Single framework recombinant antibody fragments designed for protein chip applications

High-throughput proteomics, based on the microarray platform, requires stable, highly functional components that will yield a highly sensitive read-out of low abundance proteins. Although antibodies are the best characterized binding molecules for this purpose, only a fraction of them appear to behave satisfactorily in the chip format. Therefore, high demands need to be placed on their molecular design. In the present study, we have focused on recombinant antibody design based on a single framework for protein chip applications, aiming at defining crucial molecular probe parameters. Our results show that engineered human recombinant scFv antibody fragments that displayed appropriate biophysical properties (molecular [functional] stability in particular) can be generated, making them prime candidates for high-density antibody arrays. In fact, a superior framework that displays both multifaceted adsorption properties and very high functional stability over several months on chips (stored in a dried-out state) was identified. Taken together, designed scFv fragments based on a single molecular scaffold, readily accessible in large phage display libraries, can undoubtedly meet the requirements of probe content in antibody microarrays, particularly for global proteome analysis.