Description of service

Single variable domain on a heavy chain (VHH) antibodies, are compact single Ig domains that bind target proteins with high affinity while reducing their conformational heterogeneity, thereby stabilising multi-protein complexes. Their properties mean that VHH antibodies are versatile tools for structural biology.

Scientific relevance: VHH antibodies production has several applications relevant to vaccine design:

• VHH antibodies/protein complexes may be more stable than individual proteins, favouring crystallisation

  for X-ray analysis (including intrinsically disordered proteins)

• The CDR3 loop of VHH antibodies can extend into small cavities on antigenic surfaces which otherwise are

  difficult to measure or modulate, and VHH antibodies do not compete with classical antibodies that bind

  the same antigen. Some are in development as therapeutic agents.

• VHH antibody reagents can capture transient protein conformations

• VHH antibodies can be immuno-labelled for super-resolution imaging, spin-labelled for EPR spectroscopy

  or heavy metal labelled.

• Small size can be used in NMR methods, can act as NMR invisible probes for dynamic studies of protein

  conformation.