Inventors:
Desmond Mascarenhas - Sunnyvale CA
Yang Zhang - Sunnyvale CA
Pamela S. Olson - Cupertino CA
David R. Olsen - Menlo Park CA
Pedro A. Cohen - San Francisco CA
Assignee:
Celtrix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Santa Clara CA
International Classification:
C12N 119, C12N 1562, C07K 1400
Abstract:
The invention is directed to the use of a fusion partner that does not contain a leader sequence, as a means to increase the solubility and activity of recombinant polypeptides by facilitating the expression of fusion proteins, which are then transported out of the cytoplasm. The invention includes a nucleic acid encoding a fusion polypeptide comprising a mature interleukin-1-like polypeptide or a leader-deleted-translocating polypeptide, and a polypeptide of interest; as well as host cells comprising such nucleic acids, and fusion proteins so encoded. The invention also encompasses methods of using such nucleic acids to produce recombinant fusion polypeptides, mature polypeptides of interest, and purified compositions thereof.