Biolex Therapeutics, Inc.

Biolex, Inc.

John Gasdaska

Lynn F Dickey

Kevin Cox

Charles G Peele

David Spencer

Xiaowei Wang

Anne-Marie Stomp

Lynn Dickey

The present invention provides biologically active variants of human &#x3b1;-2b-interferon. The variants contain carboxy terminus truncations when compared with the amino acid sequence of full-length human &#x3b1;-2b-interferon. It is the novel finding of the present invention that these truncated variants have the biological activity of full-length human &#x3b1;-2b-interferon. The invention encompasses these biologically active variant &#x3b1;-interferons, as well as polynucleotides encoding these interferons. Expression cassettes comprising these polynucleotides and host cells comprising the expression cassettes are also provided. The invention also provides compositions comprising variant &#x3b1;-interferon polypeptides and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

C-terminally truncated interferon alpha variants

Methods, nucleic acid sequences, and transformed duckweed plant or duckweed nodule cultures for the expression and the secretion of biologically active polypeptides from genetically engineered duckweed are provided. Expression of recombinant polypeptides in duckweed is improved by modifying the nucleotide sequence of the expression cassette encoding the polypeptide for improved expression in duckweed. Recovery of biologically active polypeptides from duckweed is improved by linking the biologically active polypeptide to a signal peptide that directs the secretion of the polypeptide into the culture medium.

Expression of biologically active polypeptides in duckweed

The present invention provides methods and compositions for the production of recombinant plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof in a duckweed expression system. It is the novel finding of the present invention that a duckweed expression system may be used to produce high levels of plasminogen and microplasminogen. The duckweed-produced plasminogen and microplasminogen can be activated to produce a polypeptide having protease activity. Thus, the invention encompasses methods for the expression of plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof in duckweed, duckweed plants that are transformed with expression cassettes for the expression of plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof, and nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof, where these nucleotide sequences are modified to enhance their expression in duckweed.

Expression of plasminogen and microplasminogen in duckweed

Expression of plasminogen and microplasminogen in duck weed

Methods, nucleic acid sequences, and transformed duckweed plant or duckweed nodule cultures for the expression and the secretion of biologically active polypeptides from genetically engineered duckweed are provided. Expression of recombinant polypeptides in duckweed is improved by modifying the nucleotide sequence of the expression cassette encoding the polypeptide for improved expression in duckweed. Recovery of biologically active polypeptides from duckweed is improved by linking the biologically active polypeptide to a signal peptide that directs the secretion of the polypeptide into the culture medium. Methods of producing recombinant monoclonal antibodies having effector function, and antibodies produced by these methods are provided.

Expression of monoclonal antibodies in duckweed

Expression of biologically active polypeptide in duckweed

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Carrboro, NC, United States of America

John Gasdaska