Antigen density and applied force control enrichment of nanobody-expressing yeast cells in microfluidics

Lab Chip. 2024 May 28;24(11):2944-2957. doi: 10.1039/d4lc00011k.

Abstract

In vitro display technologies such as yeast display have been instrumental in developing the selection of new antibodies, antibody fragments or nanobodies that bind to a specific target, with affinity towards the target being the main factor that influences selection outcome. However, the roles of mechanical forces are being increasingly recognized as a crucial factor in the regulation and activation of effector cell function. It would thus be of interest to isolate binders behaving optimally under the influence of mechanical forces. We developed a microfluidic assay allowing the selection of yeast displaying nanobodies through antigen-specific immobilization on a surface under controlled hydrodynamic flow. This approach enabled enrichment of model yeast mixtures using tunable antigen density and applied force. This new force-based selection method opens the possibility of selecting binders by relying on both their affinity and force resistance, with implications for the design of more efficient immunotherapeutics.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens* / immunology
  • Antigens* / metabolism
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae* / metabolism
  • Single-Domain Antibodies* / chemistry
  • Single-Domain Antibodies* / immunology
  • Single-Domain Antibodies* / metabolism

Substances

  • Single-Domain Antibodies
  • Antigens