<p>This isn't bioinformatics but if you've still got a functioning spleen from the dead goat I'd try and make monoclonal antibodies via fusion under PEG. Whether it works for goats, I've no idea, works for mice if you're skilled enough at cellular biology (no-one here is that skilled).</p>
<p>I wouldn't even attempt to embark on the alternative strategy you are suggesting via reverse genetics from a mass spec. output. It's doable but needs a combination of bioinformaticians (need the goat genome; we can do that) and molecular biology specialists and the antibody is like two FAB arms fused together (not a traditional antibody). I forget what they are called, but it's an extremely specialist area.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about your goat BTW. RIP 'golden goat'.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-30T13:15:30.087Z
Thank you M__ for pointing out this is not (entirely) a bioinformatics question. I have gone ahead and asked the same question in the biology section, and got very useful information. You are absolutely right that this is a very specialized area. Going through the papers, it appeared to me that this problem can only be solved if possible at all via a cross-disciplinary approach, and bioinformatics is one of the key. Here is the link to the post on the biology stack exchange. https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/115566/is-it-possible-to-obtain-the-sequences-from-polyclonal-antibody-prote
John Tran
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-30T15:06:46.247Z
Thanks @JohnTran, upvotes or "accepts" are preferred to notes of thanks.
M__
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-29T19:46:27.450Z
2024-10-29T19:53:30.570Z
2024-10-29T19:53:30.570Z
M__
<p>We have been using pAbs from an immunized goat for quite a few years but now the goat died. We only have the antigen affinity purified pAb proteins. Is it possible to obtain the sequences?</p>
<p>We have immunized several other goats, the resulting pAbs performed far worse than the one 'golden goat' produced.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>

<proteins><mass-spectrometry>
Is it possible to obtain the sequences from polyclonal antibody protein mixture via mass spec?
# Is it possible to obtain the sequences from polyclonal antibody protein mixture via mass spec?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-10-29)

We have been using pAbs from an immunized goat for quite a few years but now the goat died. We only have the antigen affinity purified pAb proteins. Is it possible to obtain the sequences?

We have immunized several other goats, the resulting pAbs performed far worse than the one 'golden goat' produced.

Thank you.

**Tags:** proteins, mass-spectrometry

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-10-29. Score: 0

This isn't bioinformatics but if you've still got a functioning spleen from the dead goat I'd try and make monoclonal antibodies via fusion under PEG. Whether it works for goats, I've no idea, works for mice if you're skilled enough at cellular biology (no-one here is that skilled).

I wouldn't even attempt to embark on the alternative strategy you are suggesting via reverse genetics from a mass spec. output. It's doable but needs a combination of bioinformaticians (need the goat genome; we can do that) and molecular biology specialists and the antibody is like two FAB arms fused together (not a traditional antibody). I forget what they are called, but it's an extremely specialist area.

Sorry to hear about your goat BTW. RIP 'golden goat'.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you M__ for pointing out this is not (entirely) a bioinformatics question. I have gone ahead and asked the same question in the biology section, and got very useful information. You are absolutely right that this is a very specialized area. Going through the papers, it appeared to me that this problem can only be solved if possible at all via a cross-disciplinary approach, and bioinformatics is one of the key. Here is the link to the post on the biology stack exchange. https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/115566/is-it-possible-to-obtain-the-sequences-from-polyclonal-antibody-prote  
> **username_1**: Thanks @JohnTran, upvotes or "accepts" are preferred to notes of thanks.  

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