SYNTHETIC GENES SPECIFYING PERIODIC POLYMERS MODELED ON THE REPETITIVE DOMAIN OF WHEAT GLIADINS - CONCEPTION AND EXPRESSION

In order to optimise new polypeptide based biomaterials, we developed a procedure for producing homoblock polypeptides using recombinant DNA technology. Synthetic genes encoding periodic polypeptides modelled o n the consensus sequence of wheat gliadins (a family of wheat storage proteins) were devised to be expressed in Escherichia coli. The constr uction strategy followed allows the construction of three genes encodi ng 8, 16, and 32 copies of the PQQPY module. The optimal expression co nditions in the enterobacteria were established and a convenient purif ication procedure was shown to be useful in recovery of sizable amount s of strictly periodic polypeptides. The identities of the synthesized polypeptides were assessed using positive cross reactions to antibodi es raised against a synthetic decapeptide (PQQPYP-QQPA) and amino acid composition was determined as well. (C) 1997 Academic Press.