PEGylation is a chemical modification where covalent attachment of one or more poly(ethylene glycol) chains to another molecule most commonly occurs. The diploma deals only with PEGylation and binding techniques of poly(ethylene glycol) chains to proteins primarily used for therapeutic purposes. In general, it increases stability, prolongs blood retention time, decreases proteolytic enzyme decomposition of the therapeutic protein and elimination of protein from the kidney, resulting in less frequent application. In addition, it improves solubility and reduces immunogenicity. The major part of the diploma is devoted to the description of various techniques of PEGylation. Their knowledge is crucial for the successful design of PEGylated molecules, as each technique gives us a differently defined product. Finally, the work provides insight into the purification and characterization of PEGylated proteins.
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