Antibody Stabilization

Antibody Stabilization

Humans and animals produce proteins known as antibodies to defend themselves against various infections. These consist of four amides arranged as two heavy chains and two light chains. These chains further consist of variable and constant domains. They are the main foundation of the adaptive immune system that defends against infections caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses. The main problem with antibodies is they can be easily broken and have a short life, which makes their effectiveness restricted only for laboratory purpose.

Protein stabilization can be improved with the help of amino acid replacement without compromising the functionality of the antibody. The protein stability can be altered to increase both the thermal and the thermodynamic stability which correlate with each other. However, it is still unclear whether these two are able to enhance the levels of stability of the antibodies and hence research is still on to enhance the protein stabilization process in the near future.

The stability of antibodies will have a good impact on biosensors, diagnostic reagents, disease therapeutics, nonlaboratory applications that include even environmental remediation. Stable proteins can also be utilized in detection and diagnostic kits, as they will be able to survive in environments that are less conducive. This makes them capable of combating even dreadful diseases such as cancer. When used in biosensors they can help detect pathogens such as ricin, anthrax and botulinium in public places such as subway stations and railways and in locations where detection of pathogens is unavailable.

With so many benefits involved with the stabilization of antibodies, this research should be pursued to achieve optimum results. This stabilization process has also given rise to several business opportunities and many people are now going ahead with the new technology to create potential and highly stable antibodies..