Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
In the method of producing a specific polypeptide involving expression of a heterologous structural gene therefor in a recombinant microbial cloning vehicle, the method comprising the steps of growing microbial transformants comprising such structural gene-containing vehicles and expressing the amino acid sequence encoded by such gene, the improvement wherein the structural gene is in reading phase with a DNA sequence coding for a protein other than said polypeptide so that expression yields a precursor protein comprising both the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and additional protein containing a selective cleavage site adjacent the amino acid sequence of said specific polypeptide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
In the method of producing a specific polypeptide involving expression of a heterologous structural gene therefor in a recombinant microbial cloning vehicle, the method comprising the steps of growing microbial transformants comprising such structural gene-containing vehicles and expressing the amino acid sequence encoded by such gene, the improvement wherein the structural gene is in reading phase with a DNA sequence coding for a protein other than said polypeptide so that expression yields a precursor protein comprising both the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and additional protein containing a selective cleavage site adjacent the amino acid sequence of said specific polypeptide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
132 words
In the method of producing a specific mammalian polypeptide hormone or intermediate therefor involving expression of a heterologous structural gene therefor in a recombinant bacterial plasmid wherein the structural gene is followed by one or more termination codons, the method comprising the steps of growing bacterial transformants comprising such structural gene-containing plasmids and expressing the amino acid sequence encoded by such gene, the improvement wherein the structural gene is preceded by and in reading phase with a DNA sequence coding for a protein other than said polypeptide so that expression yields a precursor protein comprising both the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and additional protein containing a selective cleavage site adjacent said polypeptide's amino acid sequence, whereafter cleavage is effected in a system exogenous to the replicative environment of the plasmid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
In the method of producing a specific mammalian polypeptide hormone or intermediate therefor involving expression of a heterologous structural gene therefor in a recombinant bacterial plasmid wherein the structural gene is followed by one or more termination codons, the method comprising the steps of growing bacterial transformants comprising such structural gene-containing plasmids and expressing the amino acid sequence encoded by such gene, the improvement wherein the structural gene is preceded by and in reading phase with a DNA sequence coding for a protein other than said polypeptide so that expression yields a precursor protein comprising both the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and additional protein containing a selective cleavage site adjacent said polypeptide's amino acid sequence, whereafter cleavage is effected in a system exogenous to the replicative environment of the plasmid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said additional protein is superfluous and wherein following expression the precursor protein is cleaved at said site.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said superfluous protein comprises one or more amino acid sequences corresponding to that of the polypeptide, and wherein all amino acid sequences of the polypeptide in the precursor protein are separated, one from the other, by selective cleavage sites.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 3 wherein cleavage is effected in a system exogenous to the replicative environment of the cloning vehicle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said polypeptide contains no similar selective cleavage site.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide lacks arginine and lysine and wherein said selective cleavage site is cleaved by trypsin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide lacks arginine, said selective cleavage site is cleaved by trypsin, and any lysine contained in said amino acid sequence is first protected against cleavage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said polypeptide is methionine-free and wherein cleavage is effected with cyanogen bromide.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of any one of claims 1, 3, 6 or 9 wherein said vehicle is a bacterial plasmid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of either claim 3 or claim 6 wherein said vehicle is a bacterial plasmid and wherein said specific polypeptide is a mammalian hormone or an intermediate therefor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the precursor protein lacks the bioactivity of the hormone.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said hormone is selected from the group consisting of somatostatin and insulin.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the selective cleavage agent is cyanogen bromide and wherein the desired cleavage product is methionine-free.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the cleavage product is somatostatin.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
29 words
The method of any of claims 3, 5, 9 or 2 wherein said polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of the A and B chains of human insulin.