Preparation of VCSM13 Helper Phage for Display Library Reamplification and Bio-Panning.

Phage-displayed antibody libraries can be constructed using any species that is easily immunized. The pComb3XSS phagemid vector is commonly used for library cloning and phage display. This phagemid encodes the origin of replication of the filamentous bacteriophage f1 but lacks all the genes required for replication and assembly of phage particles. The replication and the assembly of phage from these phagemids thus requires a "helper" phage that provides the genes essential for those steps during library production and bio-panning. One of those helper phages is VCSM13. In this protocol, we describe the preparation of VCSM13 helper phage. Users should prepare VCSM13 helper phage for library reamplification and for bio-panning.