Gist-brocades N.v.

Chiron Corporation

Johan A Van Den Berg

Anthony J Brake

Krijn Rietveld

Albert Johannes Van Ooyen

DNA constructs that are useful for providing secretory expression of heterologous polypeptides in yeast comprising a DNA sequence that includes a Kluyveromyces .alpha.-factor leader sequence linked to the heterologous polypeptide by a yeast processing signal. Constructs employing the K. lactis .alpha.-factor leader and processing signal sequences, with and without spacer, linked to prochymosin are exemplified.

DNA constructs containing a kluyveromyces .alpha. factor leader sequence

DNA constructs containing a Kluyveromyces alpha factor leader sequence

Kluyveromyces hosts and DNA expression cassettes for use in Kluyveromyces are provided for transcription of endogenous and/or exogenous DNA, and production of peptides, for enhancing production of an endogenous product, or producing an exogenous product. The Kluyveromyces hosts find particular use for secretion of a desired peptide product, where signal sequences may be native to the peptide or provided from endogenous or exogenous signal sequences, including synthetic sequences, functional in Kluyveromyces. A transformation procedure is provided for efficiently transforming Kluyveromyces.

Growing community of inventors

Ad Reeuwijk, Netherlands

Johan A Van Den Berg