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Previously
As university-based principal
investigators and protein
molecular
biology group leaders, we performed bioinformatic protein
analysis
and annotation work including
epitope prediction, for
ourselves,
collaborators,
and clients in
industry, research institutes,
universities and hospital research departments.
This experience spanned more
than a decade.
Now
ePitope Informatics is an
Internet-based applied
bioinformatics
company of scientists providing a
range of protein analysis and
annotation
services. A particular focus is epitope prediction for the
identification and targeting of protein B cell epitopes.
We work in areas that include diagnostics,
therapeutics, life
science
research, and commercial antibody production.
For service provision,
we utilise:
 higher
performance computing facilities.
a
large collection of
up-to-date, commercially licensed,
proprietary and open access scientific
databases and
software, including licensed Discovery Studio software
(DS
Visualiser, DS Viewer, and DS Gene) from Accelrys, and
Omiga™ 2.0 (Genetics Computer Group (GCG)/Oxford
Molecular - now
Accelrys).
the latest
resources for secure Internet-based operation and
service delivery.
Our Aims
At ePitope Informatics, our goal is to
achieve the highest quality of
service and support possible for all users.
We also aim to keep our services:
 at the
cutting-edge of proteome analysis (see below).
relevant to
scientists' needs by constructively responding to
feedback.
accessible and easy to use.
The bigger picture
From genome to proteome
Genes encode proteins. The exponential increase in genetic
information
from the Human Genome Project and other genome
sequencing efforts, is
producing a vast wealth of protein sequence
information. As genome
sequencing projects are completed,
research emphasis will increasingly
redirect towards the proteome,
the protein complement of an organism.
Accordingly, this shift in
emphasis will heighten the importance of
proteomics, the study of
an organism's proteome, and especially in the areas
of diagnostics,
therapeutics (more than 95% of drug targets are proteins),
and cell
and molecular biology.
Proteomics target molecules
Thus, genome sequencing is just the beginning. The structure and
function of most of the proteins encoded by the tens of thousands
of genes
being sequenced, remain to be determined. Further
increases in the number of
different proteins for investigation occur
as a result of:
 post-translational modification of proteins in cells.
proteins with
multiple functions (in the same and different
cells) that may be
regulated by post-translational
modification.
cell, tissue
and individual variations in the same protein
(structure, function,
activity) that occur as a result of innate
and acquired differences in
genome and/or coding sequences.
Antibodies and epitopes
Epitopes are regions on molecules that specifically bind antibodies
(see rotating protein molecule on home page). With
regard to
protein epitopes, antibodies are key tools for investigating:
protein
structure, function and activity.
protein
expression and location.
protein
interaction with other macromolecules and small
molecules.
Antibody applications include:
immunoassays.
immunodiagnosis.
vaccine
production.
immunoconjugate production (toxins, drugs, isotopes).
immunotherapy
(e.g. of cancer, autoimmune and other
inflammatory diseases and allergic conditions).
immunosensors.
New technologies utilising antibodies for
proteomics studies and
diagnostics, include :
rapid
profiling protein arrays (protein-antibody interactions on
high-throughput protein arrays).
high-throughput ELISA protein array systems.
atomic force
microscopy arrays (detects antibody-protein
interactions at high
sensitivity without the need for tagging).
(click here for references).
The exponential increase in the number of
target protein sequences
and structures becoming available, combined with
this wide variety
of antibody applications, will generate the need for a
greatly
increased number of new antibodies.
The role of ePitope Informatics
Our goal is to enhance and promote antibody production by offering
services for the identification, analysis and targeting of epitopes
present
at the surface of proteins.
Future goals
Longer term aims for ePitope Informatics include:
broadening
the range of services offered, possibly to include:
-
prediction of discontinuous
(conformational) epitopes.
-
protein homology modelling.
-
T cell epitope prediction and analysis.
-
examination of entire protein sequence of
interest for
the presence of protease cut sites, amino acid
sequence
motifs and identity to databased proteins.
-
reviewing available
literature and wider searching of specialist protein databases for
content relevant to epitope prediction and target molecule of interest.
being an
educational facility for undergraduate and
postgraduate students seeking
to pursue a period of time in
industry as part of an intercalated degree
course.
In this situation, ePitope Informatics would aim to provide a
supportive
and stimulating, high quality teaching and
learning environment for the
pursuit of research project
work in the areas of pure and applied
bioinformatics.
This page was last updated:
Tuesday January 22, 2008
Copyright © 2000 - 2008
ePitope Informatics
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Consensus epitope prediction
(Human DNA
repair protein,
MGMT - peak
epitope residues
shown in gold).
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