Optimisation of sortase-mediated protein labelling as a tool for biotechnology and pharmaceutical development

蛋白质的标记是实验室研究和工业应用（如诊断的发展）的基础。蛋白质标记试剂的市场价值每年约为20亿美元，提高蛋白质标记效率和降低这一过程成本的创新总是需要的。在这个项目中，我们正在开发一种新的方案，用于在蛋白质标记中使用分选酶。该技术具有快速（<1小时）生成均质修饰蛋白的潜力，只需最少的多余试剂和少量的标记蛋白。在项目期间，我们将研究一系列潜在的商业应用，包括该技术在产生修饰抗体方面的应用潜力，这是一种主要的新型抗癌药物。

Labelling of proteins is fundamental to laboratory investigations and industrial applications such as the development of diagnostics. The market for protein labelling reagents is worth approximately $2bn a year and new innovations which increase the efficiency of protein labelling and reduce the cost of this process are always needed. In this project, we are developing a new protocol for the use of sortase in protein labelling. This technology has the potential to allow the rapid (<1 hour) generation of homogenously modified proteins with minimal excess reagent and small quantities of the labelling protein. During the project we will investigate a range of potential commercial applications including the potential of the technology for application in the generation of modified antibodies, which represent a major new class of anti-cancer drugs.