POLYCISTRONIC EXPRESSION OF ANTIBODIES

摘要

Described herein is a novel expression system for producing multiple gene products of interest from a single polycistronic construct. In particular, the expression system contains a polycistronic vector capable of expressing functional antibodies in eukaryotic host cells, which vector contains at least the following elements operably linked in the 5' to 3' orientation: a promoter operable in a eukaryotic cell a DNA sequence encoding at least the variable region of an antibody light chain an internal ribosome entry site IRES (Internal ribosome entry site) and at least one DNA sequence encoding an antibody heavy chain. Also disclosed are mammalian cells containing the polycistronic expression vector, and a method of producing functional antibodies in mammalian cells transfected with the polycistronic expression vector.