Half-antibodies

Purify the reduced IgG from excess 2-mercaptoethylamine and reaction by-products by dialysis or gel filtration using a desalting resin. All buffers should contain 1-10 mM EDTA to preserve the free sulfhydryls from metal-catalyzed oxidation. The sulfhydryl-containing half antibody now may be used in conjugation protocols that use —SH-reactive heterobifunctional crosslinkers (Chapter 5, Section 1). 

Reduction in Hinge Region Yielding Two Half Antibody Molecules Containing Sulfhydryls... 

For some analytical purposes, a half-antibody may be more useful than an intact antibody. Half-antibodies, which contain only one antigen-binding site, can easily be prepared by standard methods. 

DJ Kroon, S Goltra, B Sharma. Analysis of monoclonal antibodies by sodium dode-cyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis with special reference to quantitation of half-antibody. J Capillary Electrophor. 2 34-39, 1995. 

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