Peptide Mapping Of AAV By LC-MS

The capsid of Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) is composed of the viral proteins VP1, VP2 and VP3, which come together in a 1:1:10 ratio to form an icosahedral structure. There are at least 13 different variants (serotypes) of AAV, as well as a growing number of novel engineered serotypes. The high sequence homology between the different serotypes represents a challenge in establishing a specific test for confirming the identity of AAV products.

Peptide mapping by Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) is a highly-selective technique that can be used to identify capsid proteins by confirming the protein sequence. This approach can be used to identify and quantify post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as deamidation, oxidation, phosphorylation and acetylation. Certain PTMs can impact the potency of AAV and so it is important that these are characterized during development of the product.

Continue reading to learn how our assay packages and phase-appropriate assay development and validation capabilities provide the product and process knowledge you need to develop a Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP) and identify the Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) for your therapy.