PLAbDab-nano: a database of camelid and shark nanobodies from patents and literature
2025

PLAbDab-nano: a database of camelid and shark nanobodies

Sample size: 4913 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Gordon Gemma L, Greenshields-Watson Alexander, Agarwal Parth, Wong Ashley, Boyles Fergus, Hummer Alissa, Lujan Hernandez Ana G, Deane Charlotte M

Primary Institution: University of Oxford

Conclusion

PLAbDab-nano is a freely available database that contains nearly 5000 annotated nanobody sequences, providing a valuable resource for research and therapeutic development.

Supporting Evidence

  • PLAbDab-nano contains approximately 5000 annotated VHH and VNAR sequences.
  • The database is designed to be self-updating as new publications and patents arise.
  • PLAbDab-nano is the first database to collate VNAR data into one central repository.
  • Users can search the database based on sequence identity, structural similarity, or keywords.
  • Entries in PLAbDab-nano are sourced from patents, literature, and crystal structures.

Takeaway

This study created a big online library of special proteins called nanobodies that come from camels and sharks, which can help scientists make new medicines.

Methodology

The database was created by collecting and curating nanobody sequences from various public sources, including GenBank and other antibody databases.

Potential Biases

There is a risk of including sequences that are not verified as single-domain antibodies due to high similarity with conventional antibodies.

Limitations

The database relies on publicly available data, which may limit the volume of sequences collected, especially those not submitted to repositories.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1093/nar/gkae881

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