Custom Applications

Antibodies are very versatile biochemical tools that can be taylor-made for use in a wide variety of Custom Applications needed in research, industrial, and clinical settings. Antibody Solutions makes antibodies for custom applications that are designed based on the particular needs identified by the customer. During the course of a custom application project, we work hand in hand with the customer to generate the best possible product and protocol.

High throughput screening (HTS) of large compound libraries for enyme inhibitors is an area where custom antibody applications have been used extensively. If at all possible, HTS assay are being reduced to a homogenous phase scenario where the read-out is generated without the need of separation of reaction product from the assay mixture. This goal is being accomplished by protocols known as Scintillation / Fluorescence / Chemoluminescence Proximity Assays (SPA) illustrated in the cartoon below for the example of a protein kinase. At the heart of the assay lies a custom-made antibody, that specifically recognizes the product of the enzyme (in this case a phosphopeptide) but not the substrate (unphosphorylated peptide) or any other component of the system. The antibody carries a label such as an appropriate radionucleid or a fluorophore, while the peptide is conjugated to a micoscopic bead (SPA-bead) that is engineered to emit light at a specific wavelengths when hit by radiation or light emitted by the fluorophor on the antibody (fluorescent resonance energy transfer - FRET). Furthermore, the bead will emit only, if the labelled antibody is in close proximity (i.e. bound to the peptide) because otherwise the radiation emitted by the antibody is absorbed by the solvent or FRET does not occur. Therefore, the activity of the kinase translates directly into a measurable light signal without the need of separating the product from the mixture. Inhibitor candidates added to the assay manifest themselves through reduction of this signal. SPA assays can be performed easily in 384 well and even 1536 well plates and allow throughput of over 50,000 test samples per day.

Antibody Solutions
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