Patent ID: 8476244

Claim:
A method of producing a recombinant biological product comprising: (a) generating a biomass of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells that produce said recombinant biological product at the start of or during an initial phase of cell culture; (b) causing an increase or decrease in a level of one or more miRNA molecules comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID. NOs.: 9, 18, 21, and orthologous sequences thereof within the CHO cells, wherein said causing an increase comprises (i) transiently transfecting one or more of the miRNA molecules or precursors thereof within the CHO cells, (ii) transiently transfecting an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence coding for one or more miRNA molecules or precursors thereof within the CHO cells, or (iii) stably transfecting a nucleic acid sequence coding for one or more miRNA molecules or precursors thereof into the CHO cell genome, and wherein said causing a decrease comprises increasing a level of an inhibitor of one or more the miRNA molecules; (c) reducing, arresting or increasing growth of the culture as a result of the increase or decrease in the level of the one or more miRNA molecules; and (d) producing the biological product from the culture.