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Updated: Nov 22, 2025
Detection of Heterodimerization of Protein Isoforms Using an in Situ Proximity Ligation Assay
Published on: October 20, 2018
Proximity ligation assay: an ultrasensitive method for protein quantification and its applications in pathogen
Pengzhi Wang1, Yi Yang1, Tianqi Hong1
1Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, China.
Abstract:
It is of great significance to establish sensitive and accurate pathogen detection methods, considering the continuous emergence or re-emergence of infectious diseases seriously influences the safety of human and animals. Proximity ligation assay (PLA) is developed for the sensitive protein detection and also can be used for the detection of pathogens. PLA employs aptamer or monoclonal/polyclonal antibody-nucleic acid complexes as proximity probes. When the paired proximity probes bind to the same target protein or protein complex, they will be adjacent to each other and form an amplifiable DNA sequence through ligation. Combining the specificity of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PLA transforms the detection of protein into the detection of DNA nucleic acid sequence. Therefore, as an ultrasensitive protein assay, PLA has great potential for quantification, localization of protein, and clinical diagnostics. In this review, we summarize the basic principles of PLA and its applications in pathogen detection. KEY POINTS: • Different forms of proximity ligation assay are introduced. • Applications of proximity ligation assay in pathogen detection are summarized. • Proximity ligation assay is an ultrasensitive method to quantify protein and pathogen.
