Methods for generating and screening novel metabolic pathways
First Claim
1. A combinatorial gene expression library, comprising a pool of expression constructs, each expression construct containing one or more cDNA or genomic DNA fragments, wherein the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in the pool of expression constructs are derived from a plurality of species of donor organisms, and wherein the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in each expression construct are operably-associated each with one or more regulatory regions that drives expression of genes encoded by the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in an appropriate host organism.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a novel drug discovery system for generating and screening molecular diversity. The system provides methods for mixing and cloning genetic materials from a plurality of species of organisms in combinatorial gene expression libraries to generate novel metabolic pathways and classes of compounds. The system also involves methods for pre-screening or identifying for host organisms containing a library that are capable of generating such novel pathways and compounds. The host organisms may be useful in drug screening for particular diseases, and in commercial production of compounds of interest. The methods of the invention are also useful in preserving the genomes of organisms that are known or prospective sources of drugs.
216 Citations
45 Claims
- 1. A combinatorial gene expression library, comprising a pool of expression constructs, each expression construct containing one or more cDNA or genomic DNA fragments, wherein the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in the pool of expression constructs are derived from a plurality of species of donor organisms, and wherein the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in each expression construct are operably-associated each with one or more regulatory regions that drives expression of genes encoded by the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in an appropriate host organism.
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2. A combinatorial chimeric pathway gene expression library, comprising a pool of expression constructs, each expression construct containing randomly concatenated cDNA or genomic DNA fragments derived from one or more species of donor organisms, in which the concatenated cDNA or genomic DNA fragments are operably-associated with one or more regulatory regions that drive expression of genes encoded by the concatenated cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in an appropriate host organism.
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3. A biased combinatorial gene expression library, comprising a pool of expression constructs, each expression construct containing cDNA or genomic DNA fragments preselected from a plurality of species of donor organisms for a specific property, in which the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments are operably-associated with one or more regulatory regions that drive expression of genes encoded by the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in an appropriate host organism.
- 19. A method for making a combinatorial gene expression library, comprising ligating a DNA vector to one or more cDNA or genomic DNA fragments to generate a library of expression constructs, wherein the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments in the library of expression constructs are obtained from a plurality of species of donor organisms, and wherein genes contained in the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments are operably-associated with their native or exogenous regulatory regions which drive expression of the genes in an appropriate host cell.
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20. A method for making a chimeric pathway gene expression library, comprising randomly concatenating cDNA or genomic DNA fragments obtained from one or more species of donor organisms, and ligating the concatenated DNA fragments to a DNA vector to generate a library of expression constructs in which genes contained in the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments are operably-associated with their native or exogenous regulatory regions which drive expression of the genes in an appropriate host cell.
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21. A method for making a biased combinatorial gene expression library, comprising ligating a DNA vector to one or more cDNA or genomic DNA fragments to generate a library of expression constructs, wherein the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments are obtained from a plurality of species of donor organisms and are selected for a specific property, and wherein genes contained in the cDNA or genomic DNA fragments are operably-associated with their native or exogenous regulatory regions which drive expression of the genes in an appropriate host cell.
Specification