Phage Display

  • Phage display is a powerful laboratory technique used to study protein interactions. 
  • Phage display involves expressing proteins or peptides of interest on the surface of bacteriophages as fusion coat proteins by inserting cDNA into a phage coat protein gene. Under suitable conditions, the displayed proteins on the phage surface are available for interaction with other biomolecules, such as DNA, proteins, and peptides, thus enabling the study of these interactions.
  • A diverse library of phages is generated, with each displaying a unique peptide or protein variant. This enables the simultaneous screening of multiple candidates.
  • The phage library is exposed to a target molecule, such as a protein or antibody. Phages that bind to the target are retained, while unbound phages are washed away.
  • The bound phages are then used to infect bacteria, allowing for the amplification of the selected phages.
  • The genetic material of the selected phages is sequenced to identify the proteins that bind to the target.
  • Phage display enables the rapid identification of highly specific binders by screening large libraries of proteins. Additionally, because the selection process occurs in a test tube, it allows for greater control over experimental conditions. However, displayed proteins often lack post-translational modifications, which limits the ability to identify interactions that depend on these modifications. Furthermore, expressing large proteins on phage surfaces can present challenges.
  • Phage display can be utilized to study various protein interactions, including protein-protein, protein-peptide, and protein-DNA interactions. It is widely employed to engineer antibodies for therapeutic purposes and is a key technique in protein engineering and drug discovery.

Was this post helpful?

Author: admin

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *