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AssigneeSomatogen, Inc.
InventorsStephen J. Hoffman, Douglas L. Looker, Mary S. Rosendahl, Gary L. Stetler, Michael Wagenbach, David C. Anderson, Antony James Mathews, Kiyoshi Nagai
Estimating the term…
The alpha subunits of hemoglobin, which in nature are formed as separate polypeptide chains which bind noncovalently to the beta subunits, are here provided in the form of the novel molecule di-alpha globin, a single polypeptide chain defined by connecting the two alpha subunits either directly via peptide bond or indirectly by a flexible amino acid or peptide linker. Di-alpha globin may be combined in vivo or in vitro with beta globin and heme to form hemoglobin. Di-alpha globin is expressed by recombinant DNA techniques. Di-beta globin may be similarly obtained.
A non-naturally occurring, genetically fused globin-like polypeptide comprising two or more globin-like domains connected by one or more peptide bonds into a single unbranched polypeptide chain, said chain being capable of associating with alpha and/or beta globin and incorporating heme to form a hemoglobin-like protein with reversible oxygen binding activity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.