Patent · US Expired

Intein-mediated protein ligation of expressed proteins

US6849428B1 · kind B1 · utility

46Cited by
10References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 12, 1999
Grant dateFeb 1, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 12, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC07K2319/92
  • WIPO fieldBiotechnology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method for the ligation of expressed proteins which utilizes inteins, for example the RIR1 intein from Methanobacterium thermotrophicum, is provided. Constructs of the Mth RIR1 intein in which either the C-terminal asparagine or N-terminal cysteine of the intein are replaced with alanine enable the facile isolation of a protein with a specified N-terminal, for example, cysteine for use in the fusion of two or more expressed proteins. The method involves the steps of generating a C-terminal thioester-tagged target protein and a second target protein having a specified N-terminal via inteins, such as the modified Mth RIR1 intein, and ligating these proteins. A similar method for producing a cyclic or polymerized protein is provided. Modified inteins engineered to cleave at their C-terminus or N-terminus, respectively, and DNA and plasmids encoding these modified inteins are also provided.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.