Biophysical Properties of Camelid VHH Domains Compared to Those of Human VH3 Domains

Camelidae possess an unusual form of antibodies lacking the light chains. The variable domain of these heavy chain antibodies (V(HH)) is not paired, while the V(H) domain of all other antibodies forms a heterodimer with the variable domain of the light chain (V(L)), held together by a hydrophobic interface. Here, we analyzed the biophysical properties of four camelid V(HH) fragments (H14, AMD9, RN05, and CA05) and two human consensus V(H)3 domains with different CDR3 loops to gain insight into factors determining stability and aggregation of immunoglobulin domains. We show by denaturant-induced unfolding equilibria that the free energies of unfolding of V(HH) fragments are characterized by Delta G(N-U) values between 21.1 and 35.0 kJ/mol and thus lie in the upper range of values for V(H) fragments from murine and human antibodies. Nevertheless, the V(HH) fragments studied here did not reach the high values between 39.7 and 52.7 kJ/mol of the human consensus V(H)3 domains with which they share the highest degree of sequence similarity. Temperature-induced unfolding of the V(HH) fragments that were studied proved to be reversible, and the binding affinity after cooling was fully retained. The melting temperatures were determined to be between 60.1 and 66.7 degrees C. In contrast, the studied V(H)3 domains aggregated during temperature-induced denaturation at 63-65 degrees C. In summary, the camelid V(HH) fragments are characterized by a favorable but not unusually high stability. Their hallmark is the ability to reversibly melt without aggregation, probably mediated by the surface mutations characterizing the V(HH) domains, which allow them to regain binding activity after heat renaturation.