Optimization of Sequence, Display, and Mode of Operation of IgG-Binding Peptide Ligands to Develop Robust, High-Capacity Affinity Adsorbents That Afford High IgG Product Quality.

This work presents the use of peptide ligand HWRGWV and its cognate sequences to develop affinity adsorbents that compete with Protein A in terms of binding capacity and quality of the eluted product. First, the peptide ligand was conjugated to crosslinked agarose resins (WorkBeads) at different densities and using different spacer arms. The optimization of ligand density and display resulted in values of static and dynamic binding capacity of 85 mg/mL and 65 mg/mL, respectively.

Purification of human erythropoietin by affinity chromatography using cyclic peptide ligands.

Prior work described the identification and characterization of erythropoietin-binding cyclic peptides SLFFLH, VVFFVH, FSLLHH and FSLLSH (all of the form cyclo[(N-Ac)Dap(A)-X-X-AE], wherein X-X is the listed sequences). In this work, the peptide ligands were synthesized on Toyopearl chromatographic resins and utilized for purifying recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) from complex sources. Elution buffer pH and composition were optimized to maximize the recovery of standard rHuEPO from the peptide resins.

Design, selection, and development of cyclic peptide ligands for human erythropoietin.

This work presents the selection and characterization of erythropoietin (EPO)-binding cyclic peptide ligands. The sequences were selected by screening a focused library of cyclic depsipeptides cyclo[(N-Ac)Dap(A)-X-X-AE], whose structure and amino acid compositions were tailored to mimic the EPO receptor. The sequences identified through library screening were synthesized on chromatographic resin and characterized via binding-and-elution studies against EPO to select a pool of candidate ligands.

Design of protease-resistant peptide ligands for the purification of antibodies from human plasma.

A strategy is presented for developing variants of peptide ligands with enhanced biochemical stability for the purification of antibodies from animal sera. Antibody-binding sequences HWRGWV, HYFKFD, and HFRRHL, previously discovered by our group, were modified with non-natural amino acids to gain resistance to proteolysis, while maintaining target affinity and selectivity. As trypsin and α-chymotrypsin were chosen as models of natural proteolytic enzymes, the basic (arginine and lysine) and aromatic (tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine) amino acids were replaced with non-natural analogs.

Reversible cyclic peptide libraries for the discovery of affinity ligands.

A novel strategy is presented for the identification of cyclic peptide ligands from combinatorial libraries of reversible cyclic depsipeptides. A method for the solid-phase synthesis of individual cyclic depsipeptides and combinatorial libraries of these compounds is proposed, which employs lactic acid (Lact) and the dipeptide ester (Nα-Ac)-Ser(Ala)- as linkers for dilactonization. Upon alkaline treatment of the beads selected by screening a model library, the cyclic depsipeptides are linearized and released from the solid support to the liquid phase, to be sequenced via single-step tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).

mRNA display selection and solid-phase synthesis of Fc-binding cyclic peptide affinity ligands.

Cyclic peptides are attractive candidates for synthetic affinity ligands due to their favorable properties, such as resistance to proteolysis, and higher affinity and specificity relative to linear peptides. Here we describe the discovery, synthesis and characterization of novel cyclic peptide affinity ligands that bind the Fc portion of human Immunoglobulin G (IgG; hFc). We generated an mRNA display library of cyclic pentapeptides wherein peptide cyclization was achieved with high yield and selectivity, using a solid-phase crosslinking reaction between two primary amine groups, mediated by a homobifunctional linker.

Process for purification of monoclonal antibody expressed in transgenic Lemna plant extract using dextran-coated charcoal and hexamer peptide affinity resin.

The production of therapeutic proteins using transgenic plants offers several advantages, including low production cost, absence of human pathogens, presence of glycosylation mechanisms, and the ability to fold complex therapeutic proteins into their proper conformation. However, impurities such as phenolic compounds and pigments encountered during purification are quite different from those faced during purification from mammalian cell culture supernatants. This paper deals with the development of a pretreatment and affinity separation process for the purification of a monoclonal antibody from transgenic Lemna plant extract.

Purification of polyclonal antibodies from Cohn fraction II + III, skim milk, and whey by affinity chromatography using a hexamer peptide ligand.

HWRGWV, a peptide that binds specifically to the Fc fragment of human immunoglobulin G (IgG), was used for the purification of IgG from Cohn fraction II + III of human plasma and from bovine skim milk and whey. The concentration of sodium chloride and sodium caprylate in the binding buffer as well as the pH of the elution buffer were optimized to achieve high IgG yield and purity. Under optimized conditions, IgG was recovered from plasma fractions with yield and purity up to 84% and 95%, respectively.

Alkaline-stable peptide ligand affinity adsorbents for the purification of biomolecules.

A strategy of modification of resin surface chemistry is presented to produce hydrophilic peptide-based alkaline-stable affinity adsorbents for the purification of biopharmaceuticals from complex media. In this work, the peptide-based affinity adsorbent HWRGWV-Toyopearl resin for the purification of IgG is presented as an example. When prepared by direct peptide synthesis on the chromatographic matrix, the peptide-based resin showed lability under alkaline conditions.

AbSep--an amino acid based pseudobioaffinity adsorbent for the purification of immunoglobulin G.

The present work deals with the development and characterization of a tryptophan based pseudobioaffinity adsorbent for the purification of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. Tryptophan as a ligand was selected based on molecular docking and experimental screening studies of the amino acids involved in IgG-Protein A interaction. The ligand was coupled to a polymethacrylate based rigid, porous SEPABEADS beaded matrix to obtain the desired affinity adsorbent, which was named AbSep.

Performance of hexamer peptide ligands for affinity purification of immunoglobulin G from commercial cell culture media.

Previous work has reported on the identification and characterization of the hexapeptide ligands HWRGWV, HYFKFD, and HFRRHL for the affinity capture of IgG through specific binding to its Fc fragment. This paper addresses issues related to the successful application of these ligands, on a commercial methacrylate chromatographic resin, for the purification of IgG from mammalian cell culture fluids. The concentrations of sodium chloride and sodium caprylate in the binding buffer were optimized to maximize the purity and yield of IgG upon elution.