Patent ID: 8080391

Claim:
A process for producing a substantially purified human growth hormone (hGH) conjugated to a water soluble polymer at position 35 of SEQ ID NO: 2, comprising: a) culturing recombinant host cells capable of producing hGH comprising one or more non-naturally encoded amino acid(s) in a liquid nutrient medium containing the non-naturally encoded amino acid(s) under conditions which favor growth; b) producing hGH comprising the non-naturally encoded amino acid(s) in said cells; and c) producing substantially purified hGH polypeptide by conjugating said non-naturally encoded amino acid(s) in said hGH via an oxime bond to a water soluble polymer, wherein the non-naturally encoded amino acid has the structure: and wherein the R group is any substituent other than one used in the twenty natural amino acids.