Hsp Research Institute, Inc.

Hideki Yanagi

Takashi Yura

Jun Ikeda

Kazuyo Sogo

Masayasu Matsumoto

Sumiko Kaneda

Yoichi Kurokawa

Tadahiko Yoshima

Kyosuke Haze

Kazutoshi Mori

Hiderou Yoshida

An artificial operon comprising polynucleotides encoding each of DsbA, DsbB, DsbC and DsbD; an expression plasmid carrying the above artificial operon, usable for expression of DsbA, DsbB, DsbC and DsbD; a cotransformant harboring the above expression plasmid and an expression vector for a foreign protein; and a method for producing a foreign protein comprising culturing the cotransformant.

DsbA/DsbB/DsbC/DsbD expression plasmid

A factor capable of efficiently regulating expression of an endoplasmic chaperone gene, a nucleic acid encoding it, a complementary strand nucleic acid thereof, a method for regulating expression of an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone gene, and a method for expressing a foreign gene is provided. The endoplasmic reticulum stress transcription factor is capable of regulating transcription-inducing activity, wherein the transcription-inducing activity is exhibited by an element having the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1 or an element having a nucleotide sequence resulting from substitution of 1 to 3 bases with other bases in the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1. A method for controlling expression of an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, comprising expressing the factor; a method for expressing a foreign protein, comprising positively regulating expression of an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone gene by the method for controlling expression; and a nucleic acid encoding activated form of ATF6, activated form of CREB-RP, suppressive form of ATF6, or suppressive form of CREB-RP, or the complementary strand thereto are also provided. It is expected to be applied to treatment or prophylaxis of cancers, arteriosclerosis, cystic fibrosis, ischemic diseases, wounds or ulcers.

Isolated nucleic acids encoding activated and suppressive forms of ATF6

To provide a heat shock transcription factor (HSF) 2 binding factor, which can be involved in the transcriptional regulation of HSP70.2 playing an essential role in spermatogenesis; a DNA encoding the binding factor; an expression vector carrying the DNA; a transformant harboring the expression vector; a process for preparing a recombinant protein comprising the step of culturing the transformant; an antibody or a fragment thereof capable of specifically binding to the binding factor; an antisense DNA or antisense RNA complementary to the DNA; and an oligonudeotide probe or primer capable of specifically hybridizing to the DNA.

Heat shock transcription factor-binding protein

An artificial operon comprising genes encoding each of a trigger factor, GroEL and GroES, an expression plasmid carrying the operon, an expression plasmid carrying a gene encoding the trigger factor, a cotransformant harboring an expression vector for a foreign protein and any one of the expression plasmids, and a method for producing a foreign protein comprising expressing a foreign protein by the use of the cotransformant, which are capable of expressing a foreign protein in a solubilized form and in a state of having a correct conformation.

Trigger factor expression plasmids

An artificial operon comprising polynucleotides encoding each of chaperones DnaK, DnaJ and GrpE; an expression plasmid carrying the operon; a cotransformant prepared by introducing the expression plasmid into E. coli together with a foreign protein expression vector; and a method for producing a foreign protein comprising using the cotransformant.

Chaperone expression plasmids

A polypeptide obtainable by inducement under hypoxic conditions having a sequence comprising:

Stress proteins

A polypeptide obtainable by inducement under hypoxic conditions having a sequence comprising: (a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or 3 or a fragment thereof; (b) an amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4 or a fragment thereof; or (c) an amino acid sequence resulting from deletion, addition, insertion or substitution of one or more amino acids in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or 3; a polynucleotide encoding the above polypeptide or the fragment thereof useful for producing the above polypeptide by a biotechnological technique; and an antibody or fragment thereof specifically binding the above polypeptide.

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Takarazuka, Japan

Hideki Yanagi