MAPs
Four or eight copies of peptide are synthesized on a branched lysine; therefore, MAP peptides perform like large proteins.
MAP peptides are injected directly with an adjuvant for antibody production; no carrier protein is required.
The MAP technique favors N-terminal or internal peptides because the peptide is linked through the C-terminus. In contrast, KLH-conjugation favors C-terminal peptides. However, the KLH carrier might cause steric hindrance.
MAP peptides might result in a slightly higher titer than KLH-conjugated peptides due to their structure. The MAP design maximizes the antigen concentration because the synthesized peptide-antigen accounts for up to 95% of the total weight of the final product.
With MAPs, a known amount of peptide can be used for immunization each time, giving greater control over the experimental conditions.