Patent ID: 7026526

Claim:
A DNA construct for expression of multiple gene products in a cell comprising: (a) a single promoter at the 5′ end of the construct; (b) an intein splicing unit comprising two or more extein sequences encoding separate proteins, and one or more intein sequences fused to the carboxy-terminus encoding portion of each extein sequence, except the last extein sequence to be expressed; and (c) a 3′ termination sequence comprising a polyadenylation signal following the last extein protein coding sequence; wherein the intein splicing unit is expressed as a precursor protein containing at least one intein flanked by extein encoded proteins; wherein at least one of the inteins can catalyze excision of the exteins; and wherein at least one amino acid residue is substituted in, or added to, the intein splicing unit so that the excised exteins are not ligated by the intein.