Source: http://www.google.es/patents/US7527966?dq=flatulence
Timestamp: 2015-11-29 01:48:39
Document Index: 302438276

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patente US7527966 - Gene regulation in transgenic animals using a transposon-based vector - Google PatentesB�squeda Im�genes Maps Play YouTube Noticias Gmail Drive M�s »Iniciar sesi�n B�squeda avanzada de patentesPatentesAdministration of modified transposon-based vectors has been used to achieve stable incorporation of exogenous genes into animals. These transgenic animals produce transgenic progeny. Further, these transgenic animals produce large quantities of desired molecules encoded by the transgene. Transgenic...http://www.google.es/patents/US7527966?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatente US7527966 - Gene regulation in transgenic animals using a transposon-based vector B�squeda avanzada de patentes N�mero de publicaci�nUS7527966 B2Tipo de publicaci�nConcesi�n N�mero de solicitudUS 10/609,019 Fecha de publicaci�n5 May 2009 Fecha de presentaci�n26 Jun 2003 Fecha de prioridad26 Jun 2002TarifaPagadasTambi�n publicado comoDE60327717D1, EP1592789A2, EP1592789A4, EP1592789B1, EP1597378A2, EP1597378A4, US7608451, US20040197910, US20080235813, WO2004067706A2, WO2004067706A3, WO2004067707A2, WO2004067707A3, WO2004067743A1 N�mero de publicaci�n10609019, 609019, US 7527966 B2, US 7527966B2, US-B2-7527966, US7527966 B2, US7527966B2 InventoresRichard K. Cooper, Gary G. Cadd, William C. Fioretti, Kenneth F. De Boer Cesionario originalTransgenrx, Inc., The Board Of Supervisors Of Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical CollegeExportar citaBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManCitas de patentes (103), Otras citas (107), Citada por (14), Clasificaciones (47), Eventos legales (5) Enlaces externos: USPTO, Cesi�n de USPTO, EspacenetGene regulation in transgenic animals using a transposon-based vector
US 7527966 B2 Resumen
1. A vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 31, SEQ ID NO: 32, SEQ ID NO: 42, or SEQ ID NO: 43, wherein each sequence comprises:
(a) a prokaryotic transposase gene operably linked to a first promoter, wherein the nucleic acid sequence 3′ to the first promoter comprises the Kozak sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 13, the Kozak sequence being positioned so as to include at least the first codon of the transposase gene, wherein the transposase gene is modified such that a plurality of the codons of the transposase gene that encode for amino acids 2-10 of a transposase protein encoded by the transposase gene are individually modified from the wild-type sequence of cytosine or guanine at the third base position of the codon to an adenine or a thymine, such that the modification does not change the amino acid encoded by the modified codon, and wherein the first promoter is a viral or a eukaryotic promoter;
(b) one or more genes of interest operably-linked to one or more additional promoters, wherein at least one of the genes of interest encodes for proinsulin or human growth hormone; and
(c) insertion sequences recognized by a transposase encoded by the modified transposase gene, wherein the transposon insertion sequences are positioned to flank the one or more genes of interest and their operably-linked promoters.
2. A vector comprising the nucleic acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 31, SEQ ID NO: 32, SEQ ID NO: 41, SEQ ID NO: 42, or SEQ ID NO: 43.
The present application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/441,392 filed Jan. 21, 2003; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/441,377 filed Jan. 21, 2003; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/441,502 filed Jan. 21, 2003; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/441,405 filed Jan. 21, 2003; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/441,447 filed Jan. 21, 2003; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/441,381 filed Jan. 21, 2003; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/392,415 filed Jun. 26, 2002.
Accordingly, what is needed is a new vector to produce transgenic animals and humans with stably incorporated genes, which vector does not cause disease or other unwanted side effects. There is also a need for DNA constructs that would be stably incorporated into the tissues and cells of animals and humans, including cells in the resting state, which are not replicating. There is a further recognized need in the art for DNA constructs capable of delivering genes to specific tissues and cells of; animals and humans.
In another embodiment, the transgenic animal is a milk-producing animal, including but not limited to bovine, ovine, porcine, equine, and primate animals. Milk-producing animals include but are not limited to cows, goats, horses, pigs, buffalo, rabbits, non-human primates, and humans.
In some embodiments, the transposon-based vectors are optimized for expression in a particular host by changing the methylation patterns of the vector DNA. For example, prokaryotic methylation may be reduced by using a methylation deficient organism for production of the transposon-based vector. The transposon-based vectors may also be methylated to resemble eukaryotic DNA for expression in a eukaryotic host.
Transposases and insertion sequences from other analogous eukaryotic transposon-based vectors that can also be modified and used are, for example, the Drosophila P element derived vectors disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,243; the Drosophila mariner element described in Sherman et al. (1998); or the sleeping beauty transposon. See also Hackett et al. (1999); D. Lampe et al., 1999. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 96:11428-11433; S. Fischer et al., 2001. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98:6759-6764; L. Zagoraiou et al., 2001. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98:11474-11478; and D. Berg et al. (Eds.), Mobile DNA, Amer. Soc. Microbiol. (Washington, D.C., 1989). However, it should be noted that bacterial transposon-based elements are preferred, as there is less likelihood that a eukaryotic transposase in the recipient species will recognize prokaryotic insertion sequences bracketing the transgene.
Many transposases recognize different insertion sequences, and therefore, it is to be understood that a transposase-based vector will contain insertion sequences recognized by the particular transposase also found in the transposase-based vector. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the insertion sequences have been shortened to about 70 base pairs in length as compared to those found in wild-type transposons that typically contain insertion sequences of well over 100 base pairs.
While the examples provided below incorporate a “cut and insert” Tn10 based vector that is destroyed following the insertion event, the present invention also encompasses the use of a “rolling replication” type transposon-based vector. Use of a rolling replication type transposon allows multiple copies of the transposon/transgene to be made from a single transgene construct and the copies inserted. This type of transposon-based system thereby provides for insertion of multiple copies of a transgene into a single genome. A rolling replication type transposon-based vector may be preferred when the promoter operably-linked to gene of interest is endogenous to the host cell and present in a high copy number or highly expressed. However, use of a rolling replication system may require tight control to limit the insertion events to non-lethal levels. Tn1, Tn2, Tn3, Tn4, Tn5, Tn9, Tn21, Tn501, Tn551, Tn951, Tn1721, Tn2410 and Tn2603 are examples of a rolling replication type transposon, although Tn5 could be both a rolling replication and a cut and insert type transposon.
Stop Codons and PolyA Sequences
In one embodiment, the transposon-based vector contains two stop codons operably-linked to the transposase and/or to the gene of interest. In an alternate embodiment, one stop codon of UAA or UGA is operably linked to the transposase and/or to the gene of interest. As used herein an “effective polyA sequence” refers to either a synthetic or non-synthetic sequence that contains multiple and sequential nucleotides containing an adenine base (an A polynucleotide string) and that increases expression of the gene to which it is operably-linked. A polyA sequence may be operably-linked to any gene in the transposon-based vector including, but not limited to, a transposase gene and a gene of interest. In one embodiment, a polyA sequence comprises the polynucleotide sequence provided in SEQ ID NO:28. A preferred polyA sequence is optimized for use in the host animal or human. In one embodiment, the polyA sequence is optimized for use in a bird, and more specifically, a chicken. The chicken optimized polyA sequence generally contains a minimum of 60 base pairs, and more preferably between approximately 60 and several hundred base pairs, that precede the A polynucleotide string and thereby separate the stop codon from the A polynucleotide string. A chicken optimized polyA sequence may also have a reduced amount of CT repeats as compared to a synthetic polyA sequence. In one embodiment of the present invention, the polyA sequence comprises a conalbumin polyA sequence as provided in SEQ ID NO:33 and as taken from GenBank accession # Y00407, base pairs 10651-11058.
The first promoter operably-linked to the transposase gene and the second promoter operably-linked to the gene of interest can be a constitutive promoter or an inducible promoter. Constitutive promoters include, but are not limited to, immediate early cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) immediate early promoter, SV40 promoter, lysozyme promoter, early and late CMV promoters, early and late HSV promoters, β-actin promoter, tubulin promoter, Rous-Sarcoma virus (RSV) promoter, and heat-shock protein (HSP) promoter. Inducible promoters include tissue-specific promoters, developmentally-regulated promoters and chemically inducible promoters. Examples of tissue-specific promoters include the glucose 6 phosphate (G6P) promoter, vitellogenin promoter, ovalbumin promoter, ovomucoid promoter, conalbumin promoter, ovotransferrin promoter, prolactin promoter, kidney uromodulin promoter, and placental lactogen promoter. In one embodiment, the vitellogenin promoter includes a polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:17. The G6P promoter sequence may be deduced from a rat G6P gene untranslated upstream region provided in GenBank accession number U57552.1. Examples of developmentally-regulated promoters include the homeobox promoters and several hormone induced promoters. Examples of chemically inducible promoters include reproductive hormone induced promoters and antibiotic inducible promoters such as the tetracycline inducible promoter and the zinc-inducible metallothionine promoter.
Other inducible promoter systems include the Lac operator repressor system inducible by IPTG (isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactoside) (Cronin, A. et al. 2001. Genes and Development, v. 15), ecdysone-based inducible systems (Hoppe, U. C. et al. 2000. Mol. Ther. 1:159-164); estrogen-based inducible systems (Braselmann, S. et al. 1993. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 90:1657-1661); progesterone-based inducible systems using a chimeric regulator, GLVP, which is a hybrid protein consisting of the GAL4 binding domain and the herpes simplex virus transcriptional activation domain, VP16, and a truncated form of the human progesterone receptor that retains the ability to bind ligand and can be turned on by RU486 (Wang, et al. 1994. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 91:8180-8184); CID-based inducible systems using chemical inducers of dimerization (CIDs) to regulate gene expression, such as a system wherein rapamycin induces dimerization of the cellular proteins FKBP12 and FRAP (Belshaw, P. J. et al. 1996. J. Chem. Biol. 3:731-738; Fan, L. et al. 1999. Hum. Gene Ther. 10:2273-2285; Shariat, S. F. et al. 2001. Cancer Res. 61:2562-2571; Spencer, D. M. 1996. Curr. Biol. 6:839-847). Chemical substances that activate the chemically inducible promoters can be administered to the animal containing the transgene of interest via any method known to those of skill in the art.
Other examples of cell or tissue-specific and constitutive promoters include but are not limited to smooth-muscle SM22 promoter, including chimeric SM22alpha/telokin promoters (Hoggatt A. M. et al., 2002. Circ Res. 91(12):1151-9); ubiquitin C promoter (Biochim Biophys Acta, 2003. Jan. 3;1625(1):52-63); Hsf2 promoter; murine COMP (cartilage oligomeric matrix protein) promoter; early B cell-specific mb-1 promoter (Sigvardsson M., et al., 2002. Mol. Cell Biol. 22(24):8539-51); prostate specific antigen (PSA) promoter (Yoshimura I. et al., 2002, J. Urol. 168(6):2659-64); exorh promoter and pineal expression-promoting element (Asaoka Y., et al., 2002. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 99(24):15456-61); neural and liver ceramidase gene promoters (Okino N. et al., 2002. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 299(1):160-6); PSP94 gene promoter/enhancer (Gabril M. Y. et al., 2002. Gene Ther. 9(23): 1589-99); promoter of the human FAT/CD36 gene (Kuriki C., et al., 2002. Biol. Pharm. Bull. 25(11):1476-8); VL30 promoter (Staplin W. R. et al., 2002. Blood Oct. 24, 2002); IL-10 promoter (Brenner S., et al., 2002. J. Biol. Chem. Dec. 18, 2002).
Examples of avian promoters include, but are not limited to, promoters controlling expression of egg white proteins, such as ovalbumin, ovotransferrin (conalbumin), ovomucoid, lysozyme, ovomucin, g2 ovoglobulin, g3 ovoglobulin, ovoflavoprotein, ovostatin (ovomacroglobin), cystatin, avidin, thiamine-binding protein, glutamyl aminopeptidase minor glycoprotein 1, minor glycoprotein 2; and promoters controlling expression of egg-yolk proteins, such as vitellogenin, very low-density lipoproteins, low density lipoprotein, cobalamin-binding protein, riboflavin-binding protein, biotin-binding protein (Awade, 1996. Z. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch. 202:1-14). An advantage of using the vitellogenin promoter is that it is active during the egg-laying stage of an animal's life-cycle, which allows for the production of the protein of interest to be temporally connected to the import of the protein of interest into the egg yolk when the protein of interest is equipped with an appropriate targeting sequence.
Liver-specific promoters of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the following promoters, vitellogenin promoter, G6P promoter, cholesterol-7-alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A) promoter, phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) promoter, protein C gene promoter, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) promoter, bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase promoter, aldolase B promoter, furin promoter, metallothioneine promoter, albumin promoter, and insulin promoter.
Also included in the present invention are promoters that can be used to target expression of a protein of interest into the milk of a milk-producing animal including, but not limited to, β lactoglobin promoter, whey acidic protein promoter, lactalbumin promoter and casein promoter.
Promoters associated with cells of the immune system may also be used. Acute phase promoters such as interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-2 may be employed. Promoters for heavy and light chain Ig may also be employed. The promoters of the T cell receptor components CD4 and CD8, B cell promoters and the promoters of CR2 (complement receptor type 2) may also be employed. Immune system promoters are preferably used when the desired protein is an antibody protein.
Also included in this invention are modified promoters/enhancers wherein elements of a single promoter are duplicated, modified, or otherwise changed. In one embodiment, steroid hormone-binding domains of the ovalbumin promoter are moved from about −6.5 kb to within approximately the first 1000 base pairs of the gene of interest. Modifying an existing promoter with promoter/enhancer elements not found naturally in the promoter, as well as building an entirely synthetic promoter, or drawing promoter/enhancer elements from various genes together on a non-natural backbone, are all encompassed by the current invention.
Accordingly, it is to be understood that the promoters contained within the transposon-based vectors of the present invention may be entire promoter sequences or fragments of promoter sequences. For example, in one embodiment, the promoter operably linked to a gene of interest is an approximately 900 base pair fragment of a chicken ovalbumin promoter (SEQ ID NO:40). The constitutive and inducible promoters contained within the transposon-based vectors may also be modified by the addition of one or more modified Kozak sequences of ACCATG (SEQ ID NO:13).
As indicated above, the present invention includes transposon-based vectors containing one or more enhancers. These enhancers may or may not be operably-linked to their native promoter and may be located at any distance from their operably-linked promoter. A promoter operably-linked to an enhancer is referred to herein as an “enhanced promoter.” The enhancers contained within the transposon-based vectors are preferably enhancers found in birds, and more preferably, an ovalbumin enhancer, but are not limited to these types of enhancers. In one embodiment, an approximately 675 base pair enhancer element of an ovalbumin promoter is cloned upstream of an ovalbumin promoter with 300 base pairs of spacer DNA separating the enhancer and promoter. In one embodiment, the enhancer used as a part of the present invention comprises base pairs 1-675 of a Chicken Ovalbumin enhancer from GenBank accession #S82527.1. The polynucleotide sequence of this enhancer is provided in SEQ ID NO:37.
Also included in some of the transposon-based vectors of the present invention are cap sites and fragments of cap sites. In one embodiment, approximately 50 base pairs of a 5′ untranslated region wherein the capsite resides are added on the 3′ end of an enhanced promoter or promoter. An exemplary 5′ untranslated region is provided in SEQ ID NO:38. A putative cap-site residing in this 5′ untranslated region preferably comprises the polynucleotide sequence provided in SEQ ID NO:39.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the first promoter operably-linked to the transposase gene is a constitutive promoter and the second promoter operably-linked to the gene of interest is a tissue-specific promoter. In this embodiment, use of the first constitutive promoter allows for constitutive activation of the transposase gene and incorporation of the gene of interest into virtually all cell types, including the germline of the recipient animal. Although the gene of interest is incorporated into the germline generally, the gene of interest is only expressed in a tissue-specific manner. It should be noted that cell- or tissue-specific expression as described herein does not require a complete absence of expression in cells or tissues other than the preferred cell or tissue. Instead, “cell-specific” or “tissue-specific” expression refers to a majority of the expression of a particular gene of interest in the preferred cell or tissue, respectively.
When incorporation of the gene of interest into the germline is not preferred, the first promoter operably-linked to the transposase gene can be a tissue-specific promoter. For example, transfection of a transposon-based vector containing a transposase gene operably-linked to a liver-specific promoter such as the G6P promoter or vitellogenin promoter provides for activation of the transposase gene and incorporation of the gene of interest in the cells of the liver but not into the germline and other cells generally. In this second embodiment, the second promoter operably-linked to the gene of interest can be a constitutive promoter or an inducible promoter. In a preferred embodiment, both the first promoter and the second promoter are a G6P promoter. In embodiments wherein tissue-specific expression or incorporation is desired, it is preferred that the transposon-based vector is administered directly to the tissue of interest or to an artery leading to the tissue of interest.
Accordingly, cell specific promoters may be used to enhance transcription in selected tissues. In birds, for example, promoters that are found in cells of the fallopian tube, such as ovalbumin, conalbumin, ovomucoid and/or lysozyme, are used in the vectors to ensure transcription of the gene of interest in the epithelial cells and tubular gland cells of the fallopian tube, leading to synthesis of the desired protein encoded by the gene and deposition into the egg white. In mammals, promoters specific for the epithelial cells of the alveoli of the mammary gland, such as prolactin, insulin, beta lactoglobin, whey acidic protein, lactalbumin, casein, and/or placental lactogen, are used in the design of vectors used for transfection of these cells for the production of desired proteins for deposition into the milk. In liver cells, the G6P promoter may be employed to drive transcription of the gene of interest for protein production. Proteins made in the liver of birds may be delivered to the egg yolk.
In order to achieve higher or more efficient expression of the transposase gene, the promoter and other regulatory sequences operably-linked to the transposase gene may be those derived from the host. These host specific regulatory sequences can be tissue specific as described above or can be of a constitutive nature. For example, an avian actin promoter and its associated polyA sequence can be operably-linked to a transposase in a transposase-based vector for transfection into an avian. Examples of other host specific promoters that could be operably-linked to the transposase include the myosin and DNA or RNA polymerase promoters.
Directing Sequences
In some embodiments of the present invention, the gene of interest is operably-linked to a directing sequence or a sequence that provides proper conformation to the desired protein encoded by the gene of interest. As used herein, the term “directing sequence” refers to both signal sequences and targeting sequences. An egg directing sequence includes, but is not limited to, an ovomucoid signal sequence, an ovalbumin signal sequence and a vitellogenin targeting sequence. The term “signal sequence” refers to an amino acid sequence, or the polynucleotide sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence, that directs the protein to which it is linked to the endoplasmic reticulum in a eukaryote, and more preferably the translocational pores in the endoplasmic reticulum, or the plasma membrane in a prokaryote, or mitochondria, such us for the purpose of gene therapy of mitochondrial diseases. Signal and targeting sequences can be used to direct a desired protein into, for example, the milk, when the transposon-based vectors are administered to a milk-producing animal.
Signal sequences can also be used to direct a desired protein into, for example, a secretory pathway for incorporation into the egg yolk or the egg white, when the transposon-based vectors are administered to a bird or other egg-laying animal. One example of such a transposon-based vector is provided in FIG. 3 wherein the gene of interest is operably linked to the ovomucoid signal sequence. The present invention also includes a gene of interest operably-linked to a second gene containing a signal sequence. An example of such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 2 wherein the gene of interest is operably-linked to the ovalbumin gene that contains an ovalbumin signal sequence. Other signal sequences that can be included in the transposon-based vectors include, but are not limited to the ovotransferrin and lysozyme signal sequences.
As also used herein, the term “targeting sequence” refers to an amino acid sequence, or the polynucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence, which amino acid sequence is recognized by a receptor located on the exterior of a cell. Binding of the receptor to the targeting sequence results in uptake of the protein or peptide operably-linked to the targeting sequence by the cell. One example of a targeting sequence is a vitellogenin targeting sequence that is recognized by a vitellogenin receptor (or the low density lipoprotein receptor) on the exterior of an oocyte. In one embodiment, the vitellogenin targeting sequence includes the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:18. In another embodiment, the vitellogenin targeting sequence includes all or part of the vitellogenin gene. Other targeting sequences include VLDL and Apo E, which are also capable of binding the vitellogenin receptor. Since the ApoE protein is not endogenously expressed in birds, its presence may be used advantageously to identify birds carrying the transposon-based vectors of the present invention.
Genes of Interest Encoding Desired Proteins
A gene of interest selected for stable incorporation is designed to encode any desired protein or peptide or to regulate any cellular response. In some embodiments, the desired proteins or peptides are deposited in an egg or in milk. It is to be understood that the present invention encompasses transposon-based vectors containing multiple genes of interest. The multiple genes of interest may each be operably-linked to a separate promoter and other regulatory sequence(s) or may all be operably-linked to the same promoter and other regulatory sequences(s). In one embodiment, multiple gene of interest are linked to a single promoter and other regulatory sequence(s) and each gene of interest is separated by a cleavage site or a pro portion of a signal sequence.
Protein and peptide hormones are a preferred class of proteins in the present invention. Such protein and peptide hormones are synthesized throughout the endocrine system and include, but are not limited to, hypothalamic hormones and hypophysiotropic hormones, anterior, intermediate and posterior pituitary hormones, pancreatic islet hormones, hormones made in the gastrointestinal system, renal hormones, thymic hormones, parathyroid hormones, adrenal cortical and medullary hormones. Specifically, hormones that can be produced using the present invention include, but are not limited to, chorionic gonadotropin, corticotropin, erythropoietin, glucagons, IGF-1, oxytocin, platelet-derived growth factor, calcitonin, follicle-stimulating hormone, leutinizing hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, insulin, gonadotropin-releasing hormone and its analogs, vasopressin, octreotide, somatostatin, prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, antidiuretic hormone, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), dopamine, melatonin, thyroxin (T4), parathyroid hormone (PTH), glucocorticoids such as cortisol, mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone, androgens such as testosterone, adrenaline (epinephrine), noradrenaline (norepinephrine), estrogens such as estradiol, progesterone, glucagons, calcitrol, calciferol, atrial-natriuretic peptide, gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin (CCK), neuropeptide Y, ghrelin, PYY3-36, angiotensinogen, thrombopoietin, and leptin. By using appropriate polynucleotide sequences, species-specific hormones may be made by transgenic animals.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the gene of interest is a proinsulin gene and the desired molecule is insulin. Proinsulin consists of three parts: a C-peptide and two long strands of amino acids (called the alpha and beta chains) that later become linked together to form the insulin molecule. FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematics of transposon-based vector constructs containing a proinsulin gene operably-linked to an ovalbumin promoter and ovalbumin protein or an ovomucoid promoter and ovomucoid signal sequence, respectively. In these embodiments, proinsulin is expressed in the oviduct tubular gland cells and then deposited in the egg white. One example of a proinsulin polynucleotide sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO:21, wherein the C-peptide cleavage site spans from Arg at position 31 to Arg at position 65.
Serum proteins including lipoproteins such as high density lipoprotein (HDL), HDL-Milano and low density lipoprotein, albumin, clotting cascade factors, factor VIII, factor IX, fibrinogen, and globulins are also included in the group of desired proteins of the present invention. Immunoglobulins are one class of desired globulin molecules and include but are not limited to IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD, IgE, IgY, lambda chains, kappa chains and fragments thereof, Fe fragments, and Fab fragments. Desired antibodies include, but are not limited to, naturally occurring antibodies, human antibodies, humanized antibodies, and hybrid antibodies. Genes encoding modified versions of naturally occurring antibodies or fragments thereof and genes encoding artificially designed antibodies or fragments thereof may be incorporated into the transposon-based vectors of the present invention. Desired antibodies also include antibodies with the ability to bind specific ligands, for example, antibodies against proteins associated with cancer-related molecules, such as anti-her 2, or anti-CA125. Accordingly, the present invention encompasses a transposon-based vector containing one or more genes encoding a heavy immunoglobulin (Ig) chain and a light Ig chain. Further, more than one gene encoding for more than one antibody may be administered in one or more transposon-based vectors of the present invention. In this manner, an egg may contain more than one type of antibody in the egg white, the egg yolk or both.
In one embodiment, a transposon-based vector contains a heavy Ig chain and a light Ig chain, both operably linked to a promoter. FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically depict exemplary constructs of this embodiment. More specifically, FIG. 5 shows a construct containing a cecropin pre-pro sequence and a cecropin pro sequence, wherein the pre sequence functions to direct the resultant protein into the endoplasmic reticulum and the pro sequences and the pro sequences are cleaved upon secretion of the protein from a cell into which the construct has been transfected. FIG. 6 shows a construct containing an enterokinase cleavage site. In this embodiment, it may be required to further remove several additional amino acids from the light chain following cleavage by enterokinase. In another embodiment, the transposon-based vector comprises a heavy Ig chain operably-linked to one promoter and a light Ig chain operably-linked to another promoter. FIG. 7 schematically depicts an exemplary construct of this embodiment. The present invention also encompasses a transposon-based vector containing genes encoding portions of a heavy Ig chain and/or portions of a light Ig chain. The present invention further includes a transposon-based vector containing a gene that encodes a fusion protein comprising a heavy and/or light Ig chain, or portions thereof.
Antibodies used as therapeutic reagents include but are not limited to antibodies for use in cancer immunotherapy against specific antigens, or for providing passive immunity to an animal or a human against an infectious disease or a toxic agent. Antibodies used as diagnostic reagents include, but are not limited to antibodies that may be labeled and detected with a detector, for example antibodies with a fluorescent label attached that may be detected following exposure to specific wavelengths. Such labeled antibodies may be primary antibodies directed to a specific antigen, for example, rhodamine-labeled rabbit anti-growth hormone, or may be labeled secondary antibodies, such as fluorescein-labeled goat-anti chicken IgG. Such labeled antibodies are known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Labels useful for attachment to antibodies are also known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Some of these labels are described in the “Handbook of Fluorescent Probes and Research Products”, ninth edition, Richard P. Haugland (ed) Molecular Probes, Inc. Eugene, Oreg.), which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
Antibodies produced with using the present invention may be used as laboratory reagents for numerous applications including radioimmunoassay, western blots, dot blots, ELISA, immunoaffinity columns and other procedures requiring antibodies as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such antibodies include primary antibodies, secondary antibodies and tertiary antibodies, which may be labeled or unlabeled.
Antibodies that may be made with the practice of the present invention include, but are not limited to primary antibodies, secondary antibodies, designer antibodies, anti-protein antibodies, anti-peptide antibodies, anti-DNA antibodies, anti-RNA antibodies, anti-hormone antibodies, anti-hypophysiotropic peptides, antibodies against non-natural antigens, anti-anterior pituitary hormone antibodies, anti-posterior pituitary hormone antibodies, anti-venom antibodies, anti-tumor marker antibodies, antibodies directed against epitopes associated with infectious disease, including, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-protozoal, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-receptor, anti-lipid, anti-phospholipid, anti-growth factor, anti-cytokine, anti-monokine, anti-idiotype, and anti-accessory (presentation) protein antibodies. Antibodies made with the present invention, as well as light chains or heavy chains, may also be used to inhibit enzyme activity.
Antibodies that may be produced using the present invention include, but are not limited to, antibodies made against the following proteins: Bovine γ-Globulin, Serum; Bovine IgG, Plasma; Chicken γ-Globulin, Serum; Human γ-Globulin, Serum; Human IgA, Plasma; Human IgA1, Myeloma; Human IgA2, Myeloma; Human IgA2, Plasma; Human IgD, Plasma; Human IgE, Myeloma; Human IgG, Plasma; Human IgG, Fab Fragment, Plasma; Human IgG, F(ab′)2 Fragment, Plasma; Human IgG, Fc Fragment, Plasma; Human IgG1, Myeloma; Human IgG2, Myeloma; Human IgG3, Myeloma; Human IgG4, Myeloma; Human IgM, Myeloma; Human IgM, Plasma; Human Immunoglobulin, Light Chain κ, Urine; Human Immunoglobulin, Light Chains κ and λ, Plasma; Mouse γ-Globulin, Serum; Mouse IgG, Serum; Mouse IgM, Myeloma; Rabbit γ-Globulin, Serum; Rabbit IgG, Plasma; and Rat γ-Globulin, Serum. In one embodiment, the transposon-based vector comprises the coding sequence of light and heavy chains of a murine monoclonal antibody that shows specificity for human seminoprotein (GenBank Accession numbers AY129006 and AY129304 for the light and heavy chains, respectively).
A further non-limiting list of antibodies that recognize other antibodies is as follows: Anti-Chicken IgG, heavy (H) & light (L) Chain Specific (Sheep); Anti-Goat γ-Globulin (Donkey); Anti-Goat IgG, Fc Fragment Specific (Rabbit); Anti-Guinea Pig γ-Globulin (Goat); Anti-Human Ig, Light Chain, Type κ Specific; Anti-Human Ig, Light Chain, Type λ Specific; Anti-Human IgA, α-Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Human IgA, Fab Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgA, Fc Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgA, Secretory; Anti-Human IgE, ε-Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Human IgE, Fc Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgG, Fc Fragment Specific (Goat); Anti-Human IgG, γ-Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Human IgG, Fc Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgG, Fd Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgG, H & L Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Human IgG1, Fc Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgG2, Fc Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgG2, Fd Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgG3, Hinge Specific; Anti-Human IgG4, Fc Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgM, Fc Fragment Specific; Anti-Human IgM, μ-Chain Specific; Anti-Mouse IgE, ε-Chain Specific; Anti-Mouse γ-Globulin (Goat); Anti-Mouse IgG, γ-Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Mouse IgG, γ-Chain Specific (Goat) F(ab′)2 Fragment; Anti-Mouse IgG, H & L Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Mouse IgM, μ-Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Mouse IgM, H & L Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Rabbit γ-Globulin (Goat); Anti-Rabbit IgG, Fc Fragment Specific (Goat); Anti-Rabbit IgG, H & L Chain Specific (Goat); Anti-Rat γ-Globulin (Goat); Anti-Rat IgG, H & L Chain Specific; Anti-Rhesus Monkey γ-Globulin (Goat); and, Anti-Sheep IgG, H & L Chain Specific.
Another non-limiting list of the antibodies that may be produced using the present invention is provided in product catalogs of companies such as Phoenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 530 Harbor Boulevard, Belmont, Calif.), Peninsula Labs (San Carlos, Calif.), SIGMA (St.Louis, Mo.), Cappel ICN (Irvine, Calif.), and Calbiochem (La Jolla, Calif.), which are all available electronically via the internet and which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The polynucleotide sequences encoding these antibodies may be obtained from the scientific literature, from patents, and from databases such as GenBank. Alternatively, one of ordinary skill in the art may design the polynucleotide sequence to be incorporated into the genome by choosing the codons that encode for each amino acid in the desired antibody. Antibodies made by the transgenic animals of the present invention include antibodies that may be used as therapeutic reagents, for example in cancer immunotherapy against specific antigens, as diagnostic reagents and as laboratory reagents for numerous applications including immunoneutralization, radioimmunoassay, western blots, dot blots, ELISA, immunoprecipitation and immunoaffinity columns. Some of these antibodies include, but are not limited to, antibodies which bind the following ligands: adrenomedulin, amylin, calcitonin, amyloid, calcitonin gene-related peptide, cholecystokinin, gastrin, gastric inhibitory peptide, gastrin releasing peptide, interleukin, interferon, cortistatin, somatostatin, endothelin, sarafotoxin, glucagon, glucagon-like peptide, insulin, atrial natriuretic peptide, BNP, CNP, neurokinin, substance P, leptin, neuropeptide Y, melanin concentrating hormone, melanocyte stimulating hormone, orphanin, endorphin, dynorphin, enkephalin, enkephalin, leumorphin, peptide F, PACAP, PACAP-related peptide, parathyroid hormone, urocortin, corticotrophin releasing hormone, PHM, PHI, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, secretin, ACTH, angiotensin, angiostatin, bombesin, endostatin, bradykinin, FMRF amide, galanin, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) associated peptide, GnRH, growth hormone releasing hormone, inhibin, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), motilin, neurotensin, oxytocin, vasopressin, osteocalcin, pancreastatin, pancreatic polypeptide, peptide YY, proopiomelanocortin, transforming growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, vesicular monoamine transporter, vesicular acetylcholine transporter, ghrelin, NPW, NPB, C3d, prokinetican, thyroid stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, growth hormone, beta-lipotropin, melatonin, kallikriens, kinins, prostaglandins, erythropoietin, p146 (SEQ ID NO:18 amino acid sequence, SEQ ID NO:19, nucleotide sequence), estrogen, testosterone, corticosteroids, mineralocorticoids, thyroid hormone, thymic hormones, connective tissue proteins, nuclear proteins, actin, avidin, activin, agrin, albumin, and prohormones, propeptides, splice variants, fragments and analogs thereof.
The following is yet another non-limiting of antibodies that can be produced by the methods of present invention: abciximab (ReoPro), abciximab anti-platelet aggregation monoclonal antibody, anti-CD11a (hu1124), anti-CD18 antibody, anti-CD20 antibody, anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibody, anti-digoxin antibody, anti-hepatitis B antibody, anti-HER-2 antibody, anti-idiotype antibody to GD3 glycolipid, anti-IgE antibody, anti-IL-2R antibody, antimetastatic cancer antibody (mAb 17-1A), anti-rabies antibody, anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antibody, anti-Rh antibody, anti-TCR, anti-TNF antibody, anti-VEGF antibody and fab fragment thereof, rattlesnake venom antibody, black widow spider venom antibody, coral snake venom antibody, antibody against very late antigen-4 (VLA-4), C225 humanized antibody to EGF receptor, chimeric (human & mouse) antibody against TNFα, antibody directed against GPIIb/IIIa receptor on human platelets, gamma globulin, anti-hepatitis B immunoglobulin, human anti-D immunoglobulin, human antibodies against S aureus, human tetanus immunoglobulin; humanized antibody against the epidermal growth receptor-2, humanized antibody against the α subunit of the interleukin-2 receptor, humanized antibody CTLA4IG, humanized antibody to the IL-2 R α-chain, humanized anti-CD40-ligand monoclonal antibody (5c8), humanized mAb against the epidermal growth receptor-2, humanized mAb to rous sarcoma virus, humanized recombinant antibody (IgG1k) against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), lymphocyte immunoglobulin (anti-thymocyte antibody), lymphocyte immunoglobulin, mAb against factor VII, MDX-210 bi-specific antibody against HER-2, MDX-22, MDX-220 bi-specific antibody against TAG-72 on tumors, MDX-33 antibody to FcγR1 receptor, MDX-447 bi-specific antibody against EGF receptor, MDX-447 bispecific humanized antibody to EGF receptor, MDX-RA immunotoxin (ricin A linked) antibody, Medi-507 antibody (humanized form of BTI-322) against CD2 receptor on T-cells, monoclonal antibody LDP-02, muromonab-CD3(OKT3) antibody, OKT3 (“muromomab-CD3”) antibody, PRO 542 antibody, ReoPro (“abciximab”) antibody, and TNF-IgG fusion protein.
The antibodies prepared using the methods of the present invention may also be designed to possess specific labels that may be detected through means known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The antibodies may also be designed to possess specific sequences useful for purification through means known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Specialty antibodies designed for binding specific antigens may also be made in transgenic animals using the transposon-based vectors of the present invention.
Production of a monoclonal antibody using the transposon-based vectors of the present invention can be accomplished in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, two vectors may be constructed: one that encodes the light chain, and a second vector that encodes the heavy chain of the monoclonal antibody. These vectors may then be incorporated into the genome of the target animal by methods disclosed herein. In an alternative embodiment, the sequences encoding light and heavy chains of a monoclonal antibody may be included on a single DNA construct. For example, the coding sequence of light and heavy chains of a murine monoclonal antibody that show specificity for human seminoprotein can be expressed using transposon-based constructs of the present invention (GenBank Accession numbers AY129006 and AY129304 for the light and heavy chains, respectively).
Further included in the present invention are proteins and peptides synthesized by the immune system including those synthesized by the thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, and the gastrointestinal associated lymph tissues (GALT) system. The immune system proteins and peptides proteins that can be made in transgenic animals using the transposon-based vectors of the present invention include, but are not limited to, alpha-interferon, beta-interferon, gamma-interferon, alpha-interferon A, alpha-interferon 1, G-CSF, GM-CSF, interlukin-1 (IL-1), IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-11, IL-12, IL-13, TNF-α, and TNF-β. Other cytokines included in the present invention include cardiotrophin, stromal cell derived factor, macrophage derived chemokine (MDC), melanoma growth stimulatory activity (MGSA), macrophage inflammatory proteins 1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha), 2, 3 alpha, 3 beta, 4 and 5.
Lytic peptides such as p146 are also included in the desired molecules of the present invention. In one embodiment, the p146 peptide comprises an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:19. The present invention also encompasses a transposon-based vector comprising a p146 nucleic acid comprising a polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:20.
Enzymes are another class of proteins that may be made through the use of the transposon-based vectors of the present invention. Such enzymes include but are not limited to adenosine deaminase, alpha-galactosidase, cellulase, collagenase, dnaseI, hyaluronidase, lactase, L-asparaginase, pancreatin, papain, streptokinase B, subtilisin, superoxide dismutase, thrombin, trypsin, urokinase, fibrinolysin, glucocerebrosidase and plasminogen activator. In some embodiments wherein the enzyme could have deleterious effects, additional amino acids and a protease cleavage site are added to the carboxy end of the enzyme of interest in order to prevent expression of a functional enzyme. Subsequent digestion of the enzyme with a protease results in activation of the enzyme.
Extracellular matrix proteins are one class of desired proteins that may be made through the use of the present invention. Examples include but are not limited to collagen, fibrin, elastin, laminin, and fibronectin and subtypes thereof. Intracellular proteins and structural proteins are other classes of desired proteins in the present invention.
Growth factors are another desired class of proteins that may be made through the use of the present invention and include, but are not limited to, transforming growth factor-α (“TGF-α”), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF), fibroblast growth factors (FGF), including FGF acidic isoforms 1 and 2, FGF basic form 2 and FGF 4, 8, 9 and 10, nerve growth factors (NGF) including NGF 2.5s, NGF 7.0s and beta NGF and neurotrophins, brain derived neurotrophic factor, cartilage derived factor, growth factors for stimulation of the production of red blood cells, growth factors for stimulation of the production of white blood cells, bone growth factors (BGF), basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), insulin like growth factor (IGF) I and II, hepatocyte growth factor, glial neurotrophic growth factor (GDNF), stem cell factor (SCF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), transforming growth factors (TGF), including TGFs alpha, beta, beta1, beta2, beta3, skeletal growth factor, bone matrix derived growth factors, bone derived growth factors, erythropoietin (EPO) and mixtures thereof.
Another desired class of proteins that may be made may be made through the use of the present invention include but are not limited to leptin, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), tumor necrosis factor alpha and beta, ENBREL, angiostatin, endostatin, thrombospondin, osteogenic protein-1, bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 7, osteonectin, somatomedin-like peptide, and osteocalcin.
A non-limiting list of the peptides and proteins that may be made may be made through the use of the present invention is provided in product catalogs (electronically available over the internet) of companies such as Phoenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (530 Harbor Boulevard, Belmont, Calif.), Peninsula Labs (San Carlos, Calif.), SIGMA (St.Louis, Mo.), Cappel ICN, (Irvine, Calif.),and Calbiochem (La Jolla, Calif.), The polynucleotide sequences encoding these proteins and peptides of interest may be obtained from the scientific literature, from patents, and from databases such as GenBank. Alternatively, one of ordinary skill in the art may design the polynucleotide sequence to be incorporated into the genome by choosing the codons that encode for each amino acid in the desired protein or peptide.
Some of these desired proteins or peptides that may be made through the use of the present invention include but are not limited to the following: adrenomedulin, amylin, calcitonin, amyloid, calcitonin gene-related peptide, cholecystokinin, gastrin, gastric inhibitory peptide, gastrin releasing peptide, interleukin, interferon, cortistatin, somatostatin, endothelin, sarafotoxin, glucagon, glucagon-like peptide, insulin, atrial natriuretic peptide, BNP, CNP, neurokinin, substance P, leptin, neuropeptide Y, melanin concentrating hormone, melanocyte stimulating hormone, orphanin, endorphin, dynorphin, enkephalin, leumorphin, peptide F, PACAP, PACAP-related peptide, parathyroid hormone, urocortin, corticotrophin releasing hormone, PHM, PHI, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, secretin, ACTH, angiotensin, angiostatin, bombesin, endostatin, bradykinin, FMRF amide, galanin, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) associated peptide, GnRH, growth hormone releasing hormone, inhibin, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), motilin, neurotensin, oxytocin, vasopressin, osteocalcin, pancreastatin, pancreatic polypeptide, peptide YY, proopiomelanocortin, transforming growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, vesicular monoamine transporter, vesicular acetylcholine transporter, ghrelin, NPW, NPB, C3d, prokinetican, thyroid stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, growth hormone, beta-lipotropin, melatonin, kallikriens, kinins, prostaglandins, erythropoietin, p146 (SEQ ID NO:19, amino acid sequence, SEQ ID NO:20, nucleotide sequence), thymic hormones, connective tissue proteins, nuclear proteins, actin, avidin, activin, agrin, albumin, and prohormones, propeptides, splice variants, fragments and analogs thereof.
Other desired proteins that may be made by the transgenic animals of the present invention include bacitracin, polymixin b, vancomycin, cyclosporine, anti-RSV antibody, alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), anti-cytomegalovirus antibody, anti-hepatitis antibody, anti-inhibitor coagulant complex, anti-rabies antibody, anti-Rh(D) antibody, adenosine deaminase, anti-digoxin antibody, antivenin crotalidae (rattlesnake venom antibody), antivenin latrodectus (black widow spider venom antibody), antivenin micrurus (coral snake venom antibody), aprotinin, corticotropin (ACTH), diphtheria antitoxin, lymphocyte immune globulin (anti-thymocyte antibody), protamine, thyrotropin, capreomycin, α-galactosidase, gramicidin, streptokinase, tetanus toxoid, tyrothricin, IGF-1, proteins of varicella vaccine, anti-TNF antibody, anti-IL-2r antibody, anti-HER-2 antibody, OKT3 (“muromonab-CD3”) antibody, TNF-IgG fusion protein, ReoPro (“abciximab”) antibody, ACTH fragment 1-24, desmopressin, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, histrelin, leuprolide, lypressin, nafarelin, peptide that binds GPIIb/GPIIIa on platelets (integrilin), goserelin, capreomycin, colistin, anti-respiratory syncytial virus, lymphocyte immune globulin (Thymoglovin, Atgam), panorex, alpha-antitrypsin, botulinin, lung surfactant protein, tumor necrosis receptor-IgG fusion protein (enbrel), gonadorelin, proteins of influenza vaccine, proteins of rotavirus vaccine, proteins of haemophilus b conjugate vaccine, proteins of poliovirus vaccine, proteins of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, proteins of meningococcal C vaccine, proteins of influenza vaccine, megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF), neuroimmunophilin ligand-A (NIL-A), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), leptin (native), leptin B, leptin C, IL-1RA (interleukin-11 RA), R-568, novel erythropoiesis-stimulating protein (NESP), humanized mAb to rous sarcoma virus (MEDI-493), glutamyl-tryptophan dipeptide IM862, LFA-3TIP immunosuppressive, humanized anti-CD40-ligand monoclonal antibody (5c8), gelsonin enzyme, tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), proteins of meningitis B vaccine, antimetastatic cancer antibody (mAb 17-1A), chimeric (human & mouse) mAb against TNFα, mAb against factor VII, relaxin, capreomycin, glycopeptide (LY333328), recombinant human activated protein C (rhAPC), humanized mAb against the epidermal growth receptor-2, altepase, anti-CD20 antigen, C2B8 antibody, insulin-like growth factor-1, atrial natriuretic peptide (anaritide), tenectaplase, anti-CD11a antibody (hu 1124), anti-CD18 antibody, mAb LDP-02, anti-VEGF antibody, fab fragment of anti-VEGF Ab, APO2 ligand (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand), rTGF-β (transforming growth factor-β), alpha-antitrypsin, ananain (a pineapple enzyme), humanized mAb CTLA4IG, PRO 542 (mAb), D2E7 (mAb), calf intestine alkaline phosphatase, α-L-iduronidase, α-L-galactosidase (humanglutamic acid decarboxylase, acid sphingomyelinase, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2), proteins of HIV vaccine, T cell receptor (TCR) peptide vaccine, TCR peptides, V beta 3 and V beta 13.1. (IR502), (IR501), BI 1050/1272 mAb against very late antigen-4 (VLA-4), C225 humanized mAb to EGF receptor, anti-idiotype antibody to GD3 glycolipid, antibacterial peptide against H. pylori, MDX-447 bispecific humanized mAb to EGF receptor, anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV), Medi-491 B19 parvovirus vaccine, humanized recombinant mAb (IgG1k) against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), urinary tract infection vaccine (against “pili” on Escherechia coli strains), proteins of lyme disease vaccine against B. burgdorferi protein (DbpA), proteins of Medi-501 human papilloma virus-11 vaccine (HPV), Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccine, Medi-507 mAb (humanized form of BTI-322) against CD2 receptor on T-cells, MDX-33 mAb to FcγR1 receptor, MDX-RA immunotoxin (ricin A linked) mAb, MDX-210 bi-specific mAb against HER-2, MDX-447 bi-specific mAb against EGF receptor, MDX-22, MDX-220 bi-specific mAb against TAG-72 on tumors, colony-stimulating factor (CSF) (molgramostim), humanized mAb to the IL-2 R α-chain (basiliximab), mAb to IgE (IGE 025A), myelin basic protein-altered peptide (MSP771A), humanized mAb against the epidermal growth receptor-2, humanized mAb against the α subunit of the interleukin-2 receptor, low molecular weight heparin, anti-hemophillic factor, and bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (r-BPI).
The peptides and proteins made using the present invention may be labeled using labels and techniques known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Some of these labels are described in the “Handbook of Fluorescent Probes and Research Products”, ninth edition, Richard P. Haugland (ed) Molecular Probes, Inc. Eugene, Oreg.), which is incorporated herein in its entirety. Some of these labels may be genetically engineered into the polynucleotide sequence for the expression of the selected protein or peptide. The peptides and proteins may also have label-incorporation “handles” incorporated to allow labeling of an otherwise difficult or impossible to label protein.
It is to be understood that the various classes of desired peptides and proteins, as well as specific peptides and proteins described in this section may be modified as described below by inserting selected codons for desired amino acid substitutions into the gene incorporated into the transgenic animal.
The present invention may also be used to produce desired molecules other than proteins and peptides including, but not limited to, lipoproteins such as high density lipoprotein (HDL), HDL-Milano, and low density lipoprotein, lipids, carbohydrates, siRNA and ribozymes. In these embodiments, a gene of interest encodes a nucleic acid molecule or a protein that directs production of the desired molecule.
The present invention further encompasses the use of inhibitory molecules to inhibit endogenous (i.e., non-vector) protein production. These inhibitory molecules include antisense nucleic acids, siRNA and inhibitory proteins. In one embodiment, a transposon-based vector containing an ovalbumin DNA sequence, that upon transcription forms a double stranded RNA molecule, is transfected into an animal such as a bird and the bird's production of endogenous ovalbumin protein is reduced by the interference RNA mechanism (RNAi). Additionally, inducible knockouts or knockdowns of the endogenous protein may be created to achieve a reduction or inhibition of endogenous protein production.
Modified Desired Proteins and Peptides
Furthermore, one of skill will recognize that, as mentioned above, individual substitutions, deletions or additions which alter, add or delete a single amino acid or a small percentage of amino acids (typically less than about 5%, more typically less than about 1%) in an encoded sequence are conservatively modified variations where the alterations result in the substitution of an amino acid with a chemically similar amino acid. Conservative substitution tables providing functionally similar amino acids are well known in the art. The following six groups each contain amino acids that are conservative substitutions for one another:
1) Alanine (A), Serine (S), Threonine (T); 2) Aspartic acid (D), Glutamic acid (E); 3) Asparagine (N), Glutamine (Q); 4) Arginine (R), Lysine (K); 5) Isoleucine (I), Leucine (L), Methionine (M), Valine (V); and 6) Phenylalanine (F), Tyrosine (Y), Tryptophan (W). A conservative substitution is a substitution in which the substituting amino acid (naturally occurring or modified) is structurally related to the amino acid being substituted, i.e., has about the same size and electronic properties as the amino acid being substituted. Thus, the substituting amino acid would have the same or a similar functional group in the side chain as the original amino acid. A “conservative substitution” also refers to utilizing a substituting amino acid which is identical to the amino acid being substituted except that a functional group in the side chain is protected with a suitable protecting group.
Suitable protecting groups are described in Green and Wuts, “Protecting Groups in Organic Synthesis”, John Wiley and Sons, Chapters 5 and 7, 1991, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Preferred protecting groups are those which facilitate transport of the peptide through membranes, for example, by reducing the hydrophilicity and increasing the lipophilicity of the peptide, and which can be cleaved, either by hydrolysis or enzymatically (Ditter et al., 1968. J. Pharm. Sci. 57:783; Ditter et al., 1968. J. Pharm. Sci. 57:828; Ditter et al., 1969. J. Pharm. Sci. 58:557; King et al., 1987. Biochemistry 26:2294; Lindberg et al., 1989. Drug Metabolism and Disposition 17:311; Tunek et al., 1988. Biochem. Pharm. 37:3867; Anderson et al., 1985 Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 239:538; and Singhal et al., 1987. FASEB J. 1:220). Suitable hydroxyl protecting groups include ester, carbonate and carbamate protecting groups. Suitable amine protecting groups include acyl groups and alkoxy or aryloxy carbonyl groups, as described above for N-terminal protecting groups. Suitable carboxylic acid protecting groups include aliphatic, benzyl and aryl esters, as described below for C-terminal protecting groups. In one embodiment, the carboxylic acid group in the side chain of one or more glutamic acid or aspartic acid residues in a peptide of the present invention is protected, preferably as a methyl, ethyl, benzyl or substituted benzyl ester, more preferably as a benzyl ester.
Group I includes leucine, isoleucine, valine, methionine and modified amino acids having the following side chains: ethyl, n-propyl n-butyl. Preferably, Group I includes leucine, isoleucine, valine and methionine. Group II includes glycine, alanine, valine and a modified amino acid having an ethyl side chain. Preferably, Group II includes glycine and alanine. Group III includes phenylalanine, phenylglycine, tyrosine, tryptophan, cyclohexylmethyl glycine, and modified amino residues having substituted benzyl or phenyl side chains. Preferred substituents include one or more of the following: halogen, methyl, ethyl, nitro, —NH2, methoxy, ethoxy and —CN. Preferably, Group III includes phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. Group IV includes glutamic acid, aspartic acid, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic, aromatic or benzylic ester of glutamic or aspartic acid (e.g., methyl, ethyl, n-propyl iso-propyl, cyclohexyl, benzyl or substituted benzyl), glutamine, asparagine, —CO—NH— alkylated glutamine or asparagines (e.g., methyl, ethyl, n-propyl and iso-propyl) and modified amino acids having the side chain —(CH2)3—COOH, an ester thereof (substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic, aromatic or benzylic ester), an amide thereof and a substituted or unsubstituted N-alkylated amide thereof. Preferably, Group IV includes glutamic acid, aspartic acid, methyl aspartate, ethyl aspartate, benzyl aspartate and methyl glutamate, ethyl glutamate and benzyl glutamate, glutamine and asparagine. Group V includes histidine, lysine, ornithine, arginine, N-nitroarginine, β-cycloarginine, γ-hydroxyarginine, N-amidinocitruline and 2-amino-4-guanidinobutanoic acid, homologs of lysine, homologs of arginine and homologs of ornithine. Preferably, Group V includes histidine, lysine, arginine and ornithine. A homolog of an amino acid includes from 1 to about 3 additional or subtracted methylene units in the side chain. Group VI includes serine, threonine, cysteine and modified amino acids having C1-C5 straight or branched alkyl side chains substituted with —OH or —SH, for example, —CH2CH2OH, —CH2CH2CH2OH or —CH2CH2OHCH3. Preferably, Group VI includes serine, cysteine or threonine. In another aspect, suitable substitutions for amino acid residues include “severe” substitutions. A “severe substitution” is a substitution in which the substituting amino acid (naturally occurring or modified) has significantly different size and/or electronic properties compared with the amino acid being substituted. Thus, the side chain of the substituting amino acid can be significantly larger (or smaller) than the side chain of the amino acid being substituted and/or can have functional groups with significantly different electronic properties than the amino acid being substituted. Examples of severe substitutions of this type include the substitution of phenylalanine or cyclohexylmethyl glycine for alanine, isoleucine for glycine, a D amino acid for the corresponding L amino acid, or —NH—CH[(—CH2)5—COOH]—CO— for aspartic acid. Alternatively, a functional group may be added to the side chain, deleted from the side chain or exchanged with another functional group. Examples of severe substitutions of this type include adding of valine, leucine or isoleucine, exchanging the carboxylic acid in the side chain of aspartic acid or glutamic acid with an amine, or deleting the amine group in the side chain of lysine or ornithine. In yet another alternative, the side chain of the substituting amino acid can have significantly different steric and electronic properties that the functional group of the amino acid being substituted. Examples of such modifications include tryptophan for glycine, lysine for aspartic acid and —(CH2)4COOH for the side chain of serine. These examples are not meant to be limiting.
In another embodiment, for example in the synthesis of a peptide 26 amino acids in length, the individual amino acids may be substituted according in the following manner:
AA1 is serine, glycine, alanine, cysteine or threonine; AA2 is alanine, threonine, glycine, cysteine or serine; AA3 is valine, arginine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, ornithine, lysine, N-nitroarginine, β-cycloarginine, γ-hydroxyarginine, N-amidinocitruline or 2-amino-4-guanidinobutanoic acid; AA4 is proline, leucine, valine, isoleucine or methionine; AA5 is tryptophan, alanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine or glycine; AA6 is serine, glycine, alanine, cysteine or threonine; AA7 is proline, leucine, valine, isoleucine or methionine; AA8 is alanine, threonine, glycine, cysteine or serine; AA9 is alanine, threonine, glycine, cysteine or serine; AA10 is leucine, isoleucine, methionine or valine; AA11 is serine, glycine, alanine, cysteine or threonine; AA12 is leucine, isoleucine, methionine or valine; AA13 is leucine, isoleucine, methionine or valine; AA14 is glutamine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, asparagine, or a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic or aryl ester of glutamic acid or aspartic acid; AA15 is arginine, N-nitroarginine, β-cycloarginine, γ-hydroxy-arginine, N-amidinocitruline or 2-amino-4-guanidino-butanoic acid AA16 is proline, leucine, valine, isoleucine or methionine; AA17 is serine, glycine, alanine, cysteine or threonine; AA18 is glutamic acid, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamine or a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic or aryl ester of glutamic acid or aspartic acid; AA19 is aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, glutamine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, methionine or a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic or aryl ester of glutamic acid or aspartic acid; AA20 is valine, arginine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, ornithine, lysine, N-nitroarginine, β-cycloarginine, γ-hydroxyarginine, N-amidinocitruline or 2-amino-4-guanidinobutanoic acid; AA21 is alanine, threonine, glycine, cysteine or serine; AA22 is alanine, threonine, glycine, cysteine or serine; AA23 is histidine, serine, threonine, cysteine, lysine or ornithine; AA24 is threonine, aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid or a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic or aryl ester of glutamic acid or aspartic acid; AA25 is asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, methionine or a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic or aryl ester of glutamic acid or aspartic acid; and AA26 is cysteine, histidine, serine, threonine, lysine or ornithine. It is to be understood that these amino acid substitutions may be made for longer or shorter peptides than the 26 mer in the preceding example above, and for proteins.
In one embodiment of the present invention, codons for the first several N-terminal amino acids of the transposase are modified such that the third base of each codon is changed to an A or a T without changing the corresponding amino acid. It is preferable that between approximately 1 and 20, more preferably 3 and 15, and most preferably between 4 and 12 of the first N-terminal codons of the gene of interest are modified such that the third base of each codon is changed to an A or a T without changing the corresponding amino acid. In one embodiment, the first ten N-terminal codons of the gene of interest are modified in this manner.
When several desired proteins, protein fragments or peptides are encoded in the gene of interest to be incorporated into the genome, one of skill in the art will appreciate that the proteins, protein fragments or peptides may be separated by a spacer molecule such as, for example, a peptide, consisting of one or more amino acids. Generally, the spacer will have no specific biological activity other than to join the desired proteins, protein fragments or peptides together, or to preserve some minimum distance or other spatial relationship between them. However, the constituent amino acids of the spacer may be selected to influence some property of the molecule such as the folding, net charge, or hydrophobicity. The spacer may also be contained within a nucleotide sequence with a purification handle or be flanked by proteolytic cleavage sites.
Such polypeptide spacers may have from about 5 to about 40 amino acid residues. The spacers in a polypeptide are independently chosen, but are preferably all the same. The spacers should allow for flexibility of movement in space and are therefore typically rich in small amino acids, for example, glycine, serine, proline or alanine. Preferably, peptide spacers contain at least 60%, more preferably at least 80% glycine or alanine. In addition, peptide spacers generally have little or no biological and antigenic activity. Preferred spacers are (Gly-Pro-Gly-Gly)x (SEQ ID NO:5) and (Gly4-Ser)y, wherein x is an integer from about 3 to about 9 and y is an integer from about 1 to about 8. Specific examples of suitable spacers include
(Gly-Pro-Gly-Gly)3 SEQ ID NO:6
Gly Pro Gly Gly Gly Pro Gly Gly
Gly Pro Gly Gly
(Gly4-Ser)3 SEQ ID NO:7
Gly Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Gly Gly
Gly Ser Gly Gly Gly Gly Ser or
(Gly4-Ser)4 SEQ ID NO:8