Leader sequences for the production of recombinant proteins

A method of promoting the formation of inclusion bodies comprising a target polypeptide within a cellular host which expresses said target polypeptide, said method comprising the steps of:

• ligating in reading sequence a pendant DNA to a DNA encoding said target polypeptide to produce a fused DNA, said pendant DNA comprising a sequence of nucleotides which encodes a proline-free alpha helical polypeptide having a central axis and opposed hydrophilic and hydrophobic lateral surfaces, the hydrophobic surface comprising axially proximate nonpolar amino acid residues, the hydrophilic surface comprising axially proximate charged amino acid residues, said alpha helical polypeptide being of the structure:
• (N--C--S--N--S--CN)b
• wherein b is an integer from 1 to 30, N comprises a member selected from the group consisting of nonpolar amino acid residues, and the Ns together define said hydrophobic surface, C comprises a member selected from the group consisting of charged amino acid residues, and the Cs together define said hydrophilic surface, S comprises a member selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic, neutral amino acid residues, and wherein up to two of said N, C and S residues can independently be histidine, said alpha helical polypeptide being further characterized by formation of insoluble aggregates within said cellular host;
• and
• expressing said fused DNA in said cellular host to produce insoluble aggregates comprising a fused protein encoded by said fused DNA.