Protein expression is defined as synthesizing, modifying, and regulating proteins in living things. The biotechnological process of creating a specific protein is known as protein synthesis. Custom protein expression involves recruiting laboratories and companies to carry out protein expression on your behalf.
Methods of Performing Protein Expression
There are different methods of carrying out custom protein expression. They are the yeast expression method, the mammalian expression method, the insect expression method, the bacterial expression method, the Baculovirus expression method, and the cell-free expression method. We will be looking at the reasons to go for custom protein expression and some reasons to think twice before going for custom protein expression.
Pros of protein expression
Many advantages come with using custom protein expression. Some include a one-stop-shop from gene to protein, process development, and large-scale production. As a result, speedier service, a higher success rate, and fewer administrative tasks. Depending on the situation, you can use an expressive system of your choice. There are some requirements for choosing the kind of system to be used. Some of them are time spent producing the protein, ease of using the expression system, amount of protein required, post-translational modifications, and several disulfide bonds.
You Don’t Have to Do the Work Yourself.
There are different methods of protein expression, some with more advantages than others. Using custom protein expression allows you to have various options for the protein expression method. For example, you could use yeast protein expression or insect or mammalian protein expression without doing the work yourself.
Antigen Generation
You can utilize prokaryotic expression systems for antigen generation, structural research, and activity studies where post-translational modifications are not required. If the protein to be expressed is protein-protein interaction, then it will be best to use either the bacterial expression method or the yeast expression method. If it is a therapeutic protein to be expressed, you can use the yeast or mammalian expression methods.
Multiple Genes Expressed at the Same Time
Expression methods such as the baculovirus protein expression method have advantages, such as recombinant proteins performing all biological functions, including protein folding and disulfide bond formation. In addition, you can accommodate post-translational editing, expression at a high level, up to 50% of total protein quantity, large protein inserts, and multiple genes can be expressed simultaneously.
Quick Response
Another advantage of custom protein expression is the quick response it gives. Custom protein expression services promise to provide you with a guaranteed faster outcome than if you were to do it yourself. They will also increase your desired protein level of expression to gram levels.
Depending on the method used, protein expression can be cheap or expensive, with maximum results. For example, if the bacterial protein expression method is used, it is relatively more affordable and easily manipulated to grant the desired results. Compared to the other methods, it also produces quicker results.
Custom protein expression services allow you to carry out your protein expression in large quantities and create specially designed protein synthesis for you.
Cons
As much as custom protein expression has advantages, some disadvantages discourage people from getting involved. Here are a few of the odd sides of performing protein expression.
Not Getting What You Want
Firstly, in every organization, there is always a problem of not getting exactly what you want or not being satisfied with what has been done. Although you can avoid this problem by just getting the job yourself, some people prefer to carry out their protein expression themselves.
High cost
Employing somebody to do work for you costs money. And with protein expression, depending on what method is used, the cost may be higher. For example, the insect protein expression and mammalian protein expression methods are relatively more expensive than alternative methods. So as much as you choose, sometimes you might have to use these methods, which are more costly to get the best results for you.
Custom protein expression services promise to get your job done faster than if you were to do it yourself, but this does not mean you will get your results as quickly as you’re hoping to. Depending on the methods used, you might have to wait long before getting any results. For example, the insect and mammalian protein expression methods require a longer time before results are obtained.
Generates Lower Protein Yield
On top of being more expensive and requiring more time, the mammalian protein expression method also generates lower protein yield at the end of the process. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to decide whether or not you want to avoid these stressful methods as they are sometimes the only way a specific protein variation can formulated.
Final thought
Custom protein expression allows users to select methods of their choice for protein expression. Each method of performing protein expression has its pros and cons. A specific expression system is chosen based on cost and quality considerations, such as the type of protein, function, and target protein production.
Depending on your circumstances, custom protein expression can be the best for you. However, you may also decide that it doesn’t work for you when examining your position. Custom protein expression has its advantages and disadvantages, and it is only your personality situation that can determine if it is a tangible method to use or not.
We hope that this article has been helpful and insightful and that you can now walk away with a greater understanding of Custom Protein expressions and how you can take advantage of this revolutionary science to enhance your way of life! Remember, the information in this article should only be regarded as a start to you on your journey to better understanding this science in its entirety. If more information is needed on this topic, If that is the case, we hope that the knowledge gained from this article has at least given you new direction and a deeper understanding of this topic to give you new headway and direction along your journey to master this unique niche!
