Insect Cell Expression (Sf9 & HighFive)

High-throughput, high-titer CHO production of miniproteins with high yields and low endotoxin levels, surpassing traditional E. coli production methods.

Protein Sciences: Early-Stage R&D Insect Platform

WuXi Biologics provides protein production services utilizing insect cell culture due to its ability to produce proteins that are often difficult to express in prokaryotic or other eukaryotic systems. Insect cell platforms offer protein glycosylation and other post-translational modifications similar to mammalian cells with the added benefit of high productivity, fast turn-around times and cost-effective production.

Insect Cell Culture Platform Features

Protein Types Supported G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) Ion channel

Cell line screening: Sf9, Sf21, HighFive

Flashbac system to reduce timeline

Cell surface receptor Viral envelope protein Kinases Proteases and enzymes Protein complex Other intracellular proteins

Optimization of expression conditions at small scale (construct screening, MOI, harvest time… ) High-throughput purification system for purification of many variants

Scale up volumes up to 20 L

Routine Soluble Protein Production: 4-5 weeks

Gene Synthesis 1-2 weeks

Virus Generation and Pilot Expression 1.5 weeks

Scale up Expression, Purification (Affinity, IEX, and SEC) and QC 1.5 weeks

Production Platform Activity

Features

Timeline

QC and deliverable

Gene synthesis and Subcloning Baculovirus production

Free cloning into WuXi Biologics vector P0, P1, P2

2 weeks 1-2 weeks

4 μg DNA 10 8 PFU/mL virus titer

1 L – 20 L 4 x 40 mL Additional QC

1-step purification 2-3 step purification RP-HPLC, bioburden, DSF, DSC, SPR, LC/MS, SEC-MALS, peptide mapping, cIEF, residual DNA, ELISA, Western blot, freeze thaw study, micro-developability testing 2-4 weeks 2 weeks Purified protein, SDS-PAGE, LC/MS Purified protein or screening report, SDS-PAGE

Case Study: GPCR Production

Purified protein, SDS-PAGE, SEC-HPLC

Aim • Production of a high-quality GPCR protein in insect cells • Reconstitution of GPCR into nanodiscs Key Challenges • Expression level of GPCR was very low <0.2 mg/L • The protein was unstable and its conformation was very flexible • It was hard to reconstitute GPCR into nanodiscs Results • Expression constructs were optimized • ~1.5 mg/L was achieved after optimizing expression and purification protocol • Purity >90% • GPCR’s conformation was stabilized by suitable ligand • Successful assembly of GPCR-nanodiscs

Construct 1: Nt_BRIL

BRIL

ECL1

ECL2

ECL3

N-term

Extracellular

Nanodisc

W P P

Q V

Extracellular

S

Q

A Y N T I L S C O V C N

F

R

D M V Y A A Y C L L L I L I A F L N O V L V A I R E C W M L I P A

C

S I W V A L A Q L L V N L V A

F I F I O L A M M V A T L I N A C V S D

F V V Y M P A T L V

L N P

V L

Y O

P H

L N

Y V

S Y

C P

H I

F A

S Y

S F

S T F S A F V L M V L T Y A Y I V R Q L R I Q R V V

I T F P F A L C C I V F L G V V A M L T Q K K A M E F K K M S

A I F L S W V V M I L L R V R P S A

W Y L

Membrane Scaold Protein

V G L S N A N L

P L

4.5-5.6 nm

V P

Y I T F T N

F

Intracellular

Y N Y

~10.6 nm

T

L

R

A

L

K

M A V

M

T

K

F

A

Intracellular

A Q R A L

F

I

F

ICL2

ICL1

C-term

ICL3

BRIL

Construct 2: ICL3_BRIL

SEC-HPLC

150

M

Monomer

50 kd 75 kd 250 kd

100

GPCR

50

Aggregation

15 kd 20 kd

MSP

0

2

3

4

5

6

Time (min)

Case Study: Automated 2-step Purification of Kinases

Aim • Production of 13 of Kinase variants from Baculovirus pellets Key Challenges • Expression level is different for different variants • Urgent timeline Results • Successfully delivered >95% purity proteins in 1 week

NiNTA elution M T S SEC fraction

Flow-through of sample

mAU

2500

2000 1500 1000 500 0

SEC elution

mL

0

50

100

150

200

250

Automated 2-step purification

Automated 2-step purification results

Run time/sample Max. sample/week Manual operation during steps

4 h 16 No

Learn more: Protein Sciences: Early-Stage R&D Insect Platform

About WuXi Biologics

WuXi Biologics is a leading contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CRDMO) that provides end-to-end capabilities to healthcare organizations worldwide. With operations in China, the United States, Ireland, Germany, and Singapore, we enable our partners to effectively and efficiently bring biologics and vaccines to patients worldwide through our comprehensive and high-quality drug development model.

The world’s leading global single-source platform from concept to commercialization.

wuxibiologics.com | info@wuxibiologics.com

5-1-2024

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