Chiron Corporation

Kosan Biosciences Incorporated

Gryphon Therapeutics, Inc.

Michael A Siani

Daniel V Santi

Ronald N Zuckermann

Verena D Heubner

Chaitan Khosla

Stephen B H Kent

Reyna J Simon

Ralph C Reid

Jeffrey M Blaney

Jill Wilken

Methods for the computational analysis of polyketides and the computer-assisted design of PKS genes are facilitated by representing the structure of a polyketide and/or a PKS gene that encodes the PKS that produces the polyketide by alphanumeric symbols that facilitates computer assisted analysis. A database of polyketides and corresponding PKS genes that can be rapidly searched and information extracted for a variety of applications, including the design and specification of PKS genes via the recombining of modules or portions of modules or sets of modules from already known and available PKS genes.

Design of polyketide synthase genes

Novel proteins and protein libraries are disclosed. The proteins possess one or more functional protein modules from different parent protein molecules. The proteins and protein libraries are exemplified by the preparation of cross-over chemokines that contain various combinations of peptide segments derived from RANTES, SDS-1 and vMIP-I and to vMIP-II. The proteins and libraries are extremely pure and can be provided in non-limiting high yields suitable for diagnostic and high-throughput screening assays.

Modular protein libraries and methods of preparation

Method and apparatus for synthesizing biopolymers, such as polypeptides and polynucleotides. The apparatus includes plural reaction vessels in which subunit coupling to biopolymers in a particle suspension is carried out. The vessels are connected to common valving structure for use in mixing the suspension and removing suspension liquid. In one embodiment, a robotic arm in the apparatus is operable to transfer reaction solution to the reaction vessels, and to transfer particle suspensions from the reaction vessels to a mixing vessel and back to the reaction vessels. The method can be used to produce preferably equi-molar amounts of different-sequence biopolymers, such as polypeptides and polynucleotides.

Method and apparatus for biopolymer synthesis

A method for generating multiple mimics of an active site of a molecule, such as a protein, using computer modeling of the active site. A putative active site is identified, and the amino acids, or residues, purportedly responsible for the biological activity in question are located. These are represented as virtual residues in a model of the active site. The method generates many different possible representations of the active site of the selected protein, presenting the user with a choice of premodeled molecules for synthesis and testing as a substitute for the protein.

Method and apparatus for mimicking protein active sites

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Michael A Siani