R Elaine Fulton

Title: R Elaine Fulton: Innovator in Antibody Engineering

Introduction

R Elaine Fulton is a distinguished inventor based in Medicine Hat, Canada. He has made significant contributions to the field of antibody engineering, holding a total of four patents. His work focuses on developing innovative solutions for combating viral infections, particularly through the engineering of antibodies.

Latest Patents

One of his latest patents is titled "Fusion protein of human IgG1 heavy chain constant region and scFv antibody against equine encephalitis virus." This invention involves the construction of a recombinant gene fusion that encodes a human IgG1 heavy chain constant region and a single-chain variable fragment antibody of the 1A4A1 monoclonal antibody. The recombinant antibody confers human immune effector functions on murine antibodies. After expression in bacteria as inclusion bodies, the antibody was purified and refolded in vitro. The soluble antibody retains high antigen-binding affinity to Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE) and exhibits some human IgG crystallizable fragment domain functions. Analysis through non-reducing gel electrophoresis revealed disulfide bond formation in the hinge region of the recombinant antibody, confirming its native, functionally active form and providing a basis for characterizing its efficacy in vivo.

Another notable patent is "Genetic engineering of streptavidin-binding peptide tagged single-chain variable fragment antibody to Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus." This invention describes a recombinant gene encoding a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody against VEE, which is cloned into a prokaryotic T7 RNA polymerase-regulated expression vector. A streptavidin-binding peptide (SBP) sequence fused to a 6His tag is attached downstream to the scFv gene. The recombinant fusion protein is expressed in bacteria and purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. ELISA and Western blotting results demonstrated that the fusion protein retained VEE antigen binding and specificity properties similar to its parent native monoclonal antibody while also possessing streptavidin-binding activity. This discovery eliminates the need for chemical biotinylation of antibodies, reducing the risk of denaturation and providing a stable reagent for rapid immunoassays of VEE.

Career Highlights

R Elaine Fulton has worked with notable organizations, including Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence. His work in these institutions