Custom Recombinant Antibody Expression Service
Recombinant antibodies are in vitro-produced monoclonal antibodies, generated without using hybridoma technology or animal immunization. RayBiotech offers custom production of pure, stable, and active recombinant antibodies, reliably expressed and purified to support your research needs. Our comprehensive antibody production services cover every step of the process, ensuring top-quality results from start to finish, from gene cloning and sequence validation to expression and purification, as well as antibody activity validation. Downstream processing such as desalting, lyophilization, vialing, and conjugation to biotin, HRP, or fluorescent tags, is also available.
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How It Works |  Why Choose Us? |  Case Study |  FAQS |  Resources
How Our Recombinant Antibody Production Service Works
Our recombinant antibody services start from antibody gene cloning to the delivery of the purified functional antibody and includes a phase-by-phase service plan tailored to the customer’s needs. Throughout the process, we maintain close collaboration with the customer, delivering updates for each milestone completed. Our technical support team is available for discussion of progress at every step.
Phase 1: Project design
Analyze the antibody protein sequence and determine the functional regions for gene expression. Design antibody expression formats (VHH, scFv, HC-LC, etc.) to meet the client’s requirements.
- Lead Time: 1-2 days
Phase 2: Gene synthesis and cloning
Chemically synthesize antibody genes and optimize the gene codons for a mammalian expression system to improve gene expression. Alternatively, use the customer-provided plasmid as a gene template and clone the target genes into our mammalian cell overexpression vector. The recombinant vectors will be confirmed by DNA sequencing.
- Lead Time: Usually 2-4 weeks
- Deliverable: DNA sequencing chromatography data.
Phase 3: Small-scale gene expression
The plasmid DNA is transfected into a small-scale culture of CHO suspension cells, typically 2 ml. We examine the secreted antibodies in the cell culture supernatant via SDS-PAGE and western blotting to evaluate gene expression levels. The sample’s raw activity is confirmed by us or the customer via ELISA or other immunological methods. If the recombinant antibodies exhibit high expression levels and the expected functional activity, the project will proceed to Phase 4.
- Lead Time: Usually 1-2 weeks
- Deliverable: SDS-PAGE and western blotting results.
Phase 4: Large-scale gene expression and purification
Based on the desired amount of antibody, scale up CHO cell transient transfection, starting from 0.5 liters to 10 liters, or more. Extract large amounts of plasmid DNA and transfect CHO cells on a greater scale. Alternatively, we can create stably expressing cell lines to produce bulk recombinant proteins for your needs (additional lead time may apply).
- Lead Time: Usually 2-4 weeks
Phase 5: Recombinant antibody affinity purification
The cell culture supernatants of the transfected cells are collected for antibody affinity purification. The purified antibody can be aliquoted, lyophilized, and labeled upon request (additional lead time may apply).
- Lead Time: Usually 1-2 weeks
- Deliverable: All antibodies purified in this phase and, if applicable, the stably expressing cell line.
See What Our Recombinant Antibody Service Can Do For Your Research
Why You Should Choose Our Recombinant Antibody Expression Services
RayBiotech’s recombinant antibody expression services are:
- Comprehensive: We can help you with everything from gene synthesis to antibody purification, activity testing, and beyond. Our services include aliquoting, lyophilization, and conjugation.
- Fast: You’ll get your CHO cell-expressed antibodies in typically 4-6 weeks.
- High productivity: High density CHO cell suspension combined with our overexpression vector improves gene expression, achieving gram levels of antibody per liter of culture.
- Easily scalable: We can scale up production to your specifications.
- Purer: We typically achieve >95% purity as determined with SDS-PAGE.
- Biohazard-free: We use chemically defined serum-free medium and animal source-free materials to eliminate biohazards. For added assurance, all cell culture processing can be conducted in a GMP clean room if needed.
- Risk free: We execute projects phase-by-phase. You will be notified of the progress of each phase and are only billed for milestones successfully completed.
- Affordable.
Case Study
The mouse hybridoma gene of an Anti-Target A antibody was sequenced, and its heavy chain (450 amino acids in length) with IgG Fc-tag and light chain (240 amino acids in length) were synthesized with gene codon optimization. These two chain genes were cloned into our mammalian cell overexpression vector and co-transfected into CHO suspension cells transiently (Figure 1). On Day 5 post-transfection, SDS-PAGE analysis revealed two additional protein bands (heavy chain, 50 kDa; light chain, 25 kDa) indicating successful overexpression of the genes (Lane 1), compared to the empty expression vector (Lane 2).
Then, the transfected cell culture was scaled up to 1 liter and harvested on Day 5 post co-transfection. The secreted antibodies were purified by Protein G chromatography. Figure 2 shows the co-purified antibody heavy and light chains with high purity. The purified antibody was further confirmed by western blotting and an affinity binding activity test (data not shown).
Figure 1. Transient co-transfection of CHO cells with antibody heavy chain and light chain expression vectors. Lane 1, co-transfected with HC and LC expression vectors; Lane 2, transfected with an empty expression vector. Protein ladder shown on left (kDa).
Figure 2. Co-purified recombinant antibody heavy chain and light chain. Protein ladder shown on left (kDa).
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions?
The signal peptide is 15-25 amino acids long. It is cleaved by proteases after the protein is secreted into the cell culture medium prior to becoming the mature form. Since the cell culture medium is serum-free with minimal host cell proteins, the purified antibodies typically exhibit high purity.
Yes. If we can use PCR to subclone your genes into our overexpression vector, then Phase 1 is not necessary. Also, it is important to consider whether your gene is codon optimized for the expression system to improve gene expression levels.
Yes. If you have already successfully expressed your target protein using your own expression vector, we can skip to Phase 3 or Phase 4 directly. If you have not confirmed that the gene is expressed in your expression vector, we will perform a small-scale expression test in Phase 3.
We can perform the antibody activity test for you as long as the necessary materials are provided. Otherwise, we can send samples to you to run the activity test.
If the antibody was expressed and purified previously, you do not need to pay for Phases 1-4 again. You would simply complete the quote request form for the desired amount of purified antibody (Phase 5). Please make sure to include the previous sales order or invoice number in the Project Description section.
Still have questions?
Ready to see what our recombinant antibody service can do for your research?
Featured Resources
Get additional information to help you advance your studies from articles on the science underlying antibody-based techniques to video protocols, application notes, and more.
