Columbia University

Woods Hole Oceanographic' Institution

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Martin Chalfie

Douglas Prasher

William W Ward

Jonathan Rothblatt

Jang-Hee Hahn

James J Taub

Charles Ma

This invention provides a composition comprising an amount of a polypeptide effective to increase the life-span of cells wherein the polypeptide has the amino acid sequence of a cytosolic catalase and a suitable carrier. This invention also provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a cytosolic catalase. This invention also provides a host vector system for the production of a polypeptide having the biological activity of catalase which comprises the above-described vectors in a suitable host. This invention also provides a method for prolonging cell life, comprising: (a) linking the above-described nucleic acids to a regulatory element such that the expression of the above-described nucleic acids is under the control of the regulatory element; and (b) introducing the linked nucleic acid into cells for expression of the nucleic acid, thereby prolonging cell life.

Method for increasing life-span

Green fluorescent protein

A pre-coelenterazine peptide comprising a modified A. victoria GFP having an amino acid sequence in which Ser.sup.65 is replaced with Tyr. There is further provided a polynucleotide encoding the pre-coelenterazine peptide, allowing synthesis of large, pure amounts of coelenterazine.

Expression of a gene for a modified green-fluorescent protein

This invention provides a cell comprising a DNA molecule having a regulatory element from a gene, other than a gene encoding a green-fluorescent protein operatively linked to a DNA sequence encoding the green-fluorescent protein. This invention also provides a method for selecting cells expressing a protein of interest which comprises: a. introducing into the cells a DNAI molecule having DNA sequence encoding the protein of interest and DNAII molecule having DNA sequence encoding a green-fluorescent protein; b. culturing the introduced cells in conditions permitting expression of the green-fluorescent protein and the protein of interest; and c. selecting the cultured cells which express green-fluorescent protein, thereby selecting cells expressing the protein of interest. Finally, this invention provides various uses of a green-fluorescent protein.

Uses of green-fluorescent protein

Growing community of inventors

New York, NY, United States of America

Martin Chalfie