CARBOXYPERTIDASE U (CPU) MUTANTS

摘要

This invention relates to mutant forms of carboxypeptidase U with increased thermal stability relative to wild-type. In addition to the individual thermal stabilising mutations identified (at positions 166, 204, 219, 230, 251, 315), the inventors have identified a region (S327 - H357) that is crucial to the stability of CPU. The invention relates to nucleic acid encoding such mutant forms and the polypeptides encoded thereby. The invention also relates to methods and materials for making CPU mutants with increased thermal stability relative to wild-type and their use, for example to produce crystals of CPU or proCPU for 3-dimensional structure determination, or in therapy.