Nanobodies: Biotechnological development and applications

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies are one the most revolutionary tools in the biomedicine area for having immunotherapeutic and immunodiagnostic applications. However, the rapid technological advance demanded by these areas generates the exploration of new biomolecules. The discovery of antibodies composed solely of heavy chains, naturally present in the camelids’ serum and some shark species, has been the subject of study since the last decades as an alternative to conventional antibodies. These have an antigen recognition region, which consists of a variable domain for each chain, known as single domain antibodies or nanobodies. These biomolecules are characterized by having a small size, high specificity, stability, and low cost in their production; properties that make them a highly versatile tool. This review will address relevant aspects of nanobodies, such as their discovery, structural characteristics, development in the field of biotechnology, and their potential for application in diseases such as cancer and in the identification of microorganisms.