Hemoglobin-like protein comprising genetically fused globin-like polypeptides
US5844088A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 19, 1995 |
| Grant date | Dec 1, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC07K2319/92
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The alpha subunits of hemoglobin, which in nature are formed as separate polypeptide chains which bind noncovalently to the beta subunits, are here provided in the form of the novel molecule di-alpha globin, a single polypeptide chain defined by connecting the two alpha subunits either directly via peptide bond or indirectly by a flexible amino acid or peptide linker. Di-alpha globin may be combined in vivo or in vitro with beta globin and heme to form hemoglobin. Di-alpha globin is expressed by recombinant DNA techniques. Di-beta globin may be similarly obtained. We further describe the production of tetrameric human hemoglobin and di-alpha/beta.sub.2 hemoglobin in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The synthesis of the protein is directed by a synthetic promotor consisting of two functional parts, an upstream activator sequence (UAS) that confers inducible transcription by galactose from a consensus yeast transcriptional initiation site. The expression construct is designed such that translation is expected to initiate at the same position as the human wild-type genes for .alpha.- and .beta.-globin. Three different types of expression vectors have been used: (1) .alpha.-globin a…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.