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Mammalian Expression System
The mammalian expression system provides the benefits of proper folding and post-translational modifications best suited for human or mammalian proteins. Our optimized system, utilizing either transfection with plasmid DNA, transduction BacMam viruses produced in insect cells, or stable cell line development, allows for high-yielding and reproducible expression of intracellular, secreted and membrane proteins.
Exogenous proteins can be produced using Ichor’s mammalian protein expression services in HEK293 or CHO suspension Proteins can be purified using a variety of purification tags. We can also carry out customized expression and purification of proteins in the absence of any exogenous tags.
Construct Design
Optimal domains for protein expression are identified using available structural information. Codon-optimized DNA sequences of protein domains are designed, synthesized and cloned into expression vectors with various promoters.
DNA Amplification
Using our in-house DNA amplification services, we generate high quality and pure plasmid to support all downstream needs.
Expression Testing
Expression constructs are transfected into into cells in suspension. Small-scale cultures are grown under various conditions. Levels of protein expression are analyzed by Coomassie-blue stained SDS-PAGE to identify optimal expression conditions.
Purification Optimization
Our mammalian expression services platform can carry out purification utilizing a variety of chromatographic techniques and purification buffers. This provides a means to design optimal purification strategies to obtain pure, biologically active proteins.
Featured Capabilities
Expression and Purification of the Extracellular Domain of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)
The EGFR regulates a variety of cellular processes including cell proliferation, survival as well as differentiation. The EGFR is mutated in various cancers and is a prominent drug target. We have expressed and purified the extracellular EGFR protein from mammalian cells.
Featured Case Studies / Capabilities
Biophysical Assays
We are capable of carrying out various biophysical assays for target validation as well as high throughput screening. The techniques include surface plasmon resonance (SPR), Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), Bio-layer interferometry (BLI) as well as custom plate-based assays utilizing absorbance, fluorescence and luminescence.
X-ray Crystallography
Our highly skilled structural biology team generate high-resolution structures of individual proteins, complexes of proteins with other proteins and putative drug targets to help guide hit finding, fragment screening, and lead optimization.
Cell-Based Assays
Ichor’s cell-based assay packages deliver actionable insights by multiplexing key readouts in a single phase. Define working concentration ranges, uncover early mechanistic effects, and confirm activity in target-relevant cell populations before advancing to in vivo studies.