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Serge Muyldermans

Bio: Serge Muyldermans is an academic researcher from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The author has contributed to research in topics: Single-domain antibody & Antibody. The author has an hindex of 80, co-authored 305 publications receiving 26561 citations. Previous affiliations of Serge Muyldermans include Dalian University of Technology & Université libre de Bruxelles.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
03 Jun 1993-Nature
TL;DR: The presence of considerable amounts of IgG-like material of Mr 100K in the serum of the camel, which is composed of heavy-chain dimers and devoid of light chains, but nevertheless have an extensive antigen-binding repertoire, opens new perspectives in the engineering of antibodies.
Abstract: Random association of VL and VH repertoires contributes considerably to antibody diversity. The diversity and the affinity are then increased by hypermutation in B cells located in germinal centres. Except in the case of 'heavy chain' disease, naturally occurring heavy-chain antibodies have not been described, although antigen binding has been demonstrated for separated heavy chains or cloned VH domains. Here we investigate the presence of considerable amounts of IgG-like material of M(r) 100K in the serum of the camel (Camelus dromedarius). These molecules are composed of heavy-chain dimers and are devoid of light chains, but nevertheless have an extensive antigen-binding repertoire, a finding that calls into question the role of light chains in the camel. Camel heavy-chain IgGs lack CH1, which in one IgG class might be structurally replaced by an extended hinge. Heavy-chain IgGs are a feature of all camelids. These findings open new perspectives in the engineering of antibodies.

2,863 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The facile identification of antigen-specific VHHs and their beneficial biochemical and economic properties have encouraged antibody engineering of these single-domain antibodies for use as a research tool and in biotechnology and medicine.
Abstract: Sera of camelids contain both conventional heterotetrameric antibodies and unique functional heavy (H)-chain antibodies (HCAbs). The H chain of these homodimeric antibodies consists of one antigen-binding domain, the VHH, and two constant domains. HCAbs fail to incorporate light (L) chains owing to the deletion of the first constant domain and a reshaped surface at the VHH side, which normally associates with L chains in conventional antibodies. The genetic elements composing HCAbs have been identified, but the in vivo generation of these antibodies from their dedicated genes into antigen-specific and affinity-matured bona fide antibodies remains largely underinvestigated. However, the facile identification of antigen-specific VHHs and their beneficial biochemical and economic properties (size, affinity, specificity, stability, production cost) supported by multiple crystal structures have encouraged antibody engineering of these single-domain antibodies for use as a research tool and in biotechnology and medicine.

1,543 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The feasibility of immunising a dromedary, cloning the repertoire of the variable domains of its heavy‐chain antibodies and panning, leading to the successful identification of minimum sized antigen binders is shown.

824 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Because of their smaller size and the above properties, the VHH clearly offer added-value over conventional antibody fragments, they are expected to open perspectives as enzyme inhibitors and intrabodies, as modular building units for multivalent or multifunctional constructs, or as immuno-adsorbents and detection units in biosensors.

763 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work engineered a specific binder for fluorescent proteins based on a 13-kDa GFP binding fragment derived from a llama single chain antibody that enables a unique combination of microscopic, biochemical, and functional analyses with one and the same protein.

662 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The arsenal of nanocarriers and molecules available for selective tumour targeting, and the challenges in cancer treatment are detailed and emphasized.
Abstract: Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnosis and therapy. Advances in protein engineering and materials science have contributed to novel nanoscale targeting approaches that may bring new hope to cancer patients. Several therapeutic nanocarriers have been approved for clinical use. However, to date, there are only a few clinically approved nanocarriers that incorporate molecules to selectively bind and target cancer cells. This review examines some of the approved formulations and discusses the challenges in translating basic research to the clinic. We detail the arsenal of nanocarriers and molecules available for selective tumour targeting, and emphasize the challenges in cancer treatment.

7,443 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The relative importance of the common main-chain and side-chain interactions in determining the propensities of proteins to aggregate is discussed and some of the evidence that the oligomeric fibril precursors are the primary origins of pathological behavior is described.
Abstract: Peptides or proteins convert under some conditions from their soluble forms into highly ordered fibrillar aggregates. Such transitions can give rise to pathological conditions ranging from neurodegenerative disorders to systemic amyloidoses. In this review, we identify the diseases known to be associated with formation of fibrillar aggregates and the specific peptides and proteins involved in each case. We describe, in addition, that living organisms can take advantage of the inherent ability of proteins to form such structures to generate novel and diverse biological functions. We review recent advances toward the elucidation of the structures of amyloid fibrils and the mechanisms of their formation at a molecular level. Finally, we discuss the relative importance of the common main-chain and side-chain interactions in determining the propensities of proteins to aggregate and describe some of the evidence that the oligomeric fibril precursors are the primary origins of pathological behavior.

5,897 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The American Cancer Society estimated the number of new cancer cases and deaths expected in the United States in the current year and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival based on incidence data from the National Cancer Institute and mortality data from National Center for Health Statistics as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Each year, the American Cancer Society estimates the number of new cancer cases and deaths expected in the United States in the current year and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival based on incidence data from the National Cancer Institute and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Incidence and death rates are age-standardized to the 2000 US standard million population. A total of 1,399,790 new cancer cases and 564,830 deaths from cancer are expected in the United States in 2006. When deaths are aggregated by age, cancer has surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death for those younger than age 85 since 1999. Delay-adjusted cancer incidence rates stabilized in men from 1995 through 2002, but continued to increase by 0.3% per year from 1987 through 2002 in women. Between 2002 and 2003, the actual number of recorded cancer deaths decreased by 778 in men, but increased by 409 in women, resulting in a net decrease of 369, the first decrease in the total number of cancer deaths since national mortality record keeping was instituted in 1930. The death rate from all cancers combined has decreased by 1.5% per year since 1993 among men and by 0.8% per year since 1992 among women. The mortality rate has also continued to decrease for the three most common cancer sites in men (lung and bronchus, colon and rectum, and prostate) and for breast and colon and rectum cancers in women. Lung cancer mortality among women continues to increase slightly. In analyses by race and ethnicity, African American men and women have 40% and 18% higher death rates from all cancers combined than White men and women, respectively. Cancer incidence and death rates are lower in other racial and ethnic groups than in Whites and African Americans for all sites combined and for the four major cancer sites. However, these groups generally have higher rates for stomach, liver, and cervical cancers than Whites. Furthermore, minority populations are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage disease than are Whites. Progress in reducing the burden of suffering and death from cancer can be accelerated by applying existing cancer control knowledge across all segments of the population.

5,087 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
18 Dec 2003-Nature
TL;DR: The manner in which a newly synthesized chain of amino acids transforms itself into a perfectly folded protein depends both on the intrinsic properties of the amino-acid sequence and on multiple contributing influences from the crowded cellular milieu.
Abstract: The manner in which a newly synthesized chain of amino acids transforms itself into a perfectly folded protein depends both on the intrinsic properties of the amino-acid sequence and on multiple contributing influences from the crowded cellular milieu. Folding and unfolding are crucial ways of regulating biological activity and targeting proteins to different cellular locations. Aggregation of misfolded proteins that escape the cellular quality-control mechanisms is a common feature of a wide range of highly debilitating and increasingly prevalent diseases.

4,440 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
11 Aug 2000-Science
TL;DR: It is established that the ribosome is a ribozyme and the catalytic properties of its all-RNA active site are addressed and the mechanism of peptide bond synthesis appears to resemble the reverse of the acylation step in serine proteases.
Abstract: Using the atomic structures of the large ribosomal subunit from Haloarcula marismortui and its complexes with two substrate analogs, we establish that the ribosome is a ribozyme and address the catalytic properties of its all-RNA active site. Both substrate analogs are contacted exclusively by conserved ribosomal RNA (rRNA) residues from domain V of 23S rRNA; there are no protein side-chain atoms closer than about 18 angstroms to the peptide bond being synthesized. The mechanism of peptide bond synthesis appears to resemble the reverse of the acylation step in serine proteases, with the base of A2486 (A2451 in Escherichia coli) playing the same general base role as histidine-57 in chymotrypsin. The unusual pK(a) (where K(a) is the acid dissociation constant) required for A2486 to perform this function may derive in part from its hydrogen bonding to G2482 (G2447 in E. coli), which also interacts with a buried phosphate that could stabilize unusual tautomers of these two bases. The polypeptide exit tunnel is largely formed by RNA but has significant contributions from proteins L4, L22, and L39e, and its exit is encircled by proteins L19, L22, L23, L24, L29, and L31e.

2,187 citations