Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41099698›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2025

A versatile platform for combinatorial antibody library cloning and NGS-based quality control with high accuracy.

Zhongyao Zhang, Simon D'Hondt, Rob Van der Kant, Guy Hermans, Nick Geukens, Vitor Bernardes Pinheiro, Joost Schymkowitz, Frederic Rousseau, Maarten Dewilde

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Zhongyao ZhangLaboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flemish Brabant 3000, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-7221-6351
Simon D'HondtLaboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flemish Brabant 3000, Belgium.
Rob Van der KantSwitch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Flemish Brabant 3000, Belgium.
Guy HermansQuest BV, Merelbeke, East Flanders 9820, Belgium.
Nick GeukensPharmAbs, KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flemish Brabant 3000, Belgium.
Vitor Bernardes PinheiroRega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flemish Brabant 3000, Belgium.
Joost SchymkowitzSwitch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Flemish Brabant 3000, Belgium.
Frederic RousseauSwitch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Flemish Brabant 3000, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-9189-7399
Maarten DewildeLaboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flemish Brabant 3000, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-3138-281X

Funding

FWO G0H7618NFWO S000722NVIB C0401
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Synthetic oligo pools offer a cost-effective way for generating hundreds of thousands of antibody sequences but pose technical challenges, particularly in constructing full-length, complex antibody libraries and minimizing chimera formation during polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. In this study, we developed a versatile combinatorial library cloning method capable of constructing single-domain antibody (VHH) and antigen-binding fragment (Fab) libraries with diversities reaching tens of thousands and lengths extending up to four complementarity-determining regions (CDRs). Our protocol allows to largely avoid chimera formation or, if desired, to induce full CDR recombination, starting from the same synthetic oligo pool. This method achieved a full-length rate exceeding 90% for both VHH and Fab libraries and a perfect construct error-free rate above 80% for VHH libraries. We also investigated various PCR conditions and validated that lowering template concentration during amplification effectively reduces chimera formation. Additionally, we established a PCR-free next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform to assess the quality of assembled VHH libraries. Overall, these advancements provide a more efficient approach for constructing high-diversity multi-CDR combinatorial libraries with high coverage and accuracy, along with a reliable NGS preparation method for quality control and downstream analysis, aiding the rapid discovery and development of novel therapeutic biologics.

Indexed as

Cloning, MolecularComplementarity Determining RegionsGene LibraryImmunoglobulin Fab FragmentsSingle-Domain AntibodiesBiological ProductsDrug DiscoveryGenetic VectorsOligonucleotidesPlasmidsPolymerase Chain ReactionQuality ControlRecombination, GeneticBiological ProductsComplementarity Determining RegionsImmunoglobulin Fab FragmentsOligonucleotidesSingle-Domain Antibodies

Identifiers

PMID41099698
PMCPMC12526118

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.