| abstract |
Methods are disclosed for the production of anti-self antibodies and antibody fragments, being antibodies or fragments of a particular species of mammal which bind self antigens of that species. Methods comprise providing a library of replicable genetic display packages (rgdps), such as filamentous phage, each rgdp displaying at its surface a member of a specific binding pair which is an antibody or antibody fragment, and each rgdp containing nucleic acid sequence derived from a species of mammal. The nucleic acid sequence in each rgdp encodes a polypeptide chain which is a component part of the sbp member displayed at the surface of that rgdp. Anti-self antibody fragments are selected by binding with a self antigen from the said species of mammal. The displayed antibody fragments may be scFv, Fd, Fab or any other fragment which has the capability of binding antigen. Nucleic acid libraries used may be derived from a rearranged V-gene sequences of unimmunised mammal. Synthetic or artificial libraries are described and shown to be useful. |