TANDEM GENE EUKARYOTIC EXPRESSION VECTORS

摘要

Compositions and methods for expressing gene products of interest in eukaryotic cells by transforming eukaryotic cells with recombinant DNA expression vectors which contain a DNA sequence coding for a gene product of interest together with a DNA sequence coding for a selectable phenotype. Both the gene of interest and the selectable gene are transcribed from a single eukaryotic promotor. Preferably, the recombinant DNA constructed is such that the DNA sequence coding for the gene product of interest is disposed between the eukaryotic promotor and the DNA sequence coding for the selectable phenotype. In an expression vector thus constructed, the gene product of interest is necessarily expressed by those cells which express the selectable phenotype. One clone of such transformed eukaryotic cells contains dicistronic mRNA which encodes for both human tissue plasminogen activator and the selectable phenotype. Another clone contains dicistronic mRNA which encodes for both erythropoetin and the selectable phenotype. Also disclosed are recombinant genes including an intron. The recombinant genes may be hybrids including both genomic DNA and cDNA.