Bench to Bedside Flashcards
(133 cards)
What are biomolecular (biologic) drugs?
Large biological molecules that have some therapeutic effect (mw>2KD)
What are the advantages of using biologics?
Large SA good for binding
Exquisite specifity- stronger/specific binding then small molecule techniques
What are the disadvantages of using biologics?
Not accessible by chemical synthesis
Not membrane permeable
Antigenic
Give 3 examples of biologics:
Insulin
mAbs
Erthroporetin
How are mAbs manufactured and what are the disadvantages of this?
In a unique living cell line, similar but not identical copies can be made
Difficult to fully characterise
Higher potential for immunogenicity
Describe recombinant production of therapeutic protein and give another name for it:
Heterologous expression of recombinant proteins
Introduction of a gene or cDNA coding for a protein of interest into a suitable producer organism
Heterologous because the protein of interest doesn’t occur naturally in the cell
What are the main steps in protein production by recombinant DNA technology?
Identification- amplification and isolation of the target gene
Introduction- of the vector into a host cell
Growth of the cell in vitro
Identification of cells containing the target protein
Isolation of purification of the target protein
What is the advantages of protein production by recombinant DNA technology?
Cleaner and efficient
Give examples of some suitable host organisms:
Microorganisms (Ecoli)
Yeast (S Cerevisiae)
Animal cell lines
What are the advantages of Ecoli being a host?
Molecular biology well characterised (well understood)
High expression levels of heterologous proteins are possible
Quick and cheap
Possible to scale up to large fermentation culture
What are the disatvantages of Ecoli being a host?
Heterologous proteins are intracellular (need to lyse cell and purify)
Inability to undertake post translational modifications (PTM)
Presence of LPS on E coli surface (pyrogenic)
Formation of inclusion bodies (insoluble aggregates of partially soluble heterologous proteins)
What is post translational modification (PTM) and give a major example?
Any covalent modification of peptide sequence that occurs after the peptide chain has been synthesised
Glycosylation
Describe what glycosylation is important for and its effects?
Is an important part of eukaryotic protein production, especially extracellular and cell surface proteins (glycocalyx)
Some proteins are unaffected by removal of glycosylated groups
IgG has one glycosylation site that strongly affects biological activity
What affect can glycosylation have for some proteins?
Increase solubility
Alter biological half life and activity
What are the 2 types of glycosolation?
N- linked glycosylation (most common)
O-linked glycosylation
Describe the steps in N-linked glycosylation:
Starts with a transfer of 14-merogliosaccharide donor to protein as it emerges from rough ER
Ogliosaccharide is anchored in ER membrane by dolichol by high energy phosphate bond
Transfer reaction is catalysed by oligosaccharyl transferase
Which sites can transfer occur in N-linked glycosylation?
Asn (N)-xxx-Ser/Thr (T/S) OR
Asn-xxx-Ser
Where xxx is any a.a except Pro
What occurs in N- linked glycosylation once the glycosyl chain has been added to peptide?
Other enzymes can trim bind off in different patterns, common trimming:
-3 glucose and 1 mannose are later removed in the ER by glucosidases
-Leaves (Man)3(GIcNAc)2 protein
Further saccharides are added and removed according but a core motif is always retained
This is thought to aid protein folding and transport through the cell
Describe O-linked glycosylation:
Occurs post-translationally in ER/Golgi (common in mucins)
Ser/Thr residues
Up to 8 different core structures (more differences)
Describe the assembly of ogliosaccharide chains:
Glycosylation requires a sugar donor (sugar-nucleotide e.g UDP-glucose) and an acceptor e.g nascent protein or ogliosaccharide
Glycosylation is not template driven
Proceeds according to donor/ enzyme availability
What are glycoforms?
Variations in glycosylation patterns
What can different glycoforms of one protein causes differences?
Stability
Solubility
Serum half life
Biological activity
Immunogenicity
When wouldn’t it be ideal to use recombinant protein production (using Ecoli)?
Prokaryotes do not have the necessary glycosylation machinery
Need to produce proteins for eukaryotes
Need to control production process- maintain consistent glycosylation
What alternative host can be used instead of Ecoli and why?
Chinese Hamster Ovary cells (CHO)
They have all the enzymes necessary