Chemistry: natural resins or derivatives; peptides or proteins; – Proteins – i.e. – more than 100 amino acid residues – Glycoprotein – e.g. – mucins – proteoglycans – etc.
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-20
2003-04-15
Fox, David T. (Department: 1638)
Chemistry: natural resins or derivatives; peptides or proteins;
Proteins, i.e., more than 100 amino acid residues
Glycoprotein, e.g., mucins, proteoglycans, etc.
C530S300000, C530S326000, C530S327000, C530S350000, C530S370000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06548642
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of plant gums and other hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins, and in particular, to the expression of synthetic genes designed from repetitive peptide sequences.
BACKGROUND
Gummosis is a common wound response that results in the exudation of a gum sealant at the site of cracks in bark. A. M. Stephen et al.,“Exudate Gums”,
Methods Plant Biochem.
(1990). Generally the exudate is a composite of polysaccharides and glycoproteins structurally related to cell wall components such as galactans [G. O. Aspinall, “Plant Gums”,
The Carbohydrates
2B:522536 (1970)] and hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins [Anderson and McDougall, “The chemical characterization of the gum exudates from eight Australian Acacia species of the series
Phyllodineae.” Food Hydrocolloids,
2: 329 (1988)].
Gum arabic is probably the best characterized of these exudates (although it has been largely refractory to chemical analysis). It is a natural plant exudate secreted by various species of Acacia trees.
Acacia senegal
accounts for approximately 80% of the production of gum arabic with
Acacia seyal, Acacia laeta, Acacia camplylacantha,
and
Acacia drepanolobium
supplying the remaining 20%. The gum is gathered by hand in Africa. It is a tedious process involving piercing and stripping the bark of the trees, then returning later to gather the dried tear drop shaped, spherical balls that form.
The exact chemical nature of gum arabic has not been elucidated. It is believed to consist of two major components, a microheterogeneous glucurono-arabinorhamnogalactan polysaccharide and a higher molecular weight hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein. Osman et al.,“Characteriztion of Gum Arabic Fractions Obtained By Anion-Exchange Chromatography” Phytochemistry 38:409 (1984) and Qi et al.,“Gum Arabic Glycoprotein Is A Twisted Hairy Rope” Plant Physiol. 96:848 (1991). While the amino composition of the protein portion has been examined, little is known with regard to the precise amino acid sequence.
While the precise chemical nature of gum arabic is elusive, the gum is nonetheless particularly useful due to its high solubility and low viscosity compared to other gums. The FDA declared the gum to be a GRAS food additive. Consequently, it is widely used in the food industry as a thickener, emulsifier, stabilizer, surfactant, protective colloid, and flavor fixative or preservative. J. Dziezak, “A Focus on Gums”
Food Technology
(March 1991). It is also used extensively in the cosmetics industry.
Normally, the world production of gum arabic is over 100,000 tons per year. However, this production depends on the environmental and political stability of the region producing the gum. In the early 1970s, for example, a severe drought reduced gum production to 30,00 tons. Again in 1985, drought brought about shortages of the gum, resulting in a 600% price increase.
Three approaches have been used to deal with the somewhat precarious supply problem of gum arabic. First, other gums have been sought out in other regions of the world. Second, additives have been investigated to supplement inferior gum arabic. Third, production has been investigated in cultured cells.
The effort to find other gums in other regions of the world has met with some limited success. However, the solubility of gum arabic from Acacia is superior to other gums because it dissolves well in either hot or cold water. Moreover, while other exudates are limited to a 5% solution because of their excessive viscosity, gum arabic can be dissolved readily to make 55% solutions.
Some additives have been identified to supplement gum arabic. For example, whey proteins can be used to increase the functionality of gum arabic. A. Prakash et al., “The effects of added proteins on the functionality of gum arabic in soft drink emulsion systems,”
Food Hydrocolloids
4:177 (1990). However, this approach has limitations. Only low concentrations of such additives can be used without producing off-flavors in the final food product.
Attempts to produce gum arabic in cultured
Acacia senegal
cells has been explored. Unfortunately, conditions have not been found which lead to the expression of gum arabic in culture. A. Mollard and J-P. Joseleau, “
Acacia senegal
cells cultured in suspension secrete a hydroxyproline-deficient rabinogalactan-protein”
Plant Physiol. Biochem.
32:703 (1994).
Clearly, new approaches to improve gum arabic production are needed. Such approaches should not be dependent on environmental or political factors. Ideally, such approaches should simplify production and be relatively inexpensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention involves a new approach in the field of plant gums and presents a new solution to the production of hydroxyproline(Hyp)-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs), repetitive proline-rich proteins (RPRPs) and arabino-galactan proteins (AGPs). The present invention contemplates the expression of synthetic genes designed from repetitive peptide sequences of such glycoproteins, including the peptide sequences of gum arabic glycoprotein (GAGP).
With respect to GAGP, the present invention contemplates a substantially purified polypeptide comprising at least a portion of the amino acid sequence Ser-Hyp-Hyp-Hyp-[Hyp/Thr]-Leu-Ser-Hyp-Ser-Hyp-Thr-Hyp-Thr-Hyp-Hyp-Hyp-Gly-Pro-His (SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2) or variants thereof. By “variants” it is meant that the sequence need not comprise the exact sequence; up to five (5) amino acid substitutions are contemplated. For example, a Leu or Hyp may be substituted for the Gly; Leu may also be substituted for Ser and one or more Hyp. By “variants” it is also meant that the sequence need not be the entire nineteen (19) amino acids. Illustrative variants are shown in Table 2.
Indeed, it is not intended that the present invention be limited by the precise length of the purified polypeptide. In one embodiment, the peptide comprises more than twelve (12) amino acids from the nineteen (19) amino acids of the sequence. In another embodiment, a portion of the nineteen (19) amino acids (see SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2) is utilized as a repetitive sequence. In yet another embodiment, all nineteen (19) amino acids (see SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2 with or without amino acid substitutions) are utilized as a repetitive sequence.
It is not intended that the present invention be limited by the precise number of repeats. The sequence (i.e. SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2) or variants thereof may be used as a repeating sequence between one (1) and up to fifty (50) times, more preferably between ten (10) and up to thirty (30) times, and most preferably approximately twenty (20) times. The sequence (i.e. SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2) or variants thereof may be used as contiguous repeats or may be used as non-contiguous repeats (with other amino acids, or amino acid analogues, placed between the repeating sequences).
The present invention specifically contemplates fusion proteins comprising a non-gum arabic protein or glycoprotein sequence and a portion of the gum arabic glycoprotein sequence (SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2). It is not intended that the present invention be limited by the nature of the non-gum arabic glycoprotein sequence. In one embodiment, the non-gum arabic glycoprotein sequence is a green fluorescent protein.
As noted above, the present invention contemplates synthetic genes encoding such peptides. By “synthetic genes” it is meant that the nucleic acid sequence is derived using the peptide sequence of interest (in contrast to using the nucleic acid sequence from cDNA). In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates an isolated polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising at least a portion of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2 or variants thereof. The present invention specifically contemplates a polynucleotide sequence comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising one or more repeats of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2 or variants thereof. Importantly, it is not intend
Fox David T.
Medlen & Carroll LLP
Ohio University
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