METHODS OF GENERATING DESIRED AMINO-TERMINAL RESIDUES IN PROTEINS

摘要

A method of designing or modifying protein structure at the protein or genetic level to produce specified amino-termini in vivo is described. The method is used to alter the metabolic stability and other properties of the protein or, alternatively, to artificially generate authentic amino-termini in proteins produced through artificial means. The method is based upon the introduction of the use of artificial ubiquitin-protein fusions, and the discovery that the in vivo half-life of a protein is a function of the amino-terminal amino acid of the protein.