In vivo selection system for enzyme activity

US7476500B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• President and Fellows of Harvard College · US

Inventors

• David R. Liu · Lexington, US
• Zev Jordan Gartner · San Francisco, US
• Daniel Rosenbaum · Burlingame, US
• Mathias Gruen · Jena, DE
• Jeffrey Doyon · Brookline, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 19, 2002
• Grant date: Jan 13, 2009
• Expiry date: Mar 19, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N15/1034
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides in vivo systems in which activity of a biological cleavage enzyme, such as a site-specific recombinase, a homing endonuclease, or an intein, is linked to cell viability and therefore can be selected. The invention further provides methods of making cells in which the activity of a biological cleavage enzyme is linked to viability, as well as methods of identifying new biological cleavage enzymes, including enzymes having altered site specificity, using such cells.