Generalizable direct protein sequencing with InstaNexus

Marco Reverenna 1 | Maike Wennekers Nielsen 2,3 | Darian Stephan Wolff 2,3 | Jemma Daniel | Elpida Lytra 2,5 | Suthimon Thumtecho 2 | Pasquale D. Colaianni 1 | Anne Ljungars 2 | Andreas H. Laustsen 2 | Erwin M. Schoof 2 | Jeroen Van Goey 2 | Timothy P. Jenkins 2,4 | Marie V. Lukassen 2 | Alberto Santos 1 | Konstantinos Kalogeropoulos 2,4,5,6

1 Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark | 2 Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark | 3 Novonesis, 2800 Kongens, Lyngby, Denmark | 4 Center for Translational Protein Design, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark | 5 Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, Netherlands | 6 Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, 2629 HZ Delft, Netherlands

Published

ABSTRACT

Accurate determination of protein sequences is central to biology. Protein-based therapeutics, such as antibodies and nanobodies, are not encoded in reference genomes, challenging their accurate characterization via standard proteomics. Current methods rely on indirect inference, fragmented outputs, and labor-intensive workflows, which hinder functional insights and routine application. Here, we present a generalizable, end-to-end workflow for direct protein sequencing, combining streamlined sample preparation, AI-driven de novo peptide sequencing, and tailored assembly to reconstruct contiguous protein sequences. A novel composite scoring framework prioritizes longer assemblies and coverage, enhancing accuracy and reducing ambiguity. Validation across diverse protein modalities demonstrates its utility and ability to robustly sequence functionally critical regions of selected proteins. This workflow represents an advance in precision proteomics with promising applications in therapeutic discovery, immune profiling, and protein science.