Merck + Co., Inc.

Joy D Applebaum

Marvin L Bayne

Margaret A Cascieri

A synthetic gene encoding a 71-amino acid analog of human insulin-like grouwth factor (hIGF-I) has been constructed and expressed in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The protein analog, IGF132, contains the first 17 amino acids of the B chain of human insulin in place of the first 16 amino acids of hIGF-I. The purified hybrid protein has high affinity for the type I IGF recepto (12 nM) yet has drastically reduced affinity for human serum carrier proteins (&gt;1000 nM). This analog is 5 to 10 times more active than normal hIGF-I in stimulating DNA synthesis in 3T3 cells and is a more active growth factor in vivo due to its reduced affinity for serum carrier proteins. Other proteins with similar properties have also been constructed. The protein analogs thus have a variety of utilities such as in promoting lactation in animals; promoting growth and feed efficiency in animals; improving carcass quality by increasing lean and decreasing fat; promoting wound healing in animals, including humans; promoting glucose utilization in skeletal muscle, and stimulating erythropoiesis, the production of red blood cells.

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North Brunswick, NJ, United States of America

Joy D Applebaum