production in E. coli.
• Focus on optimization techniques for antibody fragments, particularly single-domain antibodies.

Main Results:

• E. coli offers advantages for expressing antibody fragments like Fabs, single-chain Fvs, and single-domain antibodies.
• Various intrinsic and extrinsic variables impact expression yields.
• Strategies exist to enhance antibody fragment production in E. coli.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing E. coli expression systems is vital for efficient production of recombinant antibodies and fragments.
• Further research into yield-enhancing variables can lower production costs.
• Single-domain antibodies represent a key area for E. coli-based expression optimization.