Identifying disease biomarkers with phage immunoprecipitation sequencing


Mayo Clinic’s Advanced Diagnostics Laboratory researchers are using phage immunoprecipitation sequencing (PhIP-Seq) to discover new serological biomarkers for autoimmune diseases. This approach is a multiplexed, phage display-based methodology for analyzing antibody binding specificities. It combines barcoded DNA high-throughput sequencing to determine the levels of binding of antibodies to epitopes.

Human proteins — approximately 60,000 of them — are curated to develop a comprehensive library of DNA sequence fragments. Researchers then put proteins or peptides in bacteriophages, in a manner that they are displayed on the surface, along with the viral coat protein allowing peptide-antibody interaction.

Researchers will continue to optimize the PhIP-Seq platform, work on a more robust, data-driven analysis pipeline, expand machine learning, and immunoprofile more patients over time.

To learn more, check out the complete Eye on Innovation article on Mayo Clinic Laboratories Insights.

Kevin Ritchart

Kevin Ritchart is a copywriter at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. He joined the company in 2022 and has nearly 10 years of experience writing for healthcare and scientific audiences.