A Modular Chromosomally Integrated Yeast Surface Display Platform for Quantitative Serology and Immune Profiling

Abstract

Precise quantification of antigen-specific antibodies is essential for assessing immune status and fundamental to both clinical and research settings. However, current serological platforms remain limited in their ability to combine quantitative performance, flexibility, and scalability. Here, we present a chromosomally integrated yeast surface display (YSD) system engineered for stable, quantitative, and scalable antibody profiling. Genomic integration of the YSD cassette supports uniform antigen presentation without continuous selective pressure, reducing variability associated with plasmid-based systems. Two distinct cell-wall anchoring strategies are implemented within a modular synthetic framework that enables rapid, cloning-free strain construction. Coupled with flow-cytometric readout, the system provides sensitive detection of antigen-specific antibodies with single-cell normalization for antigen expression. In addition, the combination of barcoded YSD strain libraries with fluorescence-activated cell sorting and next-generation sequencing enables multiplexed serological profiling across multiple samples and antigens. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate quantitative antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 and extend the approach to hepatitis virus antigens, highlighting the utility of this platform as a flexible framework for serological assay development and immune profiling.