Amino-terminally extended human growth hormone (HGH)

Abstract

A desired protein having the formula: A-B-C-P, wherein (a) A is Lys or Arg, and B and C are arbitrary amino acids, or (b) A is an arbitrary amino acid different from Pro, Lys, and Arg, and B and/or C is Pro is produced from a biosynthetically formed amino-terminally extended protein having the formula: X-A-B-C-P, wherein A, B, C are defined above, and X is an amino acid sequence with an even number of amino acids, of which the first amino acid, seen from the N-terminal end, is different from Lys and Arg, all other am/no acids are different from Pro, Lys and Arg, and all even amino acids are different from Pro, by reaction with the enzyme dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (DAP I). The desired protein is obtained in a pure state. Specifically, P is human growth hormone (hGH). Thus, compositions of hGH may be produced without the presence of Met-hGH.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.