A High-Throughput Phage Display Screening Method Using a Combination of Real-Time PCR and Affinity Chromatography

Phage display is one of the best methods to identify drug targets, although technical problems including imprecision in quantifying phage and false-positive results are common. To address these difficulties, we propose two methods to more rapidly identify drug-binding phage particles. First, quantification of phage using SYBR Green Realtime PCR significantly improved accuracy and reproducibility. Second, affinity-column chromatography for selection of drug-binding phage particles concentrated particles more than a 96-well plate, making a phage amplification step, which can bias phage distribution, unnecessary. The methods proposed here should be suitable for high-throughput phagedisplay screenings and ultimately lead to more rapid identification of drug targets.