The availability of a consistent supply of high-quality protein samples is a pivotal element in enabling any drug discovery programme that requires biochemical or biophysical techniques. Moreover, undertaking a structural characterisation of the target of interest demands substantial quantities of pristine protein samples. Obtaining a satisfactory protein sample can be a challenging task, particularly if solely reliant on purchasing it from third parties “off the shelf”, or if expression of a novel protein with little or no literature precedent is required.
To facilitate and propel our customer's drug discovery projects, BioAscent provides a comprehensive protein production service encompassing bespoke protein expression, purification, and characterisation. Our highly skilled and experienced team is here to help you enhance the prospects of success in your drug discovery endeavours.
The design of proteins is a pivotal phase, linked to the nature of the project at hand. Each biophysical and biochemical approach comes with a unique set of sample requirements. By developing a deep understanding of the protein and assessing the specific protein domains, affinity tags and point mutations, a customised solution is crafted to best suit the requirements of a chosen experimental technique. Leveraging scientific literature, bioinformatics, and available structural and modelling data, our team is adept at designing constructs that precisely align with the demands of your project.
We offer three different expression systems: mammalian suspension HEK293s, baculovirus-insect cells and E. coli. The preferred methodology is decided based on factors such as available literature data, nature of the target, required post-translational modifications and downstream application. The three systems differ in aspects including cost, expression speed, ease of scale-up and available folding and post-translational machinery. To ensure the most suitable fit for your project, various systems can be evaluated on a go/no-go basis. This approach grants flexibility and precise control over the progression of the project.
BioAscent is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments that enable efficient sample purification under controlled conditions. Depending on the scale and type of the expression system employed, a range of cell lysis and purification approaches can be implemented. With our advanced FPLC system, proteins can be purified based on their affinity tag, size, charge, hydrophobicity, and other properties. We offer the flexibility to use various columns and resin types tailored to the specific nature of the protein.
Every protein sample purified at BioAscent undergoes meticulous quality control to ensure it aligns with the customer's specifications and maintains consistent quality across batches. Our comprehensive QC package includes:
Coomassie staining and Western Blotting.
Testing multiple storage buffers to assess their impact on protein stability.
Evaluation of freeze-thaw stability.
Analytical size exclusion.
Determination of protein melting temperature.
Intact protein mass spectrometry (Intact-MS) analysis.
Proteins purified by our team find versatile applications in downstream drug discovery services offered by BioAscent. These encompass, but are not limited to:
Biochemical assay development and screening, employing various identification methods such as Fluorescence Polarisation (FP), Luminescence, Absorbance, TR-FRET, and others.
Biophysical assay development and screening utilising techniques like Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST), or Thermal Shift Assay (TSA).
X-ray crystallography and In Silico Drug Discovery.
Get in touch to find out more about BioAscent's protein production service and how the biosciences team can help you and your drug discovery project.
