Entanglement Model of Antibody Viscosity

• DOI: 10.1021/jp500434b
• Publication Date: 2014-04-24T00:11:11Z
• Authors: Jeremy D. Schmit; Feng He; Shradha Mishra; Randal R. Ketchem; Christopher E. Woods; Bruce A. Kerwin
• Keywords: Globular protein; Volume viscosity

Antibody solutions are typically much more viscous than of globular proteins at equivalent volume fraction. Here we propose that this is due to molecular entanglements caused by the elongated shape and intrinsic flexibility antibody molecules. We present a simple theory in which antibodies modeled as linear polymers can grow via reversible bonds between antigen binding domains. This mechanism explains observation relatively subtle changes interparticle interaction lead large viscosity. The presence distinct power law regimes concentration dependence viscosity well correlation charge on variable domain our antistreptavidin IgG1 model system.