A high-throughput phage display screening method using a combination of real-time PCR and affinity chromatography

Phage display is one of the best methods to identify drug targets, although technical problems including imprecision in quantifying phage and false-positive results are common. To address these difficulties, we propose two methods to more rapidly identify drug-binding phage particles. First, quantification of phage using SYBR Green Real-time PCR significantly improved accuracy and reproducibility. Second, affinity-column chromatography for selection of drug-binding phage particles concentrated particles more than a 96-well plate, making a phage amplification step, which can bias phage distribution, unnecessary. The methods proposed here should be suitable for high-throughput phage-display screenings and ultimately lead to more rapid identification of drug targets.