Nanobodies: their potential for applications in biotechnology, diagnosis and antiviral properties in Africa; focus on application in agriculture

Antibodies are key elements in routine immunological tests, having a long history detection of plant pathogens due to their specificity, reliability and fast performance. Heavy chain-only antibodies (HCAbs), circulating the blood camels IgG isotypes that lack light (L) chains heavy (H) chain is depleted first constant domain (CH1). The HCAbs interact with antigen by virtue only one single variable domain, referred as VHH or nanobody (Nb). Owing unique properties: nanometer scale size, robust structure, stable soluble behaviour aqueous solution, high affinity specificity for cognate target, well sustainable source, Nbs an ideal research tool plants. There several rapid techniques isolating highly specific Nbs. Antigen-specific selected from constructed libraries (immune, naïve, synthetic) binders retrieved phage display, yeast display ribosome display. Their small easy folding monomeric units possibility express cytosol, make them attractive application engineer resistance against pathogens, effect multiple combined gene stacking can be studied. We summarize current methodologies isolation production Nbs, nanobody-mediated pathogens. In addition, we explore novel implementations VHHs agricultural research.Supplemental data this article available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2021.1974943 .