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The synthesis and in vivo assembly of functional antibodies in yeast

Nature volume 314, pages 446–449 (1985)Cite this article

Abstract

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can synthesize, process and secrete higher eukaryotic proteins1–5. We have investigated the expression of immunoglobulin chains in yeast and demonstrate here (1) the synthesis, processing and secretion of light and heavy chains, (2) the glycosylation of heavy chain, (3) the intracellular localization of these foreign proteins by immunofluorescence, and (4) the detection of functional antibodies in cells co-expressing both chains. This may provide the basis of a microbial fermentation process for the production of monoclonal antibodies. The co-expression of light and heavy chains in Escherichia coli has been reported but functional antibodies were not assembled in vivo6,7. Furthermore, only low-level assembly of these chains was found in vitro.

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Author notes

  1. Jane E. Calvert

    Present address: Department of Pathology, The Medical School, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

  2. Nicola A. Roberts: Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Celltech Ltd, 244-250 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 4DY, UK

    Clive R. Wood, Michael A. Boss, John H. Kenten, Jane E. Calvert, Nicola A. Roberts & J. Spencer Emtage

Authors
  1. Clive R. Wood
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  2. Michael A. Boss
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  3. John H. Kenten
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  4. Jane E. Calvert
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  5. Nicola A. Roberts
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  6. J. Spencer Emtage
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Wood, C., Boss, M., Kenten, J. et al. The synthesis and in vivo assembly of functional antibodies in yeast. Nature 314, 446–449 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/314446a0

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