VLP-Peptide Conjugation Service

VLP-Peptide Conjugation Service

As a leading global provider of custom services, CD BioSciences works closely with clients and experts, with advanced facilities and experienced scientists, to develop cVLPs by linking peptides to VLPs through genetic fusion or chemical conjugation. CD BioSciences is happy to meet the specific requirements of each client, providing the most appropriate solution and delivering high quality results on time.

Overview of VLP-Peptide Conjugation

Researchers are increasingly recognizing that viruses are useful templates for both hard and soft material applications, and that modifications to the internal and external surfaces of VLPs based on structural information about their capsids can be applied to disease treatment.

Function of VLPs Capsids

The assembly of repetitive subunits into capsids produces highly monodisperse polyvalent nanoparticles with different inner and outer surfaces that can be used for encapsulation or display. The structure of the shells and the manner in which they are assembled facilitate their design for synthesis into functional nanomaterials. The multifunctionality of the subunits in the VLPs shells and the high degree of symmetry in their organization provide a unique environment for the display and modification of functional ligands.

Function of Peptides in Immunology

• Peptides
  The C-terminus of VLPs is a powerful site for multivalent display peptides that can facilitate nanoscale assembly and coat modification for the development of cVLPs. peptides are small naturally occurring biomolecules between amino acids and proteins, formed from amino acid monomers linked by peptide (amide) bonds. Many of the roles played by peptides in immunology are largely determined by epitopes, the most important of which is to act as immunogenic epitopes to stimulate adaptive immune responses.
• Epitopes
  Epitopes are the smallest chemical molecules that can be recognized by the immune system, with major histocompatibility complexes (T-cell epitopes) and antibodies (B-cell epitopes) being central to the adaptive immune response. Peptides mediate the adaptive immune response through the interaction of T-cell epitopes with B-cell epitopes.

The function of peptides in immunology. (Flower DR., 2013)

Methods for VLP-peptide Conjugation

Since the stoichiometry of the peptide display is defined by the quaternary structure and the self-assembly of the capsid in vivo requires less handling and a more homogeneous end product, genetic fusion approaches are preferred over chemical conjugation for peptide surface display. In addition, a flexible loop on the exterior of the capsid has been identified as a potential site for displaying short peptides, but not for inserting peptides of higher molecular weight or highly charged peptides.

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Reference

1. Flower DR. Designing immunogenic peptides. Nat Chem Biol. 2013, 12: 749-753.