In simple terms, bioconjugation involves a molecule that is often attached to another molecule through a covalent bond to create a complex of two molecules connected together. Bioconjugation technology is widely used in the development of new research on specific targeted derivatization of proteins, DNA, RNA and carbohydrates, such as the discovery of ligands, disease diagnosis, and high-efficiency screening. It is a research with broad prospects. field.
Overview of biological coupling technology:
Biological coupling is the process of covalent bonding of two biological molecules. Common biochemical couplings include amine coupling of lysine amino acid residues, sulfhydryl coupling of cysteine residues, and photochemical initiation that often occurs. Free radical reaction. The product of biological coupling is a biological conjugate.
The most common biological coupling is the coupling of small molecules, such as the coupling of biotin to proteins; the coupling of proteins to proteins, such as the coupling of antibodies and enzymes. Other unusual coupling molecules such as oligosaccharides, nucleic acids, synthetic polymers: polyethylene glycol, carbon nanotubes. Bioconjugate drugs include antibody-drug complexes (ADC), PEGylated proteins, siRNA complexes, and vaccine complexes.
Small molecules belong to haptens. They are only reactogenic but not immunogenic. They are immunogenic only when they are coupled with carriers (usually proteins and polypeptides) to form complete antigens, and antibodies will be produced after entering the animal body. . Carrier protein is a macromolecule that can trigger an immune response by itself. Many different types of carrier proteins can be coupled with small molecules to prepare complete antigens. Commonly used carriers include bovine serum albumin, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, ovalbumin, bovine thyroglobulin and the like. The choice of carrier protein mainly involves factors such as its solubility, size, coupling group, immunogenicity, cost and price. At present, the most widely used bovine serum albumin BSA on the market is mainly because BSA is chemically stable, not easily denatured, contains a variety of amino groups in the molecule, and has a high lysine content, which is cheap and easy to obtain. However, BSA is used as a blocking agent in some immunoassay experiments, which limits its use. The second choice is keyhole limpet hemocyanin KLH and ovalbumin OVA.
Coupling method of small molecule hapten and carrier:
1. For compounds with carboxyl or amino groups, use the carbodiimide method and the mixed acid anhydride method;
2. For compounds containing sulfhydryl groups, use the maleimide method;
3. The glutaraldehyde method is the most commonly used method for compounds with amino groups in the molecular structure.
Application of biological coupling:
1. Biochemical assessment:
Coupling small molecules can be used as probes for rigorous biochemical analysis, and non-fluorescent small molecules such as biotin can also be used as mechanical probes.
2. Diagnosis application:
The qualitative and quantitative analysis of clinical samples is essential for the diagnosis of early disease. The high specificity of antibody-antigen interaction avoids sample purification and can be widely used.
3. Industrial applications:
Bio-conjugation can be used in many industries, such as isomerized fumaric acid and malic acid, for food residue detection; the pharmaceutical industry uses immobilized enzymes for drug synthesis, and can also be used for drug detection. Agent detection, etc.
About us
BOC Sciences not only provides the synthesis of small molecules and biopolymers, but also contributes to functionalization or activation of compounds ready for cross-linking with pre-activated small molecules. These small molecules are either supplied by customers or prepared internally. Here are some our products: conjugated protein, antibody conjugation, adc technologies and antibody oligo conjugation,etc.