Category Archives: Blog

Affinity and fusion tags make recombinant proteins easier to express, purify, and detect. Yet a tag can also become an experimental variable. For studies that depend on the target’s structure, activity, or molecular interactions, a tag-free final product may be preferable. This article explains what tag-free means, when tag removal is useful, how it is done, and which properties still need to be verified after purification.

Kir7.1, an inwardly rectifying potassium channel encoded by the KCNJ13 gene, is a member of the Kir channel family. In 2026, Kir7.1 research advanced rapidly in both structural biology and precision therapeutic development. Multi-state Cryo-EM structures revealed how phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂), cholesterol, and bioactive steroids modulate channel conformation; prime editing of the KCNJ13 L144P variant restored channel function; and anticodon-engineered transfer RNA (ACE-tRNA) promoted targeted readthrough of the W53X premature termination codon and improved electroretinographic responses in Leber congenital amaurosis type 16 (LCA16) mouse model [1–3]. Additional structural studies clarified the molecular basis of the R162W loss-of-function phenotype and the pore-blocking mechanism of ML418 [5,10]. Together, these advances position Kir7.1 at the intersection of retinal ion homeostasis, channel structural biology, and precision therapy.

Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 (EMP2) is emerging as a promising membrane protein target in cancer therapy. Recent studies have explored EMP2-targeting strategies, including siRNA delivery systems, monoclonal antibodies, and ADCs, demonstrating potential in suppressing tumor progression and modulating the tumor immune microenvironment.

DIMA Biotechnology provides in-stock biotin-labeled full-length membrane proteins prepared using Nanodisc technology. Expressed in mammalian cells to preserve native conformation and biological function, these proteins effectively support SPR/BLI binding analysis, antibody discovery, CAR-T positivity assessment, and research on challenging membrane protein targets.

The approval of the world’s first CAR-T therapy for solid tumors not only marks a new milestone in CAR-T treatment, but also brings CLDN18.2 into the spotlight as a highly attractive target. During CAR-T development, accurately and reliably detecting CAR positivity is an important foundation for evaluating product quality and functional performance.