ABSTRACT
Information in biological systems is contained and passed on through genes, while the traits of a biological system are given by the functions of encoded proteins and other macromolecules. In molecular biology, the focus of research is the function of biological macromolecules, especially proteins, which are studied in an isolated setting, allowing us to develop our understanding of biological systems. However, these studies are usually limited to a small set of states that can be established in the experiment. With phage display, we can study proteins and protein-protein interactions on a combinatorial scale. This means that it is possible to probe billions of different protein variants simultaneously. Phage display can be applied to the generation of afnity reagents, which are invaluable tools for diagnostics and therapeutic development. The technology can also be used for improving protein stability and for identifying and mapping natural protein-protein interactions in detail.
