SELECTION OF NOVEL LIGANDS FROM PHAGE DISPLAY LIBRARIES - AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO DRUG AND VACCINE DISCOVERY

Phage display involves the production and screening of large numbers o f random peptide sequences of a specific length expressed on the surfa ce of phage particles. This approach provides a powerful tool to probe the molecular basis of many biological processes, including host-para site interactions. Phage display libraries have been used to study the binding specificity of numerous peptides and protein domains. Practic al applications include the identification of peptide sequences that b ind with high affinity to antibodies, enzymes or receptors, and that m ay serve as diagnostics and vaccine or drug candidates. Here, David Je fferies outlines the concept of phage display and summarizes recent de velopments in the field, with emphasis on those that may be of interes t to parasitologists.