Patent ID: 7642071
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: C12N,C12P,C12Y

Abstract:
1. A method for producing a chondroitin polymer in vivo, comprising the steps of: providing a purified nucleic acid segment encoding an enzymatically active chondroitin synthase, wherein the chondroitin synthase is a single protein that is a dual-action transferase that catalyzes the polymerization of UDP-GIcUA and UDP-GaINAc to form chondroitin, and wherein the purified nucleic acid segment comprises at least one of: providing a Gram-positive host cell; placing the purified nucleic acid segment encoding the enzymatically active chondroitin synthase in the Gram-positive host cell, thereby providing a recombinant Gram-positive host cell having a purified nucleic acid segment encoding an enzymatically active chondroitin synthase therein; placing the recombinant Gram-positive host cell in a medium suitable for the expression of the enzymatically active chondroitin synthase, whereby a chondroitin polymer is produced; and isolating the chondroitin polymer.