Patent ID: 6194177
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: A61K,C07C,C07K

Abstract:
An isolated DNA molecule encoding a hybrid protein, wherein said hybrid protein comprises two different coexpressed amino acid sequences forming a heterodimer, each comprising:(a) at least one amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of a chain of a homomeric receptor, a chain of a heteromeric receptor, a ligand other than a gonadotropin, a fragment of said chain of said homomeric receptor, said chain of said heteromeric receptor or said ligand, wherein said ligand or fragment thereof retains ligand-receptor binding capability and said chain of said homomeric receptor or fragment thereof and said chain of said heteromeric receptor or fragment thereof retain ligand-receptor binding capability either alone or in association with a homologous or heterologous chain of said receptor; and(b) a subunit of a heterodimeric proteinaceous hormone, or a fragment thereof which retains the ability of the subunit to form a heterodimer with other subunits thereof;wherein sequences (a) and (b) are joined either directly or through a peptide linker, and in which the sequences (b) in each of said two different coexpressed sequences aggregate with each other to dimerize and form a heterodimer.