SPUX - A Solid Phase Uracil Excision Method for Antibody Affinity Maturation and Paratope Mapping

• Mutagenesis libraries are the heart of combinatorial protein engineering where proteins such as antibodies are evolved for improved functionality. Despite recent improvements in gene synthesis and selection methodologies, current methods still fail to provide practical means for synthesis of complete antibody scFv and screening of theoretical diversities, hence forcing the user to focused diversity screening and assembly of shorter oligos to avoid synthesis errors and maximize library functionality. Here we demonstrate a way to generate highly functional tailored mutagenesis libraries for efficient antibody affinity maturation using a rapid cell-free solid phase cloning method with single strand diversity oligonucleotides. For this we are utilizing a combination of a high-fidelity polymerase for PCR-based incorporation of Uracil into a wild-type template, bead-based solid-phase technology for elution of single strand DNA, oligonucleotide annealing, extension and automation, and an uracil excision enzyme cocktail for in vitro degradation of template DNA to minimize background. Our method allowed for fast (8 hours) mutagenesis and automated cloning of a complete set of 50 position specific alanine-mutations for mapping of the paratope of a scFv antibody in a single robot run. We further exemplify our method by generating and stratifying a set of antibody scFv affinity maturation libraries with targeted diversity into critical or nonessential paratope positions, as well as by a complete randomization in all positions. The libraries were subjected to bacterial surface display selections and output was followed by Illumina deep sequencing and binding analysis by SPR. The functional quality of our libraries were high, with a yield of >99% functional diversity in the case for two of our libraries. We were further able to target all positions in all loops with diversity, and we could show the ability to target all six loops with diversity at the same time. The comparison of different library focus showed us that scFv libraries with diversity targeted to non-essential enhancing paratope positions more quickly rendered enrichment of improved binders compared to random diversity or paratope-targeted libraries. Surprisingly several of the improved binders from the random library had beneficial mutations in the same positions targeted by the smaller focused non-essential enhancing residue focused library indicating a possible benefit of focusing diversity to these spots. We believe our method for construction of libraries with site directed mutagenesis to be a viable way for generation of functional and diverse genetic libraries, particularly suitable for affinity maturation and paratope mapping of antibodies.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Industriell bioteknik -- Annan industriell bioteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Industrial Biotechnology -- Other Industrial Biotechnology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Solid phase cloning

Mutagenesis

Antibody library

Affinity maturation

S.carnosus

Bioteknologi

Biotechnology

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