Virus-like particles (VLPs) resemble their corresponding native viruses with similar overall structures but lose original infectious ability due to the absence of viral genome. VLPs are symmetrically built from hundreds of coat proteins, which can be genetically engineered to present a regular arrangement of epitope chains on the desired positions of the outer surface. Currently, VLPs have been widely applied for a variety of applications such as vaccines, antibody development, delivery systems, bioimaging, and cell targeting. Of note, VLPs have proven excellent utility in membrane protein display.
Membrane Protein VLPs (MP-VLPs) are non-infectious virus-like particles (VLPs, about 150 nm in diameter) that display highly-expressed copies of specific membrane proteins in their native conformation. MP-VLPs are produced from mammalian cells by co-expressing the retroviral structural core polyprotein (gag) and the target membrane protein. Retroviral gag core proteins self-assemble at the plasma membrane, where they bud from the host cells over-expressing a membrane protein of interest, enabling the formation of MP-VLPs.
MP-VLPs display highly-expressed copies of membrane proteins in their native conformation, providing an alternative to membrane protein stable cell lines, crude membrane, detergent-solubilized proteins and other membrane protein preparation strategies (liposome, nanodisc). MP-VLPs can be used for a wide range of applications.
Creative Biolabs has been dedicated to providing first-class membrane protein production service using a variety of strategies. Based on our leading-edge platform, we have successfully produced, purified, stabilized, and characterized many challenging membrane protein targets. With advanced Magic™ MP-VLPs production platform, Creative Biolabs offers custom end-to-end MP-VLPs production services for the membrane protein of interest, including plasmid construction, pilot expression, quality control, scale-up expression, and product delivery. Comprehensive QC methods are available for the MP-VLPs quality control, ensuring the high-quality MP-VLPs. For soluble proteins, we are able to capture the protein on the surface of VLPs via biotin-streptavidin interaction. Please feel free to inquire us for more information.
All listed services and products are For Research Use Only. Do Not use in any diagnostic or therapeutic applications.