Invention Reference:10/MED/400
This invention provides a cost-effective and efficient method to express and purify recombinant proteins in transgenic plants.
The recombinant proteins are expressed as fusions with an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP)-intein tag and include pharmaceuticals, antibody chains and other useful proteins. They may be produced in various plant parts, such as leaves, seeds, roots, tubers, fruits and cell cultures.
Advantages
• The temperature-sensitive phase transition and self-cleave properties of the ELP-intein tag eliminate expensive procedures in traditional protein purification such as affinity chromatography and protease-mediated cleavage
• Low cost, high yield
• Can be scaled-up for industrial production
Schematic illustration of the purification of ELP-intein fusion protein (ELP-intein-PAL) from rice seeds. Proteins were purified by multiple rounds of centrifugation, filtration and manipulation of temperature, pH, and simple chemical conditions.