1.
Izadi, Arman, et al.
(författare)
Subclass-switched anti-Spike IgG3 oligoclonal cocktails strongly enhance Fc-mediated opsonization
2023
Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490. ; 120:15
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Antibodies play a central role in the immune defense against SARS-CoV-2. Emerging evidence has shown that nonneutralizing antibodies are important for immune defense through Fc-mediated effector functions. Antibody subclass is known to affect downstream Fc function. However, whether the antibody subclass plays a role in anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity remains unclear. Here, we subclass-switched eight human IgG1 anti-spike monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the IgG3 subclass by exchanging their constant domains. The IgG3 mAbs exhibited altered avidities to the spike protein and more potent Fc-mediated phagocytosis and complement activation than their IgG1 counterparts. Moreover, combining mAbs into oligoclonal cocktails led to enhanced Fc- and complement receptor-mediated phagocytosis, superior to even the most potent single IgG3 mAb when compared at equivalent concentrations. Finally, in an in vivo model, we show that opsonic mAbs of both subclasses can be protective against a SARS-CoV-2 infection, despite the antibodies being nonneutralizing. Our results suggest that opsonic IgG3 oligoclonal cocktails are a promising idea to explore for therapy against SARS-CoV-2, its emerging variants, and potentially other viruses.
2.
von Schantz, Laura, et al.
(författare)
Affinity maturation generates greatly improved xyloglucan-specific carbohydrate binding modules
2009
Ingår i: BMC Biotechnology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6750. ; 9
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background: Molecular evolution of carbohydrate binding modules (CBM) is a new approach for the generation of glycan-specific molecular probes. To date, the possibility of performing affinity maturation on CBM has not been investigated. In this study we show that binding characteristics such as affinity can be improved for CBM generated from the CBM4-2 scaffold by using random mutagenesis in combination with phage display technology. Results: Two modified proteins with greatly improved affinity for xyloglucan, a key polysaccharide abundant in the plant kingdom crucial for providing plant support, were generated. Both improved modules differ from other existing xyloglucan probes by binding to galactose-decorated subunits of xyloglucan. The usefulness of the evolved binders was verified by staining of plant sections, where they performed better than the xyloglucan-binding module from which they had been derived. They discriminated non-fucosylated from fucosylated xyloglucan as shown by their ability to stain only the endosperm, rich in non-fucosylated xyloglucan, but not the integument rich in fucosylated xyloglucan, on tamarind seed sections. Conclusion: We conclude that affinity maturation of CBM selected from molecular libraries based on the CBM4-2 scaffold is possible and has the potential to generate new analytical tools for detection of plant carbohydrates.
3.
Huang, Yixun, et al.
(författare)
Computational Inference, Validation, and Analysis of 5’UTR-Leader Sequences of Alleles of Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Variable Genes
2021
Ingår i: Frontiers in Immunology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-3224. ; 12
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Upstream and downstream sequences of immunoglobulin genes may affect the expression of such genes. However, these sequences are rarely studied or characterized in most studies of immunoglobulin repertoires. Inference from large, rearranged immunoglobulin transcriptome data sets offers an opportunity to define the upstream regions (5’-untranslated regions and leader sequences). We have now established a new data pre-processing procedure to eliminate artifacts caused by a 5’-RACE library generation process, reanalyzed a previously studied data set defining human immunoglobulin heavy chain genes, and identified novel upstream regions, as well as previously identified upstream regions that may have been identified in error. Upstream sequences were also identified for a set of previously uncharacterized germline gene alleles. Several novel upstream region variants were validated, for instance by their segregation to a single haplotype in heterozygotic subjects. SNPs representing several sequence variants were identified from population data. Finally, based on the outcomes of the analysis, we define a set of testable hypotheses with respect to the placement of particular alleles in complex IGHV locus haplotypes, and discuss the evolutionary relatedness of particular heavy chain variable genes based on sequences of their upstream regions.
4.
Thörnqvist, Linnea, et al.
(författare)
The functional 3′-end of immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (IGHV) genes
2018
Ingår i: Molecular Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0161-5890. ; 96, s. 61-68
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Inference of antibody gene repertoires using transcriptome data has emerged as an alternative approach to the complex process of sequencing of adaptive immune receptor germline gene loci. The diversity introduced during rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (IGHV), diversity, and joining genes has however been identified as potentially affecting inference specificity. In this study, we have addressed this issue by analysing the nucleotide composition of unmutated human immunoglobulin heavy chains-encoding transcripts, focusing on the 3ö most bases of 47 IGHV germline genes. Although transcripts derived from some of the germline genes predominately incorporated the germline encoded base even at position 320, the last base of most IGHV genes, transcripts originating in other genes presented other nucleotides to the same extent at this position. In transcripts derived from two of the germline genes, IGHV3-13*01 and IGHV4-30-2*01, the predominating nucleotide (G) was in fact not that of the gene (A). Hence, we suggest that inference of IGHV genes should be limited to bases preceding nucleotide 320, as inference beyond this would jeopardize the specificity of the inference process. The different degree of incorporation of the final base of the IGHV gene directly influences the distribution of amino acids of the ascending strand of the third complementarity determining region of the heavy chain. Thereby it influences the nature of this specificity-determining part of the antibody population. In addition, we also present data that indicate the existence of a common so far un-recognized allelic variant of IGHV3-7 that carries an A318G difference in relation to IGHV3-7*02.
5.
Cicortas Gunnarsson, Lavinia, et al.
(författare)
Evolution of a carbohydrate binding module into a protein-specific binder
2006
Ingår i: Biomolecular Engineering. - : Elsevier BV. - 1389-0344 .- 1878-559X. ; 23:2-3, s. 111-117
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
A carbohydrate binding module, CBM4-2, derived front the xylanase (Xyn 10A) of Rhodothermus marinus has been used as a scaffold for molecular diversification. Its binding specificity has been evolved to recognise a quite different target, a human monoclonal IgG4. In order to understand the basis for this drastic change in specificity we have further investigated the target recognition of the IgG4-specific CBMs. Firstly, we defined that the structure target recognised by the selected CBM-variants was the protein and not the carbohydrates attached to the glycoprotein. We also identified key residues involved in the new specificity and/or responsible for the swap in specificity, from xylan to human IgG4. Specific changes present in all these CBMs included mutations not introduced in the design of the library from which the specific clones were selected. Reversion of such mutations led to a complete loss of binding to the target molecule, suggesting that they are critical for the recognition of human IgG4. Together with the mutations introduced at will, they had transformed the CBM scaffold into a protein binder. We have thus shown that the scaffold of CBM4-2 is able to harbour molecular recognition for either carbohydrate or protein structures. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
6.
Cicortas Gunnarsson, Lavinia, et al.
(författare)
Molecular engineering of a thermostable carbohydrate-binding module
2006
Ingår i: Biocatalysis and Biotransformation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1029-2446 .- 1024-2422. ; 24:1-2, s. 31-37
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
Structure-function studies are frequently practiced on the very diverse group of natural carbohydrate-binding modules in order to understand the target recognition of these proteins. We have taken a step further in the study of carbohydrate-binding modules and created variants with novel binding properties by molecular engineering of one such molecule of known 3D-structure. A combinatorial library was created from the sequence encoding a thermostable carbohydrate-binding module, CBM4-2 from a Rhodothermus marinus xylanase, and phage-display technology was successfully used for selection of variants with specificity towards different carbohydrate polymers (birchwood xylan, Avicel (TM), ivory nut mannan and recently also xyloglucan), as well as towards a glycoprotein (human IgG4). Our work not only generated a number of binders with properties that would suite a range of biotechnological applications, but analysis of selected binders also helped us to identify residues important for their specificities.
7.
8.
Gunnarsson, Lavinia Cicortas, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
A carbohydrate binding module as a diversity-carrying scaffold
2004
Ingår i: Protein Engineering Design & Selection. - : Oxford University Press. - 1741-0126 .- 1741-0134. ; 17:3, s. 213-221
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The growing field of biotechnology is in constant need of binding proteins with novel properties. Not just binding specificities and affinities but also structural stability and productivity are important characteristics for the purpose of large-scale applications. In order to find such molecules, libraries are created by diversifying naturally occurring binding proteins, which in those cases serve as scaffolds. In this study, we investigated the use of a thermostable carbohydrate binding module, CBM4-2, from a xylanase found in Rhodothermus marinus, as a diversity-carrying scaffold. A combinatorial library was created by introducing restricted variation at 12 positions in the carbohydrate binding site of the CBM4-2. Despite the small size of the library (1.6 x 10(6) clones), variants specific towards different carbohydrate polymers (birchwood xylan, Avicel and ivory nut mannan) as well as a glycoprotein (human IgG4) were successfully selected for, using the phage display method. Investigated clones showed a high productivity (on average 69 mg of purified protein/l shake flask culture) when produced in Escherichia coli and they were all stable molecules displaying a high melting transition temperature (75.7 +/- 5.3 degrees C). All our results demonstrate that the CBM4-2 molecule is a suitable scaffold for creating variants useful in different biotechnological applications.
9.
Thalén, Niklas, et al.
(författare)
Mammalian cell display with automated oligo design and library assembly allows for rapid residue level conformational epitope mapping
2024
Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Nature. - 2399-3642. ; 7:1
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Precise epitope determination of therapeutic antibodies is of great value as it allows for further comprehension of mechanism of action, therapeutic responsiveness prediction, avoidance of unwanted cross reactivity, and vaccine design. The golden standard for discontinuous epitope determination is the laborious X-ray crystallography method. Here, we present a combinatorial method for rapid mapping of discontinuous epitopes by mammalian antigen display, eliminating the need for protein expression and purification. The method is facilitated by automated workflows and tailored software for antigen analysis and oligonucleotide design. These oligos are used in automated mutagenesis to generate an antigen receptor library displayed on mammalian cells for direct binding analysis by flow cytometry. Through automated analysis of 33930 primers an optimized single condition cloning reaction was defined allowing for mutation of all surface-exposed residues of the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. All variants were functionally expressed, and two reference binders validated the method. Furthermore, epitopes of three novel therapeutic antibodies were successfully determined followed by evaluation of binding also towards SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2. We find the method to be highly relevant for rapid construction of antigen libraries and determination of antibody epitopes, especially for the development of therapeutic interventions against novel pathogens.
10.
Sandquist, David, et al.
(författare)
Microdistribution of xyloglucan in differentiating Poplar cells
2010
Ingår i: Bioresources. - 1930-2126. ; 5, s. 796-807
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Recent studies on the ultrastructure and composition of the gelatinous layer (g-layer) in poplar have reported findings of xyloglucan. Using correlated fluorescence, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy, we found evidence for xyloglucan present in and surrounding the g-layer, using the fucosylated xyloglucan specific CCRC-M1 antibody and the carbohydrate binding module FXG-14b. However, labeling of isolated gelatinous layer remained negative.
