BIOTECHNOLOGY - V. H. Herasymenko - 2006

Part II. Special Biotechnologies

Chapter 13. BIOTECHNOLOGY OF INTERFERON PRODUCTION

13.4. PRODUCTION OF ADVANCED INTERFERONS

Despite their shared characteristics, each interferon possesses unique features. For instance, α-type interferons differ to some extent in their effects on Cells of various origins.

Advances in Recombinant DNA technology and molecular biology open up possibilities for enhancing the therapeutic properties of interferons through Site-Directed Mutagenesis of their genes. If each corresponding Gene is cleaved at a specific site using the same restriction endonuclease, isolating the N- and C-terminal gene fragments, and then the C-terminal fragment of one gene is joined to the N-terminal fragment of another and vice versa, hybrid genes are obtained. Once introduced into Bacteria, Yeast, or another host Cell, these genes will direct the synthesis of hybrid interferons.

Such hybrid interferons were successfully generated for α-A and α-D interferons by Swiss and American researchers, and in the former Soviet Union (Sverdlov E.D., 1984) for α-A, α-D, and α-F interferons. It was found that The properties of these hybrids differ significantly from those of the native individual interferons.

Thus, an opportunity arises to create entirely novel therapeutic agents. Beyond producing hybrid interferon genes, Introduction/32.html">Genetic Engineering techniques allow for the modification of any desired region of a gene. Furthermore, chemo-enzymatic synthesis Methods enable the de novo synthesis of completely novel interferon genes.