University of Louisville Research Foundation

Adam Husk

Nobuyuki Matoba

Sudha Sankaran

Methods for producing antibodies are provided and include transforming a plant cell with a nucleic acid encoding a heavy chain of an antibody, a light chain of an antibody, and a linking polypeptide connecting the heavy chain to the light chain. The nucleic acid is then expressed in the plant cell, such that, upon expression the linking polypeptide is cleaved to separate the heavy chain from the light chain. Isolated nucleic acid sequences, expression vectors, and transformed plant cells useful for producing the antibodies are also provided. Further provided are methods for treating a viral infection and include the steps of obtaining an antibody produced by the above-described methods and then administering the antibody to a subject.

Methods for producing antibodies

A polypeptide is provided that comprises an actinohivin variant polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS: 4-12. The polypeptide can be provided as part of a fusion protein that includes the actinohivin variant polypeptide and either a fragment crystallizable domain of an antibody (Fc), a fragment antigen-binding domain of an antibody (Fab), or a single chain variable fragment of an antibody (scFv). Isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding the polypeptides are also provided along with vectors and plant cells capable of expressing the polypeptides. Methods of treating an infection of a subject by an enveloped virus are further provided and include administering an effective amount of the polypeptides to a subject.

Growing community of inventors

Owensboro, KY, United States of America

Adam Husk