VLP Transmembrane Proteins

Overview of VLP-Displayed Transmembrane Proteins

Multi-pass transmembrane proteins play essential roles in cellular signaling and are among the most challenging yet valuable targets for antibody discovery, immunotherapy, and vaccine development. However, their complex membrane topology, strong hydrophobicity, low solubility, and structural instability often make conventional recombinant expression and purification systems insufficient for obtaining functional proteins.

Beta LifeScience has developed a proprietary Virus-Like Particle (VLP) display platform that presents multi-pass membrane proteins in a native-like conformation within a lipid bilayer. This membrane-mimetic system supports a series of structurally intact, functionally active, and fully validated VLP-based membrane protein products—providing powerful tools for antibody discovery, drug screening, and vaccine research.

Technology Principle: Membrane-Mimetic VLP Display Mechanism

The Beta LifeScience VLP display platform mimics the spatial structure of a natural viral envelope. By anchoring target multi-pass membrane proteins onto the surface of VLPs, it preserves native folding, epitope exposure, and biological activity while overcoming the solubility and stability limitations of traditional expression systems.

VLP display mechanism:

• mRNA is transcribed and translated in HEK293 host cells.
• Target membrane proteins are inserted into the cellular membrane.
• VLPs self-assemble and incorporate the membrane proteins into their lipid envelope.
• VLPs displaying the target multi-pass membrane proteins are released and purified.

This process ensures correct folding and native epitope presentation of membrane proteins in a physiologically relevant lipid bilayer, making them directly suitable for immunization, antibody screening, and functional ELISA studies.

Advantages of Beta LifeScience’s VLP Membrane Protein Products

• HEK293 Expression System: Human HEK293 cells serve as the expression host, supporting correct protein folding and glycosylation for native-like conformation.
• Native Membrane Display: Membrane proteins are embedded in the VLP lipid bilayer through self-assembly, preserving authentic topology and antigenic epitopes.
• High Purity: Typical purity is >90% by HPLC (with selected products reaching >95%), and batch-to-batch variation (CV) is maintained below 10%.
• Low Endotoxin: Endotoxin levels are strictly controlled to <1 EU/µg, with some lots achieving <0.1 EU/µg—meeting the requirements of immunology and drug discovery studies.
• Biological Activity Verified by ELISA: All VLP products show strong dose-dependent responses in ELISA, confirming preserved antigenic structure and functionality.
• Ideal Immunogen Format: High structural stability and strong immunogenicity make VLP-displayed proteins excellent immunogens for antibody generation and vaccine development.

Product Target Coverage

Beta LifeScience has developed multiple VLP-displayed multi-pass membrane protein products, covering several oncology and immunology hotspots:

Ongoing development is expanding the VLP portfolio to include additional TSPAN family members, GPCRs, ion channels, and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs)—key classes of challenging membrane protein targets for drug discovery and mechanism-of-action studies.

Validation Data and Quality Control

Beta LifeScience’s VLP-displayed transmembrane proteins are designed as native-like immunogens with confirmed biological activity. Every product undergoes stringent quality control, including ELISA-based activity validation, purity analysis, and endotoxin testing, to ensure reproducibility and reliability in antibody discovery and immunological applications.

Functional Validation – ELISA Activity Confirmation

The biological activity of each VLP membrane protein is verified using ELISA binding assays, which evaluate correct folding and epitope exposure through interaction with specific antibodies.

Example: Human SSTR2 VLP ELISA

• Coating concentration: 5 µg/mL
• Detection antibody: Anti-SSTR2 antibody (hFc tag)
• Result: Strong dose-dependent binding curve with EC₅₀ = 19.1 ng/mL

These data confirm that VLP-displayed SSTR2 maintains native conformation and robust antigenic activity.

Note: Because VLPs contain a complete lipid bilayer, they are not suitable for SPR, BLI, or conventional flow cytometry (FACS) assays. Instead, their native 3D configuration makes them ideal immunogens for animal immunization, antibody discovery, and epitope mapping.

Product Applications

Collaboration and Customization

Beta LifeScience offers flexible VLP customization services, including target selection, gene design, VLP construction, activity validation, and application support. We support custom development of GPCRs, Claudins, TSPANs, ion channels, and other complex membrane proteins.

Optional services include site-specific labeling, diverse tag configurations, and tailored construct design. Our team also supports collaboration under CRA/NDA to meet the needs of biopharma partners and academic researchers.

Summary

The Beta LifeScience VLP Display Platform redefines how multi-pass transmembrane proteins are expressed and presented. By embedding full-length membrane proteins into virus-like particles, our technology preserves native conformation, exceptional stability, and true biological functionality—bridging the gap between in vitro preparation and in vivo performance.

Each VLP product is rigorously validated by ELISA to confirm authentic epitope exposure and strong antibody-binding responses. With >90% purity (HPLC-determined) and ultra-low endotoxin levels (<1 EU/µg, some <0.1 EU/µg), Beta LifeScience’s VLP-displayed membrane proteins meet the highest standards for immunization, antibody screening, and vaccine development.

Together, Beta LifeScience’s VLP Series delivers ready-to-use, high-activity, immunogen-grade multi-pass membrane proteins—empowering scientists and biopharma innovators to accelerate the next generation of precision immunotherapies and biologic drugs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)