US 5,759,817 AGrant
Heterodimeric Receptor Libraries Using Phagemids
Issue Date:1998-06-02
•26 Claims
•12 Drawing Sheets
Abstract
Filamentous phage comprising a matrix of cpVIII proteins encapsulating a genome encoding first and second polypeptides of an antogenously assembling receptor, such as an antibody, and a receptor comprised of the first and second polypeptides surface-integrated into the matrix via a cpVIII membrane anchor domain fused to at least one of the polypeptides with a mutagenized CDR3 region.
Metadata
Assignee
- The Scripps Research Institute
Inventor
- Carlos Barbas
Application Information
Application Number:US 3227308
Filing Date:1994-10-12
Priority Date:1991-04-10
Art Unit:189
Classifications
IPC:
G01N 3353C12N 1500C12P 2100C07K 1600
Field of Search:
694355369355301 T172.2;5;7.1;172.1;172.3;320.1;69.7248387.1;387.3;412
Patent Drawings (12 sheets)
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to cloning vectors and methods for producing a library of DNA molecules capable of expressing a fusion protein on the surface of a filamentous phage particle.
BACKGROUND
Filamentous bacteriophages are a group of related viruses that infect bacteria. They are termed filamentous because they are long and thin particles comprised of an elongated capsule that envelopes the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that forms the bacteriophage genome. The F pili filamentous bacteriophage (Ff phage) infect only gram-negative bacteria by specifically adsorbing to the tip of F pili, and include fd, f1 and M13.
The mature capsule of Ff phage is comprised of a coat of five phage-encoded gene products: cpVIII, the major coat protein product of gene VIII that forms the bulk of the capsule; and four minor coat proteins, cpIII and cpIV at one end of the capsule and cpVII and cpIX at the other end of the capsule. The length of the capsule is formed by 2500 to 3000 copies of cpVIII in an ordered helix array that forms the characteristic filament structure. About five copies each of the minor coat proteins are present at the ends of the capsule. The gene III-encoded protein (cpIII) is typically present in 4 to 6 copies at one end of the capsule and serves as the receptor for binding of the phage to its bacterial host in the initial phase of infection. For detailed reviews of Ff phage structure, see Rasched et al., Microbiol. Rev., 50:401-427 (1986); and Model et al., in "The Bacteriophages, Volume 2", R. Calendar, Ed., Plenum Press, pp. 375-456 (1988).
The assembly of a Ff phage particle involves highly complex mechanics. No phage particles are assembled within a host cell; rather, they are assembled during extrusion of the viral genome through the host cell's membrane. Prior to extrusion, the major coat protein cpVIII and the minor coat protein cpIII are synthesized and transported to the host cell's membrane. Both cpVIII and cpIII are anchored in the host cell membrane prior to their incorporation into the mature particle. In addition, the viral genome is produced and coated with cpV protein. During the extrusion process, cpV-coated genomic DNA is stripped of the cpV coat and simultaneously recoated with the mature coat proteins. The assembly mechanisms that control transferral of these proteins from the membrane to the particle is not presently known.
Both cpIII and cpVIII proteins include two domains that provide signals for assembly of the mature phage particle. The first domain is a secretion signal that directs the newly synthesized protein to the host cell membrane. The secretion signal is located at the amino terminus of the protein and targets the protein at least to the cell membrane. The second domain is a membrane anchor domain that provides signals for association with the host cell membrane and for association with the phage particle during assembly. This second signal for both cpVIII and cpIII comprises at least a hydrophobic region for spanning the membrane.
cpVIII has been extensively studied as a model membrane protein because it can integrate into lipid bilayers such as the cell membrane in an asymmetric orientation with the acidic amino terminus toward the outside and the basic carboxy terminus toward the inside of the membrane. The mature protein is about 50 amino acid residues in length of which 11 residues provide the carboxy terminus, 19 residues provide the hydrophobic transmembrane region, and the remaining residues comprise the amino terminus. Considerable research has been done on the secretion signal region of cpVIII to advance the study of membrane protein synthesis and targeting to membranes. However, little is known about the changes that are tolerated in the structure of the cpVIII membrane anchor region that would allow for assembly of phage particles.
Manipulation of the sequence of cpIII shows that the C-terminal 23 amino acid residue stretch of hydrophobic amino acids normally responsible for a membrane anchor function can be altered in a variety of ways and retain the capacity to associate with membranes. However, those anchor-modified cpIII proteins lost their ability to genetically complement gene III mutants indicating that the requirements of a membrane anchor for functional assembly have not been elucidated.
Ff phage-based expression vectors have been described in which the entire cpIII amino acid residue sequence was modified by insertion of short polypeptide "epitopes" Parmely et al., Gene, 73:305-318 (1988); and Cwirla et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6378-6382 (1990)! or an amino acid residue sequence defining a single chain antibody domain. McCafferty et al., Science, 348:552-554 (1990). These hybrid proteins were synthesized and assembled onto phage particles in amounts of about 5 copies per particle, a density at which normal cpIII is usually found. However, these expressed fusion proteins include the entire cpIII amino acid residue sequence and do not suggest fusion proteins that utilize only the carboxy terminal membrane anchor domain of cpIII.
In addition, no expression system has been described in which a phage coat protein has been engineered to allow assembly of a heteromeric molecule that is functional and capable of incorporation into the coat of a phage particle.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A new, high density, surface-integration technology has been discovered for expressing a recombinant gene product on the surface of a filamentous phage containing the recombinant gene. The invention uses a filamentous phage cpVIII membrane anchor domain as a means for linking gene-product and gene during the assembly stage of filamentous phage replication.
That is, during filamentous phage replication, gene VIII-encoded proteins assemble into a matrix which encapsulates the phage genome. It has now been discovered that (1) phage assembly is not disrupted when recombinant gene VIII-encoded proteins are present, (2) recombinant gene VIII-encoded proteins can be integrated into the assembling matrix, and (3) integration into the matrix can be directed to occur in a surface-accessible orientation.
The present invention can be advantageously applied to the production of heteromeric receptors of predetermined specificity, i.e., it can be used to produce antibodies, T-cell receptors and the like that bind a preselected ligand.
Thus, the present invention provides for linking the functions of heteromeric receptor recognition and filamentous phage replication in a method for isolating a heteromeric receptor. The method produces a filamentous phage comprised of a matrix of gene VIII-encoded proteins that encapsulate a recombinant genome. The recombinant genome contains genes encoding the proteins of the heteromeric receptor proteins. The heteromeric receptor is surface-integrated into the encapsulating matrix via a gene VIII-encoded membrane anchor domain that is fused by a peptide bond during translation to one of the heteromeric receptor proteins. The heteromeric receptor and the genes which encode it are physically linked during the assembly stage of the phage replication cycle. Specifically binding the receptor-coated phage to a solid-support advantageously provides a means for isolating a recombinant genome that encodes a desired heteromeric receptor from a diverse library of recombinant genomes.
In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates an antibody molecule comprising heavy- and light-chain proteins, said heavy-chain protein comprising a V.sub.H -domain flanked by an amino-terminal prokaryotic secretion signal domain and a carboxy-terminal filamentous phage cpVIII membrane anchor domain, said light chain protein comprising a V.sub.L -domain fused to an amino-terminal prokaryotic secretion signal domain.
In another embodiment, the present invention contemplates a vector for expressing a fusion protein, said vector comprising a cassette that includes upstream and downstream translatable DNA sequences operatively linked via a sequence of nucleotides adapted for directional ligation of an insert DNA, said upstream sequence encoding a prokaryotic secretion signal, said downstream sequence encoding a filamentous phage gene cpVIII membrane anchor, said translatable DNA sequences operatively linked to a set of DNA expression signals for expression of said translatable DNA sequences as portions of said fusion protein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings forming a portion of this disclosure:
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of the immunoglobulin molecule showing the principal structural features. The circled area on the heavy chain represents the variable region (V.sub.H), a polypeptide containing a biologically active (ligand binding) portion of that region, and a gene coding for that polypeptide, are produced by the methods of the present invention.
FIG. 2A is a diagrammatic sketch of a heavy (H) chain of human IgG (IgG1 subclass). Numbering is from the N-terminus on the left to the C-terminus on the right. Note the presence of four domains, each containing an intrachain disulfide bond (S--S) spanning approximately 60 amino acid residues. The symbol CHO stands for carbohydrate. The V region of the heavy (H) chain (V.sub.H) resembles V.sub.L in having three hypervariable CDR (not shown).
FIG. 2B-1 is a diagrammatic sketch of a human light (Kappa) chain (Panel 1). Numbering is from the N-terminus on the left to the C-terminus on the right. Note the intrachain disulfide bond (S--S) spanning about the same number of amino acid residues in the V.sub.L and C.sub.L domains.
FIG. 2B-2 shows the locations of the complementarity-determining regions (CDR) in the V.sub.L domain. Segments outside the CDR are the framework segments (FR).
FIG. 3 illustrates the sequence of the double-stranded synthetic DNA inserted into Lambda Zap to produce a Lambda Hc2 expression vector. The preparation of the double-stranded synthetic DNA insert is described in Example 1a(ii). The various features required for this vector to express the V.sub.H -coding DNA homologs include the Shine-Dalgarno ribosome binding site, a leader sequence to direct the expressed protein to the periplasm as described by Mouva et al., J. Biol. Chem., 255:27, 1980, and various restriction enzyme sites used to operatively link the V.sub.H homologs to the expression vector. The V.sub.H expression vector sequence also contains a short nucleic acid sequence that codes for amino acids typically found in variable regions heavy chain (V.sub.H Backbone). This V.sub.H Backbone is just upstream and in the proper reading as the V.sub.H DNA homologs that are operatively linked into the Xho I and Spe I cloning sites. The sequences of the top and bottom strands of the double-stranded synthetic DNA insert are listed respectively as SEQ. ID. NO. 1 and SEQ. ID. NO. 2. The synthetic DNA insert is directionally ligated into Lambda Zap II digested with the restriction enzymes Not 1 and Xho I to form Lambda Hc2 expression vector.
FIG. 4 illustrates the major features of the bacterial expression vector Lambda Hc2 (V.sub.H expression vector). The synthetic DNA sequence from FIG. 3 is shown at the top along with the T.sub.3 polymerase promoter from Lambda Zap II. The orientation of the insert in Lambda Zap II is shown. The V.sub.H DNA homologs are inserted into the Xho I and Spe I cloning sites. The read through transcription produces the decapeptide epitope (tag) that is located just 3' of the cloning site.
FIG. 5 illustrates the sequence of the double-stranded synthetic DNA inserted into Lambda Zap to produce a Lambda Lc2 expression vector. The various features required for this vector to express the V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs are described in FIG. 3. The V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs are operatively linked into the Lc2 sequence at the Sac I and Xho I restriction sites. The sequences of the top and bottom strands of the double-stranded synthetic DNA insert are listed respectively as SEQ. ID. NO. 3 and SEQ. ID. NO. 4. The synthetic DNA insert is directionally ligated into Lambda Zap II digested with the restriction enzymes Sac I and Not I to form Lambda Lc2 expression vector.
FIG. 6 illustrates the major features of the bacterial expression vector Lc2 (V.sub.L expression vector). The synthetic DNA sequence from FIG. 5 is shown at the top along with the T.sub.3 polymerase promoter from Lambda Zap II. The orientation of the insert in Lambda Zap II is shown. The V.sub.L DNA homologs are inserted into the Sac I and Xho I cloning sites.
FIG. 7 illustrates the dicistronic expression vector, pComb, in the form of a phagemid expression vector. To produce pComb, phagemids were first excised from the expression vectors, Lambda Hc2 and Lambda Lc2, using an in vivo excision protocol according to manufacturers instructions (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.). The pComb expression vector is prepared from Lambda Hc2 and Lambda Lc2 which do not contain V.sub.H -coding or V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs. The in vivo excision protocol moved the cloned insert from the Lambda Hc2 and Lc2 vectors into a phagemid vector. The resultant phagemids contained the same nucleotide sequences for antibody fragment cloning and expression as did the parent vectors. Hc2 and Lc2 phagemid expression vectors were separately restriction digested with Sca I and EcoR I. The linearized phagemids were ligated via the Sca I and EcoR I cohesive termini to form the dicistronic (combinatorial) vector, pComb.
FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic diagram of the composition of pCBAK8-2b phagemid vector, the pathway for Fab assembly and incorporation in phage coat. The vector carries the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) marker gene in addition to the nucleotide residue sequences encoding the Fd-cpVIII fusion protein and the kappa chain. The f1 phage origin of replication facilitates the generation of single stranded phagemid. The isopropyl thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) induced expression of a dicistronic message encoding the Fd-cpVIII fusion (V.sub.H, C.sub.H1, cpVIII) and the light chain (V.sub.L, C.sub.L) leads to the formation of heavy and light chains. Each chain is delivered to the periplasmic space by the pelB target sequence, which is subsequently cleaved. The heavy chain is anchored in the membrane by cpVIII fusion while the light chain is secreted into the periplasm. The heavy chain in the presence of light chain assembles to form Fab molecules. The Fabs are incorporated into phage particles via cpVIII (black dots).
FIG. 9 illustrates the electron micrographic localization of 5-7 nm colloidal gold particles coated with NPN-BSA conjugate along the surface of filamentous phage, and from phage emerging from a bacterial cell. Panel 9A shows filamentous phage emerging from the surface of the bacterial cell specifically labelled with the colloidal gold particles coated with BSA-NPN antigen. Panel 9B shows a portion of a mature filamentous phage on the length of which is exhibited the labelling of antigen binding sites.
FIG. 10 illustrates the results of a two-site ELISA for assaying for the presence and function of Fab antibody attached to the surface of bacteriophage particles as described in Example 4b. For expression of Fab antibody on phage surfaces, XL1-Blue cells were transformed with the phagemid expression vector, pCBAK8-2b. The inducer, isopropyl thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), was admixed with the bacterial suspension at a final concentration of 1 mM for one hour. Helper phage was then admixed with the bacterial suspension to initiate the generation of copies of the sense strand of the phagemid DNA. After a two hour maintenance period, bacterial supernatants containing bacteriophage particles were collected for assaying in ELISA.
Specific titratable binding of NPN-Fab-expressing bacteriophage particles to NPN-coated plates was exhibited. No binding was detected with helper phage alone.
FIG. 11 illustrates the inhibition of NPN-Fab expressing bacteriophage to NPN antigen-coated plates with the addition of increasing amounts of free hapten. The assays were performed as described in FIG. 10. Complete inhibition of binding was observed with 5 ng of added free NPN hapten.
FIG. 12 illustrates schematically the process of mutagenizing the CDR3 region of a heavy chain fragment resulting in an alteration of binding specificity. The oligonucleotide primers are indicated by black bars. The process is described in Example 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A. Definitions
Amino Acid Residue: An amino acid formed upon chemical digestion (hydrolysis) of a polypeptide at its peptide linkages. The amino acid residues described herein are preferably in the "L" isomeric form. However, residues in the "D" isomeric form can be substituted for any L-amino acid residue, as long as the desired functional property is retained by the polypeptide. NH.sub.2 refers to the free amino group present at the amino terminus of a polypeptide. COOH refers to the free carboxy group present at the carboxy terminus of a polypeptide. In keeping with standard polypeptide nomenclature (described in J. Biol. Chem., 243:3552-59 (1969) and adopted at 37 C.F.R. 1.822(b)(2)), abbreviations for amino acid residues are shown in the following Table of Correspondence:
It should be noted that all amino acid residue sequences represented herein by formulae have a left-to-right orientation in the conventional direction of amino terminus to carboxy terminus. In addition, the phrase "amino acid residue" is broadly defined to include the amino acids listed in the Table of Correspondence and modified and unusual amino acids, such as those listed in 37 C.F.R. 1.822(b)(4), and incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, it should be noted that a dash at the beginning or end of an amino acid residue sequence indicates a peptide bond to a further sequence of one or more amino acid residues or a covalent bond to an amino-terminal group such as NH.sub.2 or acetyl or to a carboxy-terminal group such as COOH.
Nucleotide: A monomeric unit of DNA or RNA consisting of a sugar moiety (pentose), a phosphate, and a nitrogenous heterocyclic base. The base is linked to the sugar moiety via the glycosidic carbon (1' carbon of the pentose) and that combination of base and sugar is a nucleoside. When the nucleoside contains a phosphate group bonded to the 3' or 5' position of the pentose it is referred to as a nucleotide. A sequence of operatively linked nucleotides is typically referred to herein as a "base sequence" or "nucleotide sequence", and their grammatical equivalents, and is represented herein by a formula whose left to right orientation is in the conventional direction of 5'-terminus to 3'-terminus.
Base Pair (bp): A partnership of adenine (A) with thymine (T), or of cytosine (C) with guanine (G) in a double stranded DNA molecule. In RNA, uracil (U) is substituted for thymine.
Nucleic Acid: A polymer of nucleotides, either single or double stranded.
Polynucleotide: a polymer of single or double stranded nucleotides. As used herein "polynucleotide" and its grammatical equivalents will include the full range of nucleic acids. A polynucleotide will typically refer to a nucleic acid molecule comprised of a linear strand of two or more deoxyribonucleotides and/or ribonucleotides. The exact size will depend on many factors, which in turn depends on the ultimate conditions of use, as is well known in the art. The polynucleotides of the present invention include primers, probes, RNA/DNA segments, oligonucleotides or "oligos" (relatively short polynucleotides), genes, vectors, plasmids, and the like.
Gene: A nucleic acid whose nucleotide sequence codes for an RNA or polypeptide. A gene can be either RNA or DNA.
Duplex DNA: a double-stranded nucleic acid molecule comprising two strands of substantially complementary polynucleotides held together by one or more hydrogen bonds between each of the complementary bases present in a base pair of the duplex. Because the nucleotides that form a base pair can be either a ribonucleotide base or a deoxyribonucleotide base, the phrase "duplex DNA" refers to either a DNA-DNA duplex comprising two DNA strands (ds DNA), or an RNA-DNA duplex comprising one DNA and one RNA strand.
Complementary Bases: Nucleotides that normally pair up when DNA or RNA adopts a double stranded configuration.
Complementary Nucleotide Sequence: A sequence of nucleotides in a single-stranded molecule of DNA or RNA that is sufficiently complementary to that on another single strand to specifically hybridize to it with consequent hydrogen bonding.
Conserved: A nucleotide sequence is conserved with respect to a preselected (reference) sequence if it non-randomly hybridizes to an exact complement of the preselected sequence.
Hybridization: The pairing of substantially complementary nucleotide sequences (strands of nucleic acid) to form a duplex or heteroduplex by the establishment of hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs. It is a specific, i.e. non-random, interaction between two complementary polynucleotides that can be competitively inhibited.
Nucleotide Analog: A purine or pyrimidine nucleotide that differs structurally from A, T, G, C, or U, but is sufficiently similar to substitute for the normal nucleotide in a nucleic acid molecule.
DNA Homolog: Is a nucleic acid having a preselected conserved nucleotide sequence and a sequence coding for a receptor capable of binding a preselected ligand.
Recombinant DNA (rDNA) molecule: a DNA molecule produced by operatively linking two DNA segments. Thus, a recombinant DNA molecule is a hybrid DNA molecule comprising at least two nucleotide sequences not normally found together in nature. rDNA's not having a common biological origin, i.e., evolutionarily different, are said to be "heterologous".
Vector: a rDNA molecule capable of autonomous replication in a cell and to which a DNA segment, e.g., gene or polynucleotide, can be operatively linked so as to bring about replication of the attached segment. Vectors capable of directing the expression of genes encoding for one or more proteins are referred to herein as "expression vectors". Particularly important vectors allow cloning of cDNA (complementary DNA) from mRNAs produced using reverse transcriptase.
Receptor: A receptor is a molecule, such as a protein, glycoprotein and the like, that can specifically (non-randomly) bind to another molecule.
Antibody: The term antibody in its various grammatical forms is used herein to refer to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antibody combining site or paratope. Exemplary antibody molecules are intact immunoglobulin molecules, substantially intact immunoglobulin molecules and portions of an immunoglobulin molecule, including those portions known in the art as Fab, Fab', F(ab').sub.2 and F(v).
Antibody Combining Site: An antibody combining site is that structural portion of an antibody molecule comprised of a heavy and light chain variable and hypervariable regions that specifically binds (immunoreacts with) an antigen. The term immunoreact in its various forms means specific binding between an antigenic determinant-containing molecule and a molecule containing an antibody combining site such as a whole antibody molecule or a portion thereof.
Monoclonal Antibody: The phrase monoclonal antibody in its various grammatical forms refers to a population of antibody molecules that contains only one species of antibody combining site capable of immunoreacting with a particular antigen. A monoclonal antibody thus typically displays a single binding affinity for any antigen with which it immunoreacts. A monoclonal antibody may therefore contain an antibody molecule having a plurality of antibody combining sites, each immunospecific for a different antigen, e.g., a bispecific monoclonal antibody.
Fusion Protein: A protein comprised of at least two polypeptides and a linking sequence to operatively link the two polypeptides into one continuous polypeptide. The two polypeptides linked in a fusion protein are typically derived from two independent sources, and therefore a fusion protein comprises two linked polypeptides not normally found linked in nature.
Upstream: In the direction opposite to the direction of DNA transcription, and therefore going from 5' to 3' on the non-coding strand, or 3' to 5' on the mRNA.
Downstream: Further along a DNA sequence in the direction of sequence transcription or read out, that is traveling in a 3'- to 5'-direction along the non-coding strand of the DNA or 5'- to 3'-direction along the RNA transcript.
Cistron: Sequence of nucleotides in a DNA molecule coding for an amino acid residue sequence and including upstream and downstream DNA expression control elements.
Stop Codon: Any of three codons that do not code for an amino acid, but instead cause termination of protein synthesis. They are UAG, UAA and UGA and are also referred to as a nonsense or termination codon.
Leader Polypeptide: A short length of amino acid sequence at the amino end of a protein, which carries or directs the protein through the inner membrane and so ensures its eventual secretion into the periplasmic space and perhaps beyond. The leader sequence peptide is commonly removed before the protein becomes active.
Reading Frame: Particular sequence of contiguous nucleotide triplets (codons) employed in translation. The reading frame depends on the location of the translation initiation codon.
B. Filamentous Phage
The present invention contemplates a filamentous phage comprising a matrix of cpVIII proteins encapsulating a genome encoding first and second polypeptides. The phage further comprises a heteromeric receptor comprised of the first and second polypeptides surface-integrated into the matrix via a cpVIII membrane anchor domain fused to at least one of the first or second polypeptides. Preferably, the first and second polypeptides are V.sub.H and V.sub.L proteins, respectively.
The first and second polypeptides are capable of autogenous assembly into a functional receptor, which is expressed on the outer surface in a manner accessible to ligand, i.e. they are surface-integrated into the phage. Typically, the receptor is comprised of a linking polypeptide that contains the cpVIII membrane anchor domain, such as a polypeptide described in Section C, and a non-linking polypeptide(s).
Because the receptor is linked to the phage in a surface accessible manner, the phage can be advantageously used as a solid-phase affinity sorbent. In preferred embodiments, the phage are linked, preferably removably linked, to a solid (aqueous insoluble) matrix such as agarose, cellulose, synthetic reins, polysaccharides and the like. For example, transformants shedding the phage can be applied to and retained in a column and maintained under conditions that support shedding of the phage. An aqueous composition containing a ligand that binds to the receptor expressed by the phage is then passed through the column at a predetermined rate and under receptor-binding conditions to form a solid-phase receptor-ligand complex. The column is then washed to remove unbound material, leaving the ligand bound to the solid-phase phage. The ligand can then be removed and recovered by washing the column with a buffer that promotes dissociation of the receptor-ligand complex.
Alternatively, purified phage can be admixed with a aqueous solution containing the ligand to be affinity purified. The receptor/ligand binding reaction admixture thus formed is maintained for a time period and under binding conditions sufficient for a phage-linked receptor-ligand complex to form. The phage-bound ligand (ligand-bearing phage) are then separated and recovered from the unbound materials, such as by centrifugation, electrophoresis, precipitation, and the like.
C. DNA Expression Vectors
A vector of the present invention is a recombinant DNA (rDNA) molecule adapted for receiving and expressing translatable DNA sequences in the form of a fusion protein containing a filamentous phage gene VIII membrane anchor domain and a prokaryotic secretion signal domain. The vector comprises a cassette that includes upstream and downstream translatable DNA sequences operatively linked via a sequence of nucleotides adapted for directional ligation. The upstream translatable sequence encodes the secretion signal. The downstream translatable sequence encodes the filamentous phage membrane anchor. The cassette preferably includes DNA expression control sequences for expressing the fusion protein that is produced when a translatable DNA sequence is directionally inserted into the cassette via the sequence of nucleotides adapted for directional ligation.
An expression vector is characterized as being capable of expressing, in a compatible host, a structural gene product such as a fusion protein of the present invention.
As used herein, the term "vector" refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting between different genetic environments another nucleic acid to which it has been operatively linked. Preferred vectors are those capable of autonomous replication and expression of structural gene products present in the DNA segments to which they are operatively linked.
As used herein with regard to DNA sequences or segments, the phrase "operatively linked" means the sequences or segments have been covalently joined into one shard of DNA, whether in single or double stranded form.
The choice of vector to which a cassette of this invention is operatively linked depends directly, as is well known in the art, on the functional properties desired, e.g., vector replication and protein expression, and the host cell to be transformed, these being limitations inherent in the art of constructing recombinant DNA molecules.
In preferred embodiments, the vector utilized includes a prokaryotic replicon i.e., a DNA sequence having the ability to direct autonomous replication and maintenance of the recombinant DNA molecule extra chromosomally in a prokaryotic host cell, such as a bacterial host cell, transformed therewith. Such replicons are well known in the art. In addition, those embodiments that include a prokaryotic replicon also include a gene whose expression confers a selective advantage, such as drug resistance, to a bacterial host transformed therewith. Typical bacterial drug resistance genes are those that confer resistance to ampicillin or tetracycline. Vectors typically also contain convenient restriction sites for insertion of translatable DNA sequences. Exemplary vectors are the plasmids pUC8, pUC9, pBR322, and pBR329 available from BioRad Laboratories, (Richmond, Calif.) and pPL and pKK223 available from Pharmacia, (Piscataway, N.J.).
A sequence of nucleotides adapted for directional ligation, i.e., a polylinker, is a region of the DNA expression vector that (1) operatively links for replication and transport the upstream and downstream translatable DNA sequences and (2) provides a site or means for directional ligation of a DNA sequence into the vector. Typically, a directional polylinker is a sequence of nucleotides that defines two or more restriction endonuclease recognition sequences, or restriction sites. Upon restriction cleavage, the two sites yield cohesive termini to which a translatable DNA sequence can be ligated to the DNA expression vector. Preferably, the two restriction sites provide, upon restriction cleavage, cohesive termini that are non-complementary and thereby permit directional insertion of a translatable DNA sequence into the cassette. In one embodiment, the directional ligation means is provided by nucleotides present in the upstream translatable DNA sequence, downstream translatable DNA sequence, or both. In another embodiment, the sequence of nucleotides adapted for directional ligation comprises a sequence of nucleotides that defines multiple directional cloning means. Where the sequence of nucleotides adapted for directional ligation defines numerous restriction sites, it is referred to as a multiple cloning site.
A translatable DNA sequence is a linear series of nucleotides that provide an uninterrupted series of at least 8 codons that encode a polypeptide in one reading frame.
An upstream translatable DNA sequence encodes a prokaryotic secretion signal. The secretion signal is a leader peptide domain of protein that targets the protein to the periplasmic membrane of gram negative bacteria.
A preferred secretion signal is a pelB secretion signal. The predicted amino acid residue sequences of the secretion signal domain from two pelB gene product variants from Erwinia carotova are shown in Table 1 as described by Lei, et al., Nature, 331:543-546 (1988). A particularly preferred pelB secretion signal is also shown in Table 1.
The leader sequence of the pelB protein has previously been used as a secretion signal for fusion proteins. Better et al., Science, 240:1041-1043 (1988); Sastry et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 86:5728-5732 (1989); and Mullinax et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:8095-8099 (1990).
Amino acid residue sequences for other secretion signal polypeptide domains from E. coli useful in this invention are also listed in Table 1. Oliver, In Neidhard, F. C. (ed.), Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium, American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C., 1:56-69 (1987).
A translatable DNA sequence encoding the pelB secretion signal having the amino acid residue sequence shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 5 is a preferred DNA sequence for inclusion in a DNA expression vector of
this invention.
A downstream translatable DNA sequence encodes a filamentous phage membrane anchor. Preferred membrane anchors are obtainable from filamentous phage M13, f1, fd, and the like. Preferred membrane anchor domains are found in the coat proteins encoded by gene III and gene VIII. Thus, a downstream translatable DNA sequence encodes an amino acid residue sequence that corresponds, and preferably is identical, to the membrane anchor domain of either a filamentous phage gene III or gene VIII coat protein.
The membrane anchor domain of a filamentous phage coat protein is the carboxy terminal region of the coat protein and includes a region of hydrophobic amino acid residues for spanning a lipid bilayer membrane, and a region of charged amino acid residues normally found at the cytoplasmic face of the membrane and extending away from the membrane. In the phage f1, gene VIII coat protein's membrane spanning region comprises residue Trp-26 through Lys-40, and the cytoplasmic region comprises the carboxy-terminal 11 residues from 41 to 52. Ohkawa et al., J. Biol. Chem., 256:9951-9958 (1981).
The amino acid residue sequence of a preferred membrane anchor domain derived from the M13 filamentous phage gene III coat protein (also designated cpIII) has a sequence shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 16 from residue 1 to residue 211. Gene III coat protein is present on a mature filamentous phage at one end of the phage particle with typically about 4 to 6 copies of the coat protein.
The amino acid residue sequence of a preferred membrane anchor domain derived from the M13 filamentous phage gene VIII coat protein (also designated cpVIII) has a sequence shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 17 from residue 1 to residue 50. Gene VIII coat protein is present on a mature filamentous phage over the majority of the phage particle with typically about 2500 to 3000 copies of the coat protein.
For detailed descriptions of the structure of filamentous phage particles, their coat proteins and particle assembly, see the reviews by Rached et al., Microbiol. Rev., 50:401-427 (1986); and Model et al., in "The Bacteriophages: Vol. 2", R. Calendar, ed. Plenum Publishing Co., pp. 375-456, (1988).
A cassette in a DNA expression vector of this invention is the region of the vector that forms, upon insertion of a translatable DNA sequence, a sequence of nucleotides capable of expressing, in an appropriate host, a fusion protein of this invention. The expression-competent sequence of nucleotides is referred to as a cistron. Thus, the cassette comprises DNA expression control elements operatively linked to the upstream and downstream translatable DNA sequences. A cistron is formed when a translatable DNA sequence is directionally inserted (directionally ligated) between the upstream and downstream sequences via the sequence of nucleotides adapted for that purpose. The resulting three translatable DNA sequences, namely the upstream, the inserted and the downstream sequences, are all operatively linked in the same reading frame.
DNA expression control sequences comprise a set of DNA expression signals for expressing a structural gene product and include both 5' and 3' elements, as is well known, operatively linked to the cistron such that the cistron is able to express a structural gene product. The 5' control sequences define a promoter for initiating transcription and a ribosome binding site operatively linked at the 5' terminus of the upstream translatable DNA sequence.
To achieve high levels of gene expression in E. coli, it is necessary to use not only strong promoters to generate large quantities of mRNA, but also ribosome binding sites to ensure that the mRNA is efficiently translated. In E. coli, the ribosome binding site includes an initiation codon (AUG) and a sequence 3-9 nucleotides long located 3-11 nucleotides upstream from the initiation codon Shine et al., Nature, 254:34 (1975)! The sequence, AGGAGGU, which is called the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence, is complementary to the 3' end of E. coli 16S mRNA. Binding of the ribosome to mRNA and the sequence at the 3' end of the mRNA can be affected by several factors:
(i) The degree of complementarity between the SD sequence and 3' end of the 16S tRNA.
(ii) The spacing and possibly the DNA sequence lying between the SD sequence and the AUG Roberts et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 76:760 (1979a); Roberts et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 76:5596 (1979b); Guarente et al., Science, 209:1428 (1980); and Guarente et al., Cell, 20:543 (1980).! Optimization is achieved by measuring the level of expression of genes in plasmids in which this spacing is systematically altered. Comparison of different mRNAs shows that there are statistically preferred sequences from positions -20 to +13 (where the A of the AUG is position 0) Gold et al., Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 35:365 (1981)!. Leader sequences have been shown to influence translation dramatically (Roberts et al., 1979 a, b supra).
(iii) The nucleotide sequence following the AUG, which affects ribosome binding Taniguchi et al., J. Mol. Biol., 118:533 (1978)!.
Useful ribosome binding sites are shown in Table 2 below.
The 3' control sequences define at least one termination (stop) codon in frame with and operatively linked to the downstream translatable DNA sequence.
Thus, a DNA expression vector of this invention provides a system for cloning translatable DNA sequences into the cassette portion of the vector to produce a cistron capable of expressing a fusion protein of this invention.
In preferred embodiments, a DNA expression vector provides a system for independently cloning two translatable DNA sequences into two separate cassettes present in the vector, to form two separate cistrons for expressing both polypeptides of a heterodimeric receptor, or the ligand binding portions of the polypeptides that comprise a heterodimeric receptor. The DNA expression vector for expressing two cistrons is referred to as a dicistronic expression vector.
Thus, a preferred DNA expression vector of this invention comprises, in addition to the cassette previously described in detail, a second cassette for expressing a second fusion protein. The second cassette includes a third translatable DNA sequence that encodes a secretion signal, as defined herein before, operatively linked at its 3' terminus via a sequence of nucleotides adapted for directional ligation to a downstream DNA sequence defining at least one stop codon. The third translatable DNA sequence is operatively linked at its 5' terminus to DNA expression control sequences forming the 5' elements defined above. The second cassette is capable, upon insertion of a translatable DNA sequence, of expressing the second fusion protein.
In a preferred embodiment, a DNA expression vector is designed for convenient manipulation in the form of a filamentous phage particle according to the teachings of the present invention. In this embodiment, a DNA expression vector further contains a nucleotide sequence that defines a filamentous phage origin of replication such that the vector, upon presentation of the appropriate genetic complementation, can replicate as a filamentous phage in single stranded replicative form and be packaged into filamentous phage particles. This feature provides the ability of the DNA expression vector to be packaged into phage particles for subsequent segregation of the particle, and vector contained therein, away from other particles that comprise a population of phage particles.
A filamentous phage origin of replication is a region of the phage genome, as is well known, that defines sites for initiation of replication, termination of replication and packaging of the replicative form produced by replication. See, for example, Rasched et al., Microbiol. Rev., 50:401-427 (1986); and Horiuchi, J. Mol. Biol., 188:215-223 (1986).
A preferred filamentous phage origin of replication for use in the present invention is a M13, f1 or fd phage origin of replication. Particularly preferred is a filamentous phage origin of replication having a sequence shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 117 and described by Short et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 16:7583-7600 (1988). Preferred DNA expression vectors are the dicistronic expression vectors pCOMB8 and pCOMB3 described in Example 1b(i) and 1b(ii), respectively.
D. Polypeptides
In another embodiment, the present invention contemplates a polypeptide comprising an insert domain flanked by an amino-terminal secretion signal domain and a carboxy-terminal filamentous phage coat protein membrane anchor domain.
Preferably, the polypeptide is a fusion protein having a receptor domain comprised of an amino acid residue sequence that defines the ligand binding domain of a receptor protein positioned between a prokaryotic secretion signal domain and a gene VIII-encoded (cpVIII) membrane anchor domain. In preferred embodiments, the receptor protein is a polypeptide chain of a heterodimeric receptor. Insofar as the polypeptide has a receptor domain, it is also referred to herein as a receptor. In other preferred embodiments the secretion signal domain is a pelB secretion signal as described herein.
Preferred heterodimeric receptors include immunoglobulins, major histocompatibility antigens of class I or II, lymphocyte receptors, integrins and the like heterodimeric receptors.
In one embodiment, a polypeptide of this invention has an amino acid residue sequence that can be represented by the formula, shown in the direction of amino- to carboxy terminus:
where O represents an amino acid residue sequence defining a secretion signal, U represents a first spacer polypeptide, V represents an amino acid residue sequence defining a receptor domain, X represents a second spacer polypeptide, and Z represents an amino acid residue sequence defining a filamentous phage coat protein membrane anchor, with the proviso that m is the integer 0 or 1 such that when m is O, U is not present, and when m is 1, U is present, and n is 0 or 1 such that when n is O, X is not present and when n is 1, X is present.
In the formula (F1), the secretion signal and the filamentous phage coat protein membrane anchor are as defined herein above. Particularly preferred is a polypeptide according to formula (F1) where Z defines the gene VIII membrane anchor as described herein. In another preferred embodiment the secretion signal is the pelB secretion signal.
In one embodiment, V is an amino acid residue sequence that defines the ligand binding domain of a chain of a heterodimeric receptor molecule, and preferably is an immunoglobulin variable region polypeptide. In a particularly preferred polypeptide V is a V.sub.H or V.sub.L polypeptide. Most preferred is a polypeptide where V is an immunoglobulin V.sub.H polypeptide, and m and n are both zero.
In another embodiment, U or X can define a proteolytic cleavage site, such as the sequence of amino acids found in a precursor protein, such as prothrombin, factor X and the like, that defines the site of cleavage of the protein. A fusion protein having a cleavage site provides a means to purify the protein away from the phage particle to which it is attached.
The polypeptide spacers U and X can each have any sequence of amino acid residues of from about 1 to 6 amino acid residues in length. Typically the spacer residues are present in a polypeptide to accommodate the continuous reading frame that is required when a polypeptide is produced by the methods disclosed herein using a DNA expression vector of this invention.
A receptor of the present invention assumes a conformation having a binding site specific for, as evidenced by its ability to be competitively inhibited, a preselected or predetermined ligand such as an antigen, enzymatic substrate and the like. In one embodiment, a receptor of this invention is a ligand binding polypeptide that forms an antigen binding site which specifically binds to a preselected antigen to form a complex having a sufficiently strong binding between the antigen and the binding site for the complex to be isolated. When the receptor is an antigen binding polypeptide its affinity or avidity is generally greater than 10.sup.5 M.sup.-1 more usually greater than 10.sup.6 and preferably greater than 10.sup.8 M.sup.-1.
In another embodiment, a receptor of the subject invention binds a substrate and catalyzes the formation of a product from the substrate. While the topology of the ligand binding site of a catalytic receptor is probably more important for its preselected activity than its affinity (association constant or pKa) for the substrate, the subject catalytic receptors have an association constant for the preselected substrate generally greater than 10.sup.3 M.sup.-1, more usually greater than 10.sup.5 M.sup.-1 or 10.sup.6 M.sup.-1 and preferably greater than 10.sup.7 M.sup.-1.
Preferably the receptor produced by the subject invention is heterodimeric and is therefore normally comprised of two different polypeptide chains, which together assume a conformation having a binding affinity, or association constant for the preselected ligand that is different, preferably higher, than the affinity or association constant of either of the polypeptides alone, i.e., as monomers. One or both of the different polypeptide chains is derived from the variable region of the light and heavy chains of an immunoglobulin. Typically, polypeptides comprising the light (V.sub.L) and heavy (V.sub.H) variable regions are employed together for binding the preselected ligand.
A receptor produced by the subject invention can be active in monomeric as well as multimeric forms, either homomeric or heteromeric, preferably heterodimeric. For example, V.sub.H and V.sub.L ligand binding polypeptide produced by the present invention can be advantageously combined in the heterodimer to modulate the activity of either or to produce an activity unique to the heterodimer.
The individual ligand polypeptides will be referred to as V.sub.H and V.sub.L and the heterodimer will be referred to as a Fv. However, it should be understood that a V.sub.H may contain in addition to the V.sub.H, substantially all or a portion of the heavy chain constant region. Similarly, a V.sub.L may contain, in addition to the V.sub.L, substantially all or a portion of the light chain constant region. A heterodimer comprised of a V.sub.H containing a portion of the heavy chain constant region and a V.sub.L containing substantially all of the light chain constant region is termed a Fab fragment. The production of Fab can be advantageous in some situations because the additional constant region sequences contained in a Fab as compared to a Fv can stabilize the V.sub.H and V.sub.L interaction. Such stabilization can cause the Fab to have higher affinity for antigen. In addition the Fab is more commonly used in the art and thus there are more commercial antibodies available to specifically recognize a Fab in screening procedures.
The individual V.sub.H and V.sub.L polypeptides can be produced in lengths equal to or substantially equal to their naturally occurring lengths. However, in preferred embodiments, the V.sub.H and V.sub.L polypeptides will generally have fewer than 125 amino acid residues, more usually fewer than about 120 amino acid residues, while normally having greater than 60 amino acid residues, usually greater than about 95 amino acid residues, more usually greater than about 100 amino acid residues. Preferably, the V.sub.H will be from about 110 to about 230 amino acid residues in length while V.sub.L will be from about 95 to about 214 amino acid residues in length. V.sub.H and V.sub.L chains sufficiently long to form Fabs are preferred.
The amino acid residue sequences will vary widely, depending upon the particular idiotype involved. Usually, there will be at least two cysteines separated by from about 60 to 75 amino acid residues and joined by a disulfide bond. The polypeptides produced by the subject invention will normally be substantial copies of idiotypes of the variable regions of the heavy and/or light chains of immunoglobulins, but in some situations a polypeptide may contain random mutations in amino acid residue sequences in order to advantageously improve the desired activity.
In some situations, it is desirable to provide for covalent cross linking of the V.sub.H and V.sub.L polypeptides, which can be accomplished by providing cysteine resides at the carboxyl termini. The polypeptide will normally be prepared free of the immunoglobulin constant regions, however a small portion of the J region may be included as a result of the advantageous selection of DNA synthesis primers. The D region will normally be included in the transcript of the V.sub.H.
Typically the C terminus region of the V.sub.H and V.sub.L polypeptides will have a greater variety of sequences than the N terminus and, based on the present strategy, can be further modified to permit a variation of the normally occurring V.sub.H and V.sub.L chains. A synthetic polynucleotide can be employed to vary one or more amino acid in a hypervariable region.
In another embodiment, the invention contemplates a heterodimeric receptor molecule comprised of two polypeptide chains, at least one of which is a polypeptide of this invention. Preferably, the polypeptide comprises a receptor domain derived from an immunoglobulin variable chain, more preferably a V.sub.H. More preferred is a heterodimeric receptor comprising receptor domains from both V.sub.H and V.sub.L chains.
E. Methods for Producing a Library
1. General Rationale
In one embodiment the present invention provides a system for the simultaneous cloning and screening of preselected ligand-binding specificities from gene repertoires using a single vector system. This system provides linkage of cloning and screening methodologies and has two requirements. First, that expression of the polypeptide chains of a heterodimeric receptor in an in vitro expression host such as E. coli requires coexpression of the two polypeptide chains in order that a functional heterodimeric receptor can assemble to produce a receptor that binds ligand. Second, that screening of isolated members of the library for a preselected ligand-binding capacity requires a means to correlate the binding capacity of an expressed receptor molecule with a convenient means to isolate the gene that encodes the member from the library.
Linkage of expression and screening is accomplished by the combination of targeting of a fusion protein into the periplasm of a bacterial cell to allow assembly of a functional receptor, and the targeting of a fusion protein onto the coat of a filamentous phage particle during phage assembly to allow for convenient screening of the library member of interest. Periplasmic targeting is provided by the presence of a secretion signal domain in a fusion protein of this invention. Targeting to a phage particle is provided by the presence of a filamentous phage coat protein membrane anchor domain in a fusion protein of this invention.
The present invention describes in one embodiment a method for producing a library of DNA molecules, each DNA molecule comprising a cistron for expressing a fusion protein on the surface of a filamentous phage particle. The method comprises the steps of (a) forming a ligation admixture by combining in a ligation buffer (i) a repertoire of polypeptide encoding genes and (ii) a plurality of DNA expression vectors in linear form adapted to form a fusion protein expressing cistron, and (b) subjecting the admixture to ligation conditions for a time period sufficient for the repertoire of genes to become operatively linked (ligated) to the plurality of vectors to form the library.
In this embodiment, the repertoire of polypeptide encoding genes are in the form of double-stranded (ds) DNA and each member of the repertoire has cohesive termini adapted for directional ligation. In addition, the plurality of DNA expression vectors are each linear DNA molecules having upstream and downstream cohesive termini that are (a) adapted for directionally receiving the polypeptide genes in a common reading frame, and (b) operatively linked to respective upstream and downstream translatable DNA sequences. The upstream translatable DNA sequence encodes a secretion signal, preferably a pelB secretion signal, and the downstream translatable DNA sequence encodes a filamentous phage coat protein membrane anchor as described herein for a polypeptide of this invention. The translatable DNA sequences are also operatively linked to respective upstream and downstream DNA expression control sequences as defined for a DNA expression vector described herein.
The library so produced can be utilized for expression and screening of the fusion proteins encoded by the resulting library of cistrons represented in the library by the expression and screening methods described herein.
2. Production of Gene Repertoires
A gene repertoire is a collection of different genes, preferably polypeptide-encoding genes (polypeptide genes), and may be isolated from natural sources or can be generated artificially. Preferred gene repertoires are comprised of conserved genes. Particularly preferred gene repertoires comprise either or both genes that code for the members of a dimeric receptor molecule.
A gene repertoire useful in practicing the present invention contains at least 10.sup.3, preferably at least 10.sup.4, more preferably at least 10.sup.5, and most preferably at least 10.sup.7 different genes. Methods for evaluating the diversity of a repertoire of genes is well known to one skilled in the art.
Thus, in one embodiment, the present invention contemplates a method of isolating a pair of genes coding for a dimeric receptor having a preselected activity from a repertoire of conserved genes. Additionally, expressing the cloned pair of genes and isolating the resulting expressed dimeric receptor protein is also described. Preferably, the receptor will be a heterodimeric polypeptide capable of binding a ligand, such as an antibody molecule or immunologically active portion thereof, a cellular receptor, or a cellular adhesion protein coded for by one of the members of a family of conserved genes, i.e., genes containing a conserved nucleotide sequence of at least about 10 nucleotides in length.
Exemplary conserved gene families encoding different polypeptide chains of a dimeric receptor are those coding for immunoglobulins, major histocompatibility complex antigens of class I or II, lymphocyte receptors, integrins and the like.
A gene can be identified as belonging to a repertoire of conserved genes using several methods. For example, an isolated gene may be used as a hybridization probe under low stringency conditions to detect other members of the repertoire of conserved genes present in genomic DNA using the methods described by Southern, J. Mol. Biol., 98:503 (1975). If the gene used as a hybridization probe hybridizes to multiple restriction endonuclease fragments of the genome, that gene is a member of a repertoire of conserved genes.
Immunoglobulins
The immunoglobulins, or antibody molecules, are a large family of molecules that include several types of molecules, such as IgD, IgG, IgA, IgM and IgE. The antibody molecule is typically comprised of two heavy (H) and light (L) chains with both a variable (V) and constant (C) region present on each chain as shown in FIG. 1. Schematic diagrams of human IgG heavy chain and human kappa light chain are shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively. Several different regions of an immunoglobulin contain conserved sequences useful for isolating an immunoglobulin repertoire. Extensive amino acid and nucleic acid sequence data displaying exemplary conserved sequences is compiled for immunoglobulin molecules by Kabat et al., in Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., 1987.
The C region of the H chain defines the particular immunoglobulin type. Therefore the selection of conserved sequences as defined herein from the C region of the H chain results in the preparation of a repertoire of immunoglobulin genes having members of the immunoglobulin type of the selected C region.
The V region of the H or L chain typically comprises four framework (FR) regions each containing relatively lower degrees of variability that includes lengths of conserved sequences. The use of conserved sequences from the FR1 and FR4 (J region) framework regions of the V.sub.H chain is a preferred exemplary embodiment and is described herein in the Examples. Framework regions are typically conserved across several or all immunoglobulin types and thus conserved sequences contained therein are particularly suited for preparing repertoires having several immunoglobulin types.
Major Histocompatibility Complex
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a large genetic locus that encodes an extensive family of proteins that include several classes of molecules referred to as class I, class II or class III MHC molecules. Paul et al., in Fundamental Immunology, Raven Press, N.Y., pp. 303-378 (1984).
Class I MHC molecules are a polymorphic group of transplantation antigens representing a conserved family in which the antigen is comprised of a heavy chain and a non-MHC encoded light chain. The heavy chain includes several regions, termed the N, C1, C2, membrane and cytoplasmic regions. Conserved sequences useful in the present invention are found primarily in the N, C1 and C2 regions and are identified as continuous sequences of "invariant residues" in Kabat et al., supra.
Class II MHC molecules comprise a conserved family of polymorphic antigens that participate in immune responsiveness and are comprised of an alpha and a beta chain. The genes coding for the alpha and beta chain each include several regions that contain conserved sequences suitable for producing MHC class II alpha or beta chain repertoires. Exemplary conserved nucleotide sequences include those coding for amino acid residues 26-30 of the A1 region, residues 161-170 of the A2 region and residues 195-206 of the membrane region, all of the alpha chain. Conserved sequences are also present in the B1, B2 and membrane regions of the beta chain at nucleotide sequences coding for amino acid residues 41-45, 150-162 and 200-209, respectively.
Lymphocyte Receptors and Cell Surface Antigens
Lymphocytes contain several families of proteins on their cell surfaces including the T-cell receptor, Thy-1 antigen and numerous T-cell surface antigens including the antigens defined by the monoclonal antibodies OKT4 (leu3), OKT5/8 (leu2), OKT3, OKT1 (leu1), OKT 11 (leu5) OKT6 and OKT9. Paul, supra at pp. 458-479.
The T-cell receptor is a term used for a family of antigen binding molecules found on the surface of T-cells. The T-cell receptor as a family exhibits polymorphic binding specificity similar to immunoglobulins in its diversity. The mature T-cell receptor is comprised of alpha and beta chains each having a variable (V) and constant (C) region. The similarities that the T-cell receptor has to immunoglobulins in genetic organization and function shows that T-cell receptor contains regions of conserved sequence. Lai et al., Nature, 331:543-546 (1988).
Exemplary conserved sequences include those coding for amino acid residues 84-90 of alpha chain, amino acid residues 107-115 of beta chain, and amino acid residues 91-95 and 111-116 of the gamma chain. Kabat et al., supra, p. 279.
Integrins And Adhesions
Adhesive proteins involved in cell attachment are members of a large family of related proteins termed integrins. Integrins are heterodimers comprised of a beta and an alpha subunit. Members of the integrin family include the cell surface glycoproteins platelet receptor GpIIb-IIIa, vitronectin receptor (VnR), fibronectin receptor (FnR) and the leukocyte adhesion receptors LFA-1, Mac-1, Mo-1 and 60.3. Rouslahti et al., Science, 238:491-497 (1987). Nucleic acid and protein sequence data demonstrates regions of conserved sequences exist in the members of these families, particularly between the beta chain of GpIIb-IIIa, VnR and FnR, and between the alpha subunit of VnR, Mac-1, LFA-1, FnR and GpIIb-IIIa. Suzuki et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83:8614-8618, 1986; Ginsberg et al., J. Biol. Chem., 262:5437-5440, 1987.
Various well known methods can be employed to produce a useful gene repertoire. For instance, V.sub.H and V.sub.L gene repertoires can be produced by isolating V.sub.H - and V.sub.L -coding mRNA from a heterogeneous population of antibody producing cells, i.e., B lymphocytes (B cells), preferably rearranged B cells such as those found in the circulation or spleen of a vertebrate. Rearranged B cells are those in which immunoglobulin gene translocation, i.e., rearrangement, has occurred as evidenced by the presence in the cell of mRNA with the immunoglobulin gene V, D and J region transcripts adjacently located thereon. Typically, the B cells are collected in a 1-100 ml sample of blood which usually contains 10.sup.6 B cells/ml.
In some cases, it is desirable to bias a repertoire for a preselected activity, such as by using as a source of nucleic acid cells (source cells) from vertebrates in any one of various stages of age, health and immune response. For example, repeated immunization of a healthy animal prior to collecting rearranged B cells results in obtaining a repertoire enriched for genetic material producing a receptor of high affinity. Mullinax et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:8095-8099 (1990). Conversely, collecting rearranged B cells from a healthy animal whose immune system has not been recently challenged results in producing a repertoire that is not biased towards the production of high affinity V.sub.H and/or V.sub.L polypeptides.
It should be noted the greater the genetic heterogeneity of the population of cells for which the nucleic acids are obtained, the greater the diversity of the immunological repertoire (comprising V.sub.H - and V.sub.L -coding genes) that will be made available for screening according to the method of the present invention. Thus, cells from different individuals, particularly those having an immunologically significant age difference, and cells from individuals of different strains, races or species can be advantageously combined to increase the heterogeneity (diversity) of a repertoire.
Thus, in one preferred embodiment, the source cells are obtained from a vertebrate, preferably a mammal, which has been immunized or partially immunized with an antigenic ligand (antigen) against which activity is sought, i.e., a preselected antigen. The immunization can be carried out conventionally. Antibody titer in the animal can be monitored to determine the stage of immunization desired, which stage corresponds to the amount of enrichment or biasing of the repertoire desired. Partially immunized animals typically receive only one immunization and cells are collected from those animals shortly after a response is detected. Fully immunized animals display a peak titer, which is achieved with one or more repeated injections of the antigen into the host mammal, normally at 2 to 3 week intervals. Usually three to five days after the last challenge, the spleen is removed and the genetic repertoire of the splenocytes, about 90% of which are rearranged B cells, is isolated using standard procedures. See, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, NY. Nucleic acids coding for V.sub.H and V.sub.L polypeptides can be derived from cells producing IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG or IgM, most preferably from IgM and IgG, producing cells.
Methods for preparing fragments of genomic DNA from which immunoglobulin variable region genes can be cloned as a diverse population are well known in the art. See for example Herrmann et al., Methods In Enzymol., 152:180-183, (1987); Frischauf, Methods In Enzymol., 152:183-190 (1987); Frischauf, Methods In Enzymol., 152:190-199 (1987); and DiLella et al., Methods In Enzymol., 152:199-212 (1987). (The teachings of the references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.)
The desired gene repertoire can be isolated from either genomic material containing the gene expressing the variable region or the messenger RNA (mRNA) which represents a transcript of the variable region. The difficulty in using the genomic DNA from other than non-rearranged B lymphocytes is in juxtaposing the sequences coding for the variable region, where the sequences are separated by introns. The DNA fragment(s) containing the proper exons must be isolated, the introns excised, and the exons then spliced in the proper order and in the proper orientation. For the most part, this will be difficult, so that the alternative technique employing rearranged B cells will be the method of choice because the V, D and J immunoglobulin gene regions have translocated to become adjacent, so that the sequence is continuous (free of introns) for the entire variable regions.
Where mRNA is utilized the cells will be lysed under RNase inhibiting conditions. In one embodiment, the first step is to isolate the total cellular mRNA. Poly A+ mRNA can then be selected by hybridization to an oligo-dT cellulose column. The presence of mRNAs coding for the heavy and/or light chain polypeptides can then be assayed by hybridization with DNA single strands of the appropriate genes. Conveniently, the sequences coding for the constant portion of the V.sub.H and V.sub.L can be used as polynucleotide probes, which sequences can be obtained from available sources. See for example, Early and Hood, Genetic Engineering, Setlow and Hollaender, eds., Vol. 3, Plenum Publishing Corporation, NY, (1981), pages 157-188; and Kabat et al., Sequences of Immunological Interest, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., (1987).
In preferred embodiments, the preparation containing the total cellular mRNA is first enriched for the presence of V.sub.H and/or V.sub.L coding mRNA. Enrichment is typically accomplished by subjecting the total mRNA preparation or partially purified mRNA product thereof to a primer extension reaction employing a polynucleotide synthesis primer as described herein. Exemplary methods for producing V.sub.H and V.sub.L gene repertoires using polynucleotide synthesis primers are described in PCT Application No. PCT/US 90/02836 (International Publication No. WO 90/14430). Particularly preferred methods for producing a gene repertoire rely on the use of preselected oligonucleotides as primers in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to form PCR reaction products as described herein.
In preferred embodiments, isolated B cells are immunized in vitro against a preselected antigen. In vitro immunization is defined as the clonal expansion of epitope-specific B cells in culture, in response to antigen stimulation. The end result is to increase the frequency of antigen-specific B cells in the immunoglobulin repertoire, and thereby decrease the number of clones in an expression library that must be screened to identify a clone expressing an antibody of the desired specificity. The advantage of in vitro immunization is that human monoclonal antibodies can be generated against a limitless number of therapeutically valuable antigens, including toxic or weak immunogens. For example, antibodies specific for the polymorphic determinants of tumor-associated antigens, rheumatoid factors, and histocompatibility antigens can be produced, which can not be elicited in immunized animals. In addition, it may be possible to generate immune responses which are normally suppressed in vivo.
In vitro immunization can be used to give rise to either a primary or secondary immune response. A primary immune response, resulting from first time exposure of a B cell to an antigen, results in clonal expansion of epitope-specific cells and the secretion of IgM antibodies with low to moderate apparent affinity constants (10.sup.6 -10.sup.8 M.sup.-1). Primary immunization of human splenic and tonsillar lymphocytes in culture can be used to produce monoclonal antibodies against a variety of antigens, including cells, peptides, macromolecule, haptens, and tumor-associated antigens. Memory B cells from immunized donors can also be stimulated in culture to give rise to a secondary immune response characterized by clonal expansion and the production of high affinity antibodies (>10.sup.9 M.sup.-1) of the IgG isotype, particularly against viral antigens by clonally expanding sensitized lymphocytes derived from seropositive individuals.
In one embodiment, peripheral blood lymphocytes are depleted of various cytolytic cells that appear to down-modulate antigen-specific B cell activation. When lysosome-rich subpopulations (natural killer cells, cytotoxic and suppressor T cells, monocytes) are first removed by treatment with the lysosmotropic methyl ester of leucine, the remaining cells (including B cells, T helper cells, accessory cells) respond antigen-specifically during in vitro immunization. The lymphokine requirements for inducing antibody production in culture are satisfied by a culture supernatant from activated, irradiated T cells.
In addition to in vitro immunization, cell panning (immunoaffinity absorption) can be used to further increase the frequency of antigen-specific B cells. Techniques for selecting B cell subpopulations via solid-phase antigen binding are well established. Panning conditions can be optimized to selectively enrich for B cells which bind with high affinity to a variety of antigens, including cell surface proteins. Panning can be used alone, or in combination with in vitro immunization to increase the frequency of antigen-specific cells above the levels which can be obtained with either technique alone. Immunoglobulin expression libraries constructed from enriched populations of B cells are biased in favor of antigen-specific antibody clones, and thus, enabling identification of clones with the desired specificities from smaller, less complex libraries.
3. Preparation of Polynucleotide Primers
The term "polynucleotide" as used herein in reference to primers, probes and nucleic acid fragments or segments to be synthesized by primer extension is defined as a molecule comprised of two or more deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotides, preferably more than 3. Its exact size will depend on many factors, which in turn depends on the ultimate conditions of use.
The term "primer" as used herein refers to a polynucleotide whether purified from a nucleic acid restriction digest or produced synthetically, which is capable of acting as a point of initiation of nucleic acid synthesis when placed under conditions in which synthesis of a primer extension product which is complementary to a nucleic acid strand is induced, i.e., in the presence of nucleotides and an agent for polymerization such as DNA polymerase, reverse transcriptase and the like, and at a suitable temperature and pH. The primer is preferably single stranded for maximum efficiency, but may alternatively be in double stranded form. If double stranded, the primer is first treated to separate it from its complementary strand before being used to prepare extension products. Preferably, the primer is a polydeoxyribonucleotide. The primer must be sufficiently long to prime the synthesis of extension products in the presence of the agents for polymerization. The exact lengths of the primers will depend on may factors, including temperature and the source of primer. For example, depending on the complexity of the target sequence, a polynucleotide primer typically contains 15 to 25 or more nucleotides, although it can contain fewer nucleotides. Short primer molecules generally require cooler temperatures to form sufficiently stable hybrid complexes with template.
The primers used herein are selected to be "substantially" complementary to the different strands of each specific sequence to be synthesized or amplified. This means that the primer must be sufficiently complementary to non-randomly hybridize with its respective template strand. Therefore, the primer sequence may or may not reflect the exact sequence of the template. For example, a non-complementary nucleotide fragment can be attached to the 5' end of the primer, with the remainder of the primer sequence being substantially complementary to the strand. Such non-complementary fragments typically code for an endonuclease restriction site. Alternatively, non-complementary bases or longer sequences can be interspersed into the primer, provided the primer sequence has sufficient complementarily with the sequence of the strand to be synthesized or amplified to non-randomly hybridize therewith and thereby form an extension product under polynucleotide synthesizing conditions.
Primers of the present invention may also contain a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase promoter sequence or its complement. See for example, Krieg et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 12:7057-70 (1984); Studier et al., J. Mol. Biol., 189:113-130 (1986); and Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Second Edition, Maniatis et al., eds., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989).
When a primer containing a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase promoter is used the primer is hybridized to the polynucleotide strand to be amplified and the second polynucleotide strand of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase promoter is completed using an inducing agent such as E. coli DNA polymerase I, or the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase. The starting polynucleotide is amplified by alternating between the production of an RNA polynucleotide and DNA polynucleotide.
Primers may also contain a template sequence or replication initiation site for a RNA-directed RNA polymerase. Typical RNA-directed RNA polymerase include the QB replicase described by Lizardi et al., Biotechnology, 6:1197-1202 (1988) RNA-directed polymerases produce large numbers of RNA strands from a small number of template RNA strands that contain a template sequence or replication initiation site. These polymerases typically give a one million-fold amplification of the template strand as has been described by Kramer et al., J. Mol. Biol., 89:719-736 (1974).
The polynucleotide primers can be prepared using any suitable method, such as, for example, the phosphotriester or phosphodiester methods see Narang et al., Meth. Enzymol., 68:90, (1979); U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,270; and Brown et al., Meth. Enzymol., 68:109, (1979).
The choice of a primer's nucleotide sequence depends on factors such as the distance on the nucleic acid from the region coding for the desired receptor, its hybridization site on the nucleic acid relative to any second primer to be used, the number of genes in the repertoire it is to hybridize to, and the like.
a. Primers for Producing Immunoglobulin Gene Repertoires
V.sub.H and V.sub.L gene repertoires can be separately prepared prior to their utilization in the present invention. Repertoire preparation is typically accomplished by primer extension, preferably by primer extension in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) format.
To produce a repertoire of V.sub.H -coding DNA homologs by primer extension, the nucleotide sequence of a primer is selected to hybridize with a plurality of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes at a site substantially adjacent to the V.sub.H -coding region so that a nucleotide sequence coding for a functional (capable of binding) polypeptide is obtained. To hybridize to a plurality of different V.sub.H -coding nucleic acid strands, the primer must be a substantial complement of a nucleotide sequence conserved among the different strands. Such sites include nucleotide sequences in the constant region, any of the variable region framework regions, preferably the third framework region, leader region, promoter region, J region and the like.
If the repertoires of V.sub.H -coding and V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs are to be produced by (PCR) amplification, two primers, i.e., a PCR primer pair, must be used for each coding strand of nucleic acid to be amplified. The first primer becomes part of the nonsense (minus or complementary) strand and hybridizes to a nucleotide sequence conserved among V.sub.H (plus or coding) strands within the repertoire. To produce V.sub.H coding DNA homologs, first primers are therefore chosen to hybridize to (i.e. be complementary to) conserved regions within the J region, CH1 region, hinge region, CH2 region, or CH3 region of immunoglobulin genes and the like. To produce a V.sub.L coding DNA homolog, first primers are chosen to hybridize with (i.e. be complementary to) a conserved region within the J region or constant region of immunoglobulin light chain genes and the like. Second primers become part of the coding (plus) strand and hybridize to a nucleotide sequence conserved among minus strands. To produce the V.sub.H -coding DNA homologs, second primers are therefore chosen to hybridize with a conserved nucleotide sequence at the 5' end of the V.sub.H -coding immunoglobulin gene such as in that area coding for the leader or first framework region. It should be noted that in the amplification of both V.sub.H - and V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs the conserved 5' nucleotide sequence of the second primer can be complementary to a sequence exogenously added using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase as described by Loh et al., Science, 243:217-220 (1989). One or both of the first and second primers can contain a nucleotide sequence defining an endonuclease recognition site. The site can be heterologous to the immunoglobulin gene being amplified and typically appears at or near the 5' end of the primer.
When present, the restriction site-defining portion is typically located in a 5'-terminal non-priming portion of the primer. The restriction site defined by the first primer is typically chosen to be one recognized by a restriction enzyme that does not recognize the restriction site defined by the second primer, the objective being to be able to produce a DNA molecule having cohesive termini that are non-complementary to each other and thus allow directional insertion into a vector.
In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a set of polynucleotides that form primers having a priming region located at the 3'-terminus of the primer. The priming region is typically the 3'-most (3'-terminal) 15 to 30 nucleotide bases. The 3'-terminal priming portion of each primer is capable of acting as a primer to catalyze nucleic acid synthesis, i.e., initiate a primer extension reaction off its 3' terminus. One or both of the primers can additionally contain a 5'-terminal (5'-most) non-priming portion, i.e., a region that does not participate in hybridization to repertoire template.
In PCR, each primer works in combination with a second primer to amplify a target nucleic acid sequence. The choice of PCR primer pairs for use in PCR is governed by considerations as discussed herein for producing gene repertoires. That is, the primers have a nucleotide sequence that is complementary to a sequence conserved in the repertoire. Useful V.sub.H and V.sub.L priming sequences are shown in Tables 5 and 6, herein below.
4. Polymerase Chain Reaction to Produce Gene Repertoires
The strategy used for cloning the V.sub.H and V.sub.L genes contained within a repertoire will depend, as is well known in the art, on the type, complexity, and purity of the nucleic acids making up the repertoire. Other factors include whether or not the genes are contained in one or a plurality of repertoires and whether or not they are to be amplified and/or mutagenized.
The V.sub.H - and V.sub.L -coding gene repertoires are comprised of polynucleotide coding strands, such as mRNA and/or the sense strand of genomic DNA. If the repertoire is in the form of double stranded genomic DNA, it is usually first denatured, typically by melting, into single strands. A repertoire is subjected to a PCR reaction by treating (contacting) the repertoire with a PCR primer pair, each member of the pair having a preselected nucleotide sequence. The PCR primer pair is capable of initiating primer extension reactions by hybridizing to nucleotide sequences, preferably at least about 10 nucleotides in length and more preferably at least about 20 nucleotides in length, conserved within the repertoire. The first primer of a PCR primer pair is sometimes referred to herein as the "sense primer" because it hybridizes to the coding or sense strand of a nucleic acid. In addition, the second primer of a PCR primer pair is sometimes referred to herein as the "anti-sense primer" because it hybridizes to a non-coding or anti-sense strand of a nucleic acid, i.e., a strand complementary to a coding strand.
The PCR reaction is performed by mixing the PCR primer pair, preferably a predetermined amount thereof, with the nucleic acids of the repertoire, preferably a predetermined amount thereof, in a PCR buffer to form a PCR reaction admixture. The admixture is maintained under polynucleotide synthesizing conditions for a time period, which is typically predetermined, sufficient for the formation of a PCR reaction product, thereby producing a plurality of different V.sub.H -coding and/or V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs.
A plurality of first primer and/or a plurality of second primers can be used in each amplification, e.g., one species of first primer can be paired with a number of different second primers to form several different primer pairs. Alternatively, an individual pair of first and second primers can be used. In any case, the amplification products of amplifications using the same or different combinations of first and second primers can be combined to increase the diversity of the gene library.
In another strategy, the object is to clone the V.sub.H - and/or V.sub.L -coding genes from a repertoire by providing a polynucleotide complement of the repertoire, such as the anti-sense strand of genomic dsDNA or the polynucleotide produced by subjecting mRNA to a reverse transcriptase reaction. Methods for producing such complements are well known in the art.
The PCR reaction is performed using any suitable method. Generally it occurs in a buffered aqueous solution, i.e., a PCR buffer, preferably at a pH of 7-9, most preferably about 8. Preferably, a molar excess (for genomic nucleic acid, usually about 10.sup.6 :1 primer:template) of the primer is admixed to the buffer containing the template strand. A large molar excess is preferred to improve the efficiency of the process.
The PCR buffer also contains the deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates dATP, dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP and a polymerase, typically thermostable, all in adequate amounts for primer extension (polynucleotide synthesis) reaction. The resulting solution (PCR admixture) is heated to about 90.degree. C. -100.degree. C. for about 1 to 10 minutes, preferably from 1 to 4 minutes. After this heating period the solution is allowed to cool to 54.degree. C., which is preferable for primer hybridization. The synthesis reaction may occur at from room temperature up to a temperature above which the polymerase (inducing agent) no longer functions efficiently. Thus, for example, if DNA polymerase is used as inducing agent, the temperature is generally no greater than about 40.degree. C. An exemplary PCR buffer comprises the following: 50 mM KCl; 10 mM Tris-HCl; pH 8.3; 1.5 mM Mgcl.sub.2 ; 0.001% (wt/vol) gelatin, 200 .mu.M dATP; 200 .mu.M dTTP; 200 .mu.M dCTP; 200 .mu.M dGTP; and 2.5 units Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase I (U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,818) per 100 microliters of buffer.
The inducing agent may be any compound or system which will function to accomplish the synthesis of primer extension products, including enzymes. Suitable enzymes for this purpose include, for example, E. coli DNA polymerase I, Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I, T4 DNA polymerase, other available DNA polymerases, reverse transcriptase, and other enzymes, including heat-stable enzymes, which will facilitate combination of the nucleotides in the proper manner to form the primer extension products which are complementary to each nucleic acid strand. Generally, the synthesis will be initiated at the 3' end of each primer and proceed in the 5' direction along the template strand, until synthesis terminates, producing molecules of different lengths. There may be inducing agents, however, which initiate synthesis at the 5' end and proceed in the above direction, using the same process as described above.
The inducing agent also may be a compound or system which will function to accomplish the synthesis of RNA primer extension products, including enzymes. In preferred embodiments, the inducing agent may be a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase such as T7 RNA polymerase, T3 RNA polymerase or SP6 RNA polymerase. These polymerases produce a complementary RNA polynucleotide. The high turn over rate of the RNA polymerase amplifies the starting polynucleotide as has been described by Chamberlin et al., The Enzymes, ed. P. Boyer, PP. 87-108, Academic Press, New York (1982). Another advantage of T7 RNA polymerase is that mutations can be introduced into the polynucleotide synthesis by replacing a portion of cDNA with one or more mutagenic oligodeoxynucleotides (polynucleotides) and transcribing the partially-mismatched template directly as has been previously described by Joyce et al., Nuc. Acid Res., 17:711-722 (1989). Amplification systems based on transcription have been described by Gingeras et al., in PCR Protocols, A Guide to Methods and Applications, pp 245-252, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, Calif. (1990).
If the inducing agent is a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase and therefore incorporates ribonucleotide triphosphates, sufficient amounts of ATP, CTP, GTP and UTP are admixed to the primer extension reaction admixture and the resulting solution is treated as described above.
The newly synthesized strand and its complementary nucleic acid strand form a double-stranded molecule which can be used in the succeeding steps of the process.
The first and/or second PCR reactions discussed above can advantageously be used to incorporate into the receptor a preselected epitope useful in immunologically detecting and/or isolating a receptor. This is accomplished by utilizing a first and/or second polynucleotide synthesis primer or expression vector to incorporate a predetermined amino acid residue sequence into the amino acid residue sequence of the receptor.
After producing V.sub.H - and V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs for a plurality of different V.sub.H - and V.sub.L -coding genes within the repertoires, the DNA molecules are typically further amplified. While the DNA molecules can be amplified by classic techniques such as incorporation into an autonomously replicating vector, it is preferred to first amplify the molecules by subjecting them to a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) prior to inserting them into a vector. PCR is typically carried out by thermocycling i.e., repeatedly increasing and decreasing the temperature of a PCR reaction admixture within a temperature range whose lower limit is about 10.degree. C. to about 40.degree. C. and whose upper limit is about 90.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. The increasing and decreasing can be continuous, but is preferably phasic with time periods of relative temperature stability at each of temperatures favoring polynucleotide synthesis, denaturation and hybridization.
PCR amplification methods are described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,192, 4,683,202, 4,800,159, and 4,965,188, and at least in several texts including "PCR Technology: Principles and Applications for DNA Amplification", H. Erlich, ed., Stockton Press, New York (1989); and "PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications", Innis et al., eds., Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990).
In preferred embodiments only one pair of first and second primers is used per amplification reaction. The amplification reaction products obtained from a plurality of different amplifications, each using a plurality of different primer pairs, are then combined.
However, the present invention also contemplates DNA homolog production via co-amplification (using two pairs of primers), and multiplex amplification (using up to about 8, 9 or 10 primer pairs).
In preferred embodiments, the PCR process is used not only to produce a library of DNA molecules, but also to induce mutations within the library or to create diversity from a single parental clone and thereby provide a library having a greater heterogeneity. First, it should be noted that the PCR process itself is inherently mutagenic due to a variety of factors well known in the art. Second, in addition to the mutation inducing variations described in the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,195, other mutation inducing PCR variations can be employed. For example, the PCR reaction admixture, can be formed with different amounts of one or more of the nucleotides to be incorporated into the extension product. Under such conditions, the PCR reaction proceeds to produce nucleotide substitutions within the extension product as a result of the scarcity of a particular base. Similarly, approximately equal molar amounts of the nucleotides can be incorporated into the initial PCR reaction admixture in an amount to efficiently perform X number of cycles, and then cycling the admixture through a number of cycles in excess of X, such as, for instance, 2X. Alternatively, mutations can be induced during the PCR reaction by incorporating into the reaction admixture nucleotide derivatives such as inosine, not normally found in the nucleic acids of the repertoire being amplified. During subsequent in vivo amplification, the nucleotide derivative will be replaced with a substitute nucleotide thereby inducing a point mutation.
5. Linear DNA Expression Vectors
A DNA expression vector for use in a method of the invention for producing a library of DNA molecules is a linearized DNA molecule as described before having two (upstream and downstream) cohesive termini adapted for directional ligation to a polypeptide gene.
A linear DNA expression vector is typically prepared by restriction endonuclease digestion of a circular DNA expression vector of this invention to cut at two preselected restriction sites within the sequence of nucleotides of the vector adapted for directional ligation to produce a linear DNA molecule having the required cohesive termini that are adapted for direction ligation. Directional ligation refers to the presence of two (a first and second) cohesive termini on a vector, or on the insert DNA molecule to be ligated into the vector selected, so that the termini on a single molecule are not complementary. A first terminus of the vector is complementary to a first terminus of the insert, and the second terminus of the vector is complementary to the second terminus of the insert.
6. Ligation Reactions to Produce Gene Libraries
In preparing a library of DNA molecules of this invention, a ligation admixture is prepared as described above, and the admixture is subjected to ligation conditions for a time period sufficient for the admixed repertoire of polypeptide genes to ligate (become operatively linked) to the plurality of DNA expression vectors to form the library.
Ligation conditions are conditions selected to favor a ligation reaction wherein a phosphodiester bond is formed between adjacent 3' hydroxyl and 5' phosphoryl termini of DNA. The ligation reaction is preferably catalyzed by the enzyme T4 DNA ligase. Ligation conditions can vary in time, temperature, concentration of buffers, quantities of DNA molecules to be ligated, and amounts of ligase, as is well known. Preferred ligation conditions involve maintaining the ligation admixture at 4 degrees Centigrade (4.degree. C.) to 12.degree. C. for 1 to 24 hours in the presence of 1 to 10 units of T4 DNA ligase per milliliter (ml) and about 1 to 2 micrograms (ug) of DNA. Ligation buffer in a ligation admixture typically contains 0.5M Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 0.01M MgCl.sub.2, 0.01M dithiothrietol, 1 mM spermidine, 1 mM ATP and 0.1 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA). Other ligation buffers can also be used.
Exemplary ligation reactions are described in Example 2.
7. Preparation of Dicistronic Gene Libraries
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the present invention contemplates methods for the preparation of a library of dicistronic DNA molecules. A dicistronic DNA molecule is a single DNA molecule having the capacity to express two separate polypeptides from two separate cistrons. In preferred embodiments, the two cistrons are operatively linked at relative locations on the DNA molecule such that both cistrons are under the transcriptional control of a single promoter. Each dicistronic molecule is capable of expressing first and second polypeptides from first and second cistrons, respectively, that can form, in a suitable host, a heterodimeric receptor on the surface of a filamentous phage particle.
The method for producing a library of dicistronic DNA molecules comprises the steps of:
(a) Forming a first ligation admixture by combining in a ligation buffer:
(i) a repertoire of first polypeptide genes in the form of dsDNA, each having cohesive termini adapted for directional ligation, and
(ii) a plurality of DNA expression vectors in linear form, each having upstream and downstream first cohesive termini that are (a) adapted for directionally receiving the first polypeptide genes in a common reading frame, and (b) operatively linked to respective upstream and downstream translatable DNA sequences. The upstream translatable DNA sequence encodes a pelB secretion signal, the downstream translatable DNA sequence encodes a filamentous phage coat protein membrane anchor, and translatable DNA sequences are operatively linked to respective upstream and downstream DNA expression control sequences.
(b) Subjecting the admixture to ligation conditions for a time period sufficient to operatively link the first polypeptide genes to the vectors and produce a plurality of circular DNA molecules each having a first cistron for expressing the first polypeptide.
(c) Treating the plurality of circular DNA molecules under DNA cleavage conditions to produce a plurality of DNA expression vectors in linear form that each have upstream and downstream second cohesive termini that are (i) adapted for directionally receiving a repertoire of second polypeptide genes in a common reading frame, and (ii) operatively linked to respective upstream and downstream DNA sequences. The upstream DNA sequence is a translatable sequence encoding a secretion signal, the downstream DNA sequence has at least one stop codon in the reading frame, and the translatable DNA sequence is operatively linked to a DNA expression control sequence.
(d) Forming a second ligation admixture by combining in a ligation buffer:
(i) the plurality of DNA expression vectors formed in step (c), and
(ii) the repertoire of second polypeptide genes in the form of dsDNA, each having cohesive termini adapted for directional ligation to the plurality of DNA expression vectors; and
(e) Subjecting the second admixture to ligation conditions for a time period sufficient to operatively link the second polypeptide genes to said vectors and produce a plurality of circular DNA molecules each having the second cistron for expressing the second polypeptide, thereby forming the library. In preferred embodiments a secretion signal is a pelB secretion signal, and the membrane anchor is derived from cpVIII as described herein.
DNA expression vectors useful for practicing the above method are the dicistronic expression vectors described in greater detail before.
In practicing the method of producing a library of dicistronic DNA molecules, it is preferred that the upstream and downstream first cohesive termini do not have the same nucleotide sequences as the upstream and downstream second cohesive termini. In this embodiment, the treating step (c) to linearize the circular DNA molecules typically involves the use of restriction endonucleases that are specific for producing said second termini, but do not cleave the circular DNA molecule at the sites that formed the first termini. Exemplary and preferred first and second termini are the termini defined by cleavage of pCBAK8 with Xho I and Spe I to form the upstream and downstream first termini, and defined by cleavage of pCBAK8 with Sac I and Xba I to form the upstream and downstream second termini. In this embodiment, other pairs of cohesive termini can be utilized at the respective pairs of first and second termini, so long as the four termini are each distinct, non-complementary termini.
Methods of treating the plurality of circular DNA molecules under DNA cleavage conditions to form linear DNA molecules are generally well known and depend on the nucleotide sequence to be cleaved and the mechanism for cleavage. Preferred treatments involve admixing the DNA molecules with a restriction endonuclease specific for a endonuclease recognition site at the desired cleavage location in an amount sufficient for the restriction endonuclease to cleave the DNA molecule. Buffers, cleavage conditions, and substrate concentrations for restriction endonuclease cleavage are well known and depend on the particular enzyme utilized. Exemplary restriction enzyme cleavage conditions are described in Example 2.
F. Phage Libraries
The present invention contemplates a library of DNA molecules that each encode a fusion protein of this invention where the library is in the form of a population of different filamentous phage particles each containing one of the different rDNA molecules. By different .sub.r DNA molecule is meant rDNA molecules differing in nucleotide base sequence encoding a polypeptide of this invention.
Thus, a phage library is a population of filamentous phage, preferably f1, fd or M13 filamentous phage, each phage having packaged inside the particle a rDNA expression vector of this invention. A preferred library is comprised of phage particles containing DNA molecules that encode at least 10.sup.6, preferably 10.sup.7 and more preferably 10.sup.8-9 different fusion proteins of this invention. By different fusion proteins is meant fusion proteins differing in amino acid residue sequence. Where the packaged expression vector encodes first and second polypeptides of an autogenously assembling receptor, e.g. V.sub.H and V.sub.L polypeptides that form a Fab, the library can also be characterized as containing or expressing a multiplicity of receptor specificities. Thus, preferred libraries express at least 10.sup.5, preferably at least 10.sup.6 and more preferably at least 10.sup.7 different receptors, such as different antibodies, T cell receptors, integrins and the like.
As described herein, a particular advantage of a filamentous phage in the present invention is that the DNA molecule present in the phage particle and encoding one or both of the members of the heterodimeric receptor can be segregated from other DNA molecules present in the library on the basis of the presence of the particular expressed fusion protein the surface of the phage particle.
Isolation (segregation) of a DNA molecule encoding one or both members of a heterodimeric receptor is conducted by segregation of the filamentous phage particle containing the gene or genes of interest away from the population of other phage particles comprising the library. Segregation of phage particles involves the physical separation and propagation of individual phage particles away from other particles in the library. Methods for physical separation of filamentous phage particles to produce individual particles, and the propagation of the individual particles to form populations of progeny phage derived from the individual segregated particle are well known in the filamentous phage arts.
A preferred separation method involves the identification of the expressed heterodimer on the surface of the phage particle by means of a ligand binding specificity between the phage particle and a preselected ligand. Exemplary and preferred is the use of "panning" methods whereby a suspension of phage particles is contacted with a solid phase ligand (antigen) and allowed to specifically bind (or immunoreact where the heterodimer includes an immunoglobulin variable domain). After binding, non-bound particles are washed off the solid phase, and the bound phage particles are those that contain ligand-specific heterodimeric receptor (heterodimer) on their surface. The bound particles can then be recovered by elution of the bound particle from the solid phase, typically by the use of aqueous solvents having high ionic strength sufficient to disrupt the receptor-ligand binding interaction.
An alternate method for separating a phage particle based on the ligand specificity of the surface-expressed heterodimer from a population of particles is to precipitate the phage particles from the solution phase by crosslinkage with the ligand. An exemplary and preferred crosslinking and precipitation method is described in detail in Example 4c.
The use of the above particle segregation methods provides a means for screening a population of filamentous phage particles present in a phage library of this invention. As applied to a phage library, screening can be utilized to enrich the library for one or more particles that express a heterodimer having a preselected ligand binding specificity. Where the library is designed to contain multiple species of heterodimers that all have some detectable measure of ligand binding activity, but differ in protein structure, antigenicity, ligand binding affinity or avidity, and the like, the screening methods can be utilized sequentially to first produce a library enriched for a preselected binding specificity, and then to produce a second library further enriched by further screening comprising one or more isolated phage particles. Methods for measuring ligand binding activities, antigenicity and the like interactions between a ligand and a receptor are generally well known and are not discussed further as they are not essential features of the present invention.
Thus, in one embodiment, a phage library is a population of particles enriched for a preselected ligand binding specificity.
In another embodiment, a phage library comprises a population of particles wherein each particle contains at least one fusion protein of this invention on the surface of the phage particle. The actual amount of fusion protein present on the surface of a phage particle depends, in part, on the choice of coat protein membrane anchor present in the fusion protein. Where the anchor is derived from cpIII, there are typically about 1 to 4 fusion proteins per phage particle. Where the anchor is derived from the more preferred cpVIII, there is the potential for hundreds of fusion proteins on the particle surface depending on the growth conditions and other factors as discussed herein. Preferably, a phage particle in a library contains from about 10 to about 500 cpVIII-derived fusion proteins on the surface of each particle, and more preferably about 20 to 50 fusion proteins per particle. Exemplary amounts of surface fusion protein are shown by the electron micrographs described in Example 4a that describe particles having about 20 to 24 cpVIII-derived fusion proteins per particle.
In another embodiment, the present invention contemplates a population of phage particles that are the progeny of a single particle, and therefor all express the same heterodimer on the particle surface. Such a population of phage are homogeneous and clonally derived, and therefore provide a source for expressing large quantities of a particular fusion protein. An exemplary clonally homogeneous phage population is described in Example 4.
A filamentous phage particle in a library of this invention is produced by standard filamentous phage particle preparation methods and depends on the presence in a DNA expression vector of this invention of a filamentous phage origin of replication as described herein to provide the signals necessary for (1) production of a single-stranded filamentous phage replicative form and (2) packaging of the replicative form into a filamentous phage particle. Such a DNA molecule can be packaged when present in a bacterial cell host upon introduction of genetic complementation to provide the filamentous phage proteins required for production of infectious phage particles. A typical and preferred method for genetic complementation is to infect a bacterial host cell containing a DNA expression vector of this invention with a helper filamentous phage, thereby providing the genetic elements required for phage particle assembly. Exemplary helper rescue methods are described herein at Example 2, and described by Short et al., Nuc. Acids Res., 16:7583-7600 (1988).
The level of heterodimeric receptor captured on the surface of a filamentous phage particle during the process of phage particle extrusion from the host cell can be controlled by a variety of means. In one embodiment, the levels of fusion proteins are controlled by the use of strong promoters in the first and second cistrons for expressing the polypeptides, such that transcription of the fusion protein cistrons occurs at a relative rate greater than the rate of transcription of the cpVIII gene on the helper phage. In another embodiment, the helper phage can have an amber mutation in the gene for expressing cpVIII, such that less wild-type cpVIII is transcribed in the host cell than fusion proteins, thereby leading to increased ratios of fusion protein compared to cpVIII during the extrusion process.
In another embodiment, the amount of heterodimeric receptor on the phage particle surface can be controlled by controlling the timing between expression of fusion proteins and the superinfection by helper phage. After introduction of the expression vector, longer delay times before the addition of helper phage will allow for increased accumulation of the fusion proteins in the host cell.
EXAMPLES
The following examples are intended to illustrate, but not limit, the scope of the invention.
1. Construction of a Dicistronic Expression Vector for Producing a Heterodimeric Receptor on Phage Particles
To obtain a vector system for generating a large number of Fab antibody fragments that can be screened directly, expression libraries in bacteriophage Lambda have previously been constructed as described in Huse et al., Science, 246:1275-1281 (1989). These systems did not contain design features that provide for the expressed Fab to be targeted to the surface of a filamentous phage particle.
The main criterion used in choosing a vector system was the necessity of generating the largest number of Fab fragments which could be screened directly. Bacteriophage Lambda was selected as the starting point to develop an expression vector for three reasons. First, in vitro packaging of phage DNA was the most efficient method of reintroducing DNA into host cells. Second, it was possible to detect protein expression at the level of single phage plaques. Finally, the screening of phage libraries typically involved less difficulty with nonspecific binding. The alternative, plasmid cloning vectors, are only advantageous in the analysis of clones after they have been identified. This advantage was not lost in the present system because of the use of a dicistronic expression vector such as pCombVIII, thereby permitting a plasmid containing the heavy chain, light chain, or Fab expressing inserts to be excised.
a. Construction of Dicistronic Expression Vector pCOMB
(i) Preparation of Lambda Zap.TM. II
Lambda Zap.TM. II is a derivative of the original Lambda Zap (ATCC #40,298) that maintains all of the characteristics of the original Lambda Zap including 6 unique cloning sites, fusion protein expression, and the ability to rapidly excise the insert in the form of a phagemid (Bluescript SK-), but lacks the SAM 100 mutation, allowing growth on many Non-Sup F strains, including XL1-Blue. The Lambda Zap.TM. II was constructed as described in Short et al., Nuc. Acids Res., 16:7583-7600, 1988, by replacing the Lambda S gene contained in a 4254 base pair (bp) DNA fragment produced by digesting Lambda Zap with the restriction enzyme Nco I. This 4254 bp DNA fragment was replaced with the 4254 bp DNA fragment containing the Lambda S gene isolated from Lambda gt10 (ATCC #40,179) after digesting the vector with the restriction enzyme Nco I. The 4254 bp DNA fragment isolated from lambda gt10 was ligated into the original Lambda Zap vector using T4 DNA ligase and standard protocols such as those described in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley and Sons, NY, 1987, to form Lambda Zap.TM. II.
(ii) Preparation of Lambda Hc2
To express a plurality of V.sub.H -coding DNA homologs in an E. coli host cell, a vector designated Lambda Hc2 was constructed. The vector provided the following: the capacity to place the V.sub.H -coding DNA homologs in the proper reading frame; a ribosome binding site as described by Shine et al., Nature, 254:34, 1975; a leader sequence directing the expressed protein to the periplasmic space designated the pelB secretion signal; a polynucleotide sequence that coded for a known epitope (epitope tag); and also a polynucleotide that coded for a spacer protein between the V.sub.H -coding DNA homolog and the polynucleotide coding for the epitope tag. Lambda Hc2 has been previously described by Huse et al., Science, 246:1275-1281 (1989).
To prepare Lambda Hc2, a synthetic DNA sequence containing all of the above features was constructed by designing single stranded polynucleotide segments of 20-40 bases that would hybridize to each other and form the double stranded synthetic DNA sequence shown in FIG. 3. The individual single-stranded polynucleotide segments are shown in Table 3.
Polynucleotides N2, N3, N9-4, N11, N10-5, N6, N7 and N8 (Table 3) were kinased by adding 1 .mu.l of each polynucleotide 0.1 micrograms/microliter (.mu.g/.mu.l) and 20 units of T.sub.4 polynucleotide kinase to a solution containing 70 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.6, 10 mM MgCl.sub.2, 5 mM dithiothreitol (DTT), 10 mM beta-mercaptoethanol, 500 micrograms per milliliter (.mu.g/ml) bovine serum albumin (BSA). The solution was maintained at 37 degrees Centigrade (37.degree. C.) for 30 minutes and the reaction stopped by maintaining the solution at 65.degree. C. for 10 minutes. The two end polynucleotides, 20 ng of polynucleotides N1 and polynucleotides N12, were added to the above kinasing reaction solution together with 1/10 volume of a solution containing 20.0 mM Tris-HC1, pH 7.4, 2.0 mM MgCl.sub.2 and 50.0 mM NaCl. This solution was heated to 70.degree. C. for 5 minutes and allowed to cool to room temperature, approximately 25.degree. C., over 1.5 hours in a 500 ml beaker of water. During this time period all 10 polynucleotides annealed to form the double stranded synthetic DNA insert shown in FIG. 3. The individual polynucleotides were covalently linked to each other to stabilize the synthetic DNA insert by adding 40 .mu.l of the above reaction to a solution containing 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 7 mM MgCl.sub.2,1 mM DTT, 1 mM adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and 10 units of T4 DNA ligase. This solution was maintained at 37.degree. C. for 30 minutes and then the T4 DNA ligase was inactivated by maintaining the solution at 65.degree. C. for 10 minutes. The end polynucleotides were kinased by mixing 52 .mu.l of the above reaction, 4 .mu.l of a solution containing 10 mM ATP and 5 units of T4 polynucleotide kinase. This solution was maintained at 37.degree. C. for 30 minutes and then the T4 polynucleotide kinase was inactivated by maintaining the solution at 65.degree. C. for 10 minutes.
The completed synthetic DNA insert was ligated directly into the Lambda Zap.TM. II vector described in Example 1a(i) that had been previously digested with the restriction enzymes, Not I and Xho I. The ligation mixture was packaged according to the manufacture's instructions using Gigapack II Gold packing extract available from Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif. The packaged ligation mixture was plated on XL1-Blue cells (Stratagene). Individual lambda plaques were cored and the inserts excised according to the in vivo excision protocol for Lambda Zap.TM. II provided by the manufacturer (Stratagene). This in vivo excision protocol moved the cloned insert from the Lambda Hc2 vector into a phagemid vector to allow easy for manipulation and sequencing. The accuracy of the above cloning steps was confirmed by sequencing the insert using the Sanger dideoxy method described in by Sanger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 74:5463-5467, (1977) and using the manufacture's instructions in the AMV Reverse Transcriptase .sup.35 S-ATP sequencing kit (Stratagene). The sequence of the resulting double-stranded synthetic DNA insert in the V.sub.H expression vector (Lambda Hc2) is shown in FIG. 3. The sequence of each strand (top and bottom) of Lambda Hc2 is listed in the sequence listing as SEQ. ID. NO. 1 and SEQ. ID. NO. 2, respectively. The resultant Lambda Hc2 expression vector is shown in FIG. 4.
(iii) Preparation of Lambda Lc2
To express a plurality of V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs in an E. coli host cell, a vector designated Lambda Lc2 was constructed having the capacity to place the V.sub.L -coding DNA homologs in the proper reading frame, provided a ribosome binding site as described by Shine et al., Nature, 254:34 (1975), provided the pelB gene leader sequence secretion signal that has been previously used to successfully secrete Fab fragments in E. coli by Lei et al., J. Bac., 169:4379 (1987) and Better et al., Science, 240:1041 (1988), and also provided a polynucleotide containing a restriction endonuclease site for cloning. Lambda Lc2 has been previously described by Huse et al., Science, 246:1275-1281 (1989).
A synthetic DNA sequence containing all of the above features was constructed by designing single stranded polynucleotide segments of 20-60 bases that would hybridize to each other and form the double stranded synthetic DNA sequence shown in FIG. 5. The sequence of each individual single-stranded polynucleotide segment (01-08) within the double stranded synthetic DNA sequence is shown in Table 4.
Polynucleotides 02, 03, 04, 05, 06 and 07 (Table 4) were kinased by adding 1 .mu.l (0.1 ug/.mu.l) of each polynucleotide and 20 units of T.sub.4 polynucleotide kinase to a solution containing 70 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.6, 10 mM MgCl, 5 mM DTT, 10 mM beta-mercaptoethanol, 500 mg/ml of BSA. The solution was maintained at 37.degree. C. for 30 minutes and the reaction stopped by maintaining the solution at 65.degree. C. for 10 minutes. The 20 ng each of the two end polynucleotides, 01 and 08, were added to the above kinasing reaction solution together with 1/10 volume of a solution containing 20.0 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 2.0 mM MgCl and 15.0 mM sodium chloride (NaCl). This solution was heated to 70.degree. C. for 5 minutes and allowed to cool to room temperature, approximately 25.degree. C., over 1.5 hours in a 500 ml beaker of water. During this time period all 8 polynucleotides annealed to form the double stranded synthetic DNA insert shown in FIG. 5. The individual polynucleotides were covalently linked to each other to stabilize the synthetic DNA insert by adding 40 .mu.l of the above reaction to a solution containing 50 ml Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 7 ml MgCl, 1 mm DTT, 1 mm ATP and 10 units of T4 DNA ligase. This solution was maintained at 37.degree. C. for 30 minutes and then the T4 DNA ligase was inactivated by maintaining the solution at 65.degree. C. for 10 minutes. The end polynucleotides were kinased by mixing 52 .mu.l of the above reaction, 4 .mu.l of a solution containing 10 mM ATP and 5 units of T4 polynucleotide kinase. This solution was maintained at 37.degree. C. for 30 minutes and then the T4 polynucleotide kinase was inactivated by maintaining the solution at 65.degree. C. for 10 minutes.
The completed synthetic DNA insert was ligated directly into the Lambda Zap.TM. II vector described in Example 1(a)(i) that had been previously digested with the restriction enzymes Sac I and Xho I. The ligation mixture was packaged according to the manufacture's instructions using Gigapack II Gold packing extract (Stratagene). The packaged ligation mixture was plated on XL1-Blue cells (Stratagene). Individual lambda plaques were cored and the inserts excised according to the in vivo excision protocol for Lambda Zap.TM. II provided by the manufacturer (Stratagene). This in vivo excision protocol moved the cloned insert from the Lambda Lc2 vector into a plasmid phagemid vector allow for easy manipulation and sequencing. The accuracy of the above cloning steps was confirmed by sequencing the insert using the manufacture's instructions in the AMV Reverse Transcriptase .sup.35 S-dATP sequencing kit (Stratagene). The sequence of the resulting Lc2 expression vector (Lambda Lc2) is shown in FIG. 5. Each strand is separately listed in the Sequence Listing as SEQ. ID. NO. 3 and SEQ. ID. NO. 4. The resultant Lc2 vector is schematically diagrammed in FIG. 6.
A preferred vector for use in this invention, designated Lambda Lc3, is a derivative of Lambda Lc2 prepared above. Lambda Lc2 contains a Spe I restriction site (ACTAGT) located 3' to the EcoR I restriction site and 5' to the Shine-Dalgarno ribosome binding site as shown in the sequence in FIG. 5 and in SEQ. ID. NO. 3. A Spe I restriction site is also present in Lambda Hc2 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and in SEQ. ID. NO. 1. A combinatorial vector, designated pComb, was constructed by combining portions of Lambda Hc2 and Lc2 together as described in Example 1a(iv) below. The resultant combinatorial pComb vector contained two Spe I restriction sites, one provided by Lambda Hc2 and one provided by Lambda Lc2, with an EcoR I site in between. Despite the presence of two Spe I restriction sites, DNA homologs having Spe I and EcoR I cohesive termini were successfully directionally ligated into a pComb expression vector previously digested with Spe I and EcoR I as described in Example 1b below. The proximity of the EcoR I restriction site to the 3' Spe I site, provided by the Lc2 vector, inhibited the complete digestion of the 3' Spe I site. Thus, digesting pComb with Spe I and EcoR I did not result in removal of the EcoR I site between the two Spe I sites.
The presence of a second Spe I restriction site may be undesirable for ligations into a pComb vector digested only with Spe I as the region between the two sites would be eliminated. Therefore, a derivative of Lambda Lc2 lacking the second or 3' Spe I site, designated Lambda Lc3, is produced by first digesting Lambda Lc2 with Spe I to form a linearized vector. The ends are filled in to form blunt ends which are ligated together to result in Lambda Lc3 lacking a Spe I site. Lambda Lc3 is a preferred vector for use in constructing a combinatorial vector as described below.
(iv) Preparation of pComb
Phagemids were excised from the expression vectors Lambda Hc2 or Lambda Lc2 using an in vivo excision protocol described above. Double stranded DNA was prepared from the phagemid-containing cells according to the methods described by Holmes et al., Anal. Biochem., 114:193 (1981). The phagemids resulting from in vivo excision contained the same nucleotide sequences for antibody fragment cloning and expression as did the parent vectors, and are designated phagemid Hc2 and Lc2, corresponding to Lambda Hc2 and Lc2, respectively.
For the construction of combinatorial phagemid vector pComb, produced by combining portions of phagemid Hc2 and phagemid Lc2, phagemid Hc2 was first digested with Sac I to remove the restriction site located 5' to the LacZ promoter. The linearized phagemid was then blunt ended with T4 polymerase and ligated to result in a Hc2 phagemid lacking a Sac I site. The modified Hc2 phagemid and the Lc2 phagemid were then separately restriction digested with Sca I and EcoR I and the linearized phagemids were ligated together at their respective cohesive ends. The ligated phagemid vector was then inserted into an appropriate bacterial host and transformants were selected on the antibiotic ampicillin.
Selected ampicillin resistant transformants were screened for the presence of two Not I sites. The resulting ampicillin resistant combinatorial phagemid vector was designated pComb, the schematic organization of which is shown in FIG. 7. The resultant combinatorial vector, pComb, consisted of a DNA molecule having two cassettes to express two fusion proteins and having nucleotide residue sequences for the following operatively linked elements listed in a 5' to 3' direction: a first cassette consisting of an inducible LacZ promoter upstream from the LacZ gene; a Not I restriction site; a ribosome binding site; a pelB leader; a spacer; a cloning region bordered by a 5' Xho and 3' Spe I restriction site; a decapeptide tag followed by expression control stop sequences; an EcoR I restriction site located 5' to a second cassette consisting of an expression control ribosome binding site; a pelB leader; a spacer region; a cloning region bordered by a 5' Sac I and a 3' Xba I restriction site followed by expression control stop sequences and a second Not I restriction site.
A preferred combinatorial vector for use in this invention, designated pComb2, is constructed by combining portions of phagemid Hc2 and phagemid Lc3 as described above for preparing pComb. The resultant combinatorial vector, pComb2, consists of a DNA molecule having two cassettes identical to pComb to express two fusion proteins identically to pComb except that a second Spe I restriction site in the second cassette is eliminated.
b. Construction of Vectors pCombVIII and pCombIII for Expressing Fusion Proteins Having a Bacteriophage Coat Protein Membrane Anchor
Because of the multiple endonuclease restriction cloning sites, the pComb phagemid expression vector prepared above is a useful cloning vehicle for modification for the preparation of an expression vector of this invention. To that end, pComb is digested with EcoR I and Spe I followed by phosphatase treatment to produce linearized pComb.
(i) Preparation of pCombVIII
A PCR product produced in Example 2g and having a nucleotide sequence that defines a filamentous bacteriophage coat protein VIII (cpVIII) membrane anchor domain and cohesive Spe I and EcoR I termini was admixed with the linearized pComb to form a ligation admixture. The cpVIII-membrane anchor-encoding PCR fragment was directionally ligated into the pComb phagemid expression vector at corresponding cohesive termini, that resulted in forming pCombVIII (also designated pComb8). pCombVIII contains a cassette defined by the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 116 from nucleotide base 1 to base 208, and contains a pelB secretion signal operatively linked to the cpVIII membrane anchor.
A preferred phagemid expression vector for use in this invention, designated either pComb2-VIII or pComb2-8, is prepared as described above by directionally ligating the cpVIII membrane anchor-encoding PCR fragment into a pComb2 phagemid expression vector via Spe I and EcoR I cohesive terminii. The pComb2-8 has only one Spe I restriction site.
(ii) Preparation of pCombIII
A separate phagemid expression vector was constructed using sequences encoding bacteriophage cpIII membrane anchor domain. A PCR product defining the cpIII membrane anchor and Spe I and EcoR I cohesive termini was prepared as described for cpVIII, the details of which are described in Example 2g. The cpIII-derived PCR product was then ligated into linearized pComb vector to form the vector pCombIII (also designated pComb3).
A preferred phagemid expression vector for use in this invention, designated either pComb2-III or pComb2-3, is prepared as described above by directionally ligating the cpIII membrane anchor-encoding PCR fragment into a pComb2 phagemid expression vector via Spe I and Spe I cohesive terminii. The pComb2-3 has only one Spe I restriction site.
c. Construction of pCBAK Vectors Having a Chloramphenicol Resistance Marker
In order to utilize a different selectable marker gene, such as chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT), for the selection of bacteria transformed with a vector of this invention, expression vectors based on pComb were developed having a gene encoding CAT and are designated pCBAK vectors. The pCBAK vectors are prepared by combining portions of pCB and pComb.
(i) Preparation of pCB
pBlueScript phagemid vectors, pBC SK(-) and pBS SK(-), (Stratagene), were modified and combined to generate a third vector designated pCB as described below.
pBC SK(-), which contains a chloramphenicol resistance selectable marker gene, was digested with Bst BI and blunt ended with T4 polymerase. A second digestion with Pvu I allowed for the removal of a 1 kilobase (kb) fragment leaving a 2.4 kb linearized vector which retained the CAT selectable resistance marker gene, an inducible LacZ promoter upstream from the LacZ gene and a ColE1 origin region. The 2.4 kb fragment was recovered. The pBS SK(-) vector was digested with Aat II and blunt ended with T4 polymerase. A second digestion with Pvu I allowed for the isolation of an 800 base pair (bp) fragment containing the f1 origin of replication. Ligation of the pBS derived 800 bp f1 fragment with the 2.4 kb pBC fragment created a pCB precursor vector containing a Sac I site, an f1 origin of replication, a CAT selectable resistance marker gene, ColE1 origin, a multiple cloning site (MCS) flanked by T.sub.3 and T.sub.7 promoters, and an inducible LacZ promoter upstream from LacZ gene.
The pCB precursor vector was then digested with Sac I and blunt-ended with T4 polymerase. The T4 polymerase-treated pCB vector was then religated to form pCB vector and is lacking a Sac I site.
(ii) Preparation of pCBAK0
The pCB vector containing the CAT selectable resistance marker gene was digested with Sac II and Apa I and treated with phosphatase to prevent religation and to form linearized pCB vector. The pComb vector prepared in Example 1(a)(iv) was restriction digested with Sac II and Apa I to release a fragment containing nucleotide residue sequences starting 5' to the LacZ promoter and extending past the 3' end of the second Not I site. The Sac II and Apa I pComb DNA fragment was then directionally ligated into the similarly digested pCB vector to form phagemid expression vector pCBAK0. Preferred pCBAK expression vectors are constructed with pComb2. The resultant pCBAK expression vector contains only one Spe I restriction site.
(iii) Preparation of pCBAK8
To prepare a pCBAK-based phagemid expression vector which encodes a bacteriophage coat protein membrane anchor domain in the expressed fusion protein, pCB phagemid cloning vector prepared in Example 1c(ii) was linearized by digestion with Sac II and Apa I. The pCombVIII phagemid expression vector, prepared in Example 1b(i), was restriction digested with Sac II and Apa I to form a fragment containing a nucleotide residue sequence starting 5' to the LacZ promoter and extending past the 3' end of the second Not 1 site. The fragment was directionally ligated into the linearized pCB cloning vector to form phagemid expression vector pCBAK8.
(iv) Preparation of pCBAK3
The phagemid expression vector, pCBAK3, for the expression of fusion protein having cpIII membrane anchor domains, was similarly constructed by directionally ligating the Sac II and Apa I restriction digested fragment from pCombIII with Sac II and Apa I linearized pCB cloning vector.
2. Construction of Dicistronic Expression Vectors for Expressing Anti-NPN Heterodimer on Phage Surfaces
In practicing this invention, the heavy (Fd consisting of V.sub.H and C.sub.H 1) and light (kappa) chains (V.sub.L, C.sub.L) of antibodies are first targeted to the periplasm of E. coli for the assembly of heterodimeric Fab molecules. In order to obtain expression of antibody Fab libraries on a phage surface, the nucleotide residue sequences encoding either the Fd or light chains must be operatively linked to the nucleotide residue sequence encoding a filamentous bacteriophage coat protein membrane anchor. Two preferred coat proteins for use in this invention in providing a membrane anchor are VIII and III (cpVIII and cpIII, respectively). In the Examples described herein, methods for operatively linking a nucleotide residue sequence encoding a Fd chain to either cpVIII or cpIII membrane anchors in a fusion protein of this invention are described.
In a phagemid vector, a first and second cistron consisting of translatable DNA sequences are operatively linked to form a dicistronic DNA molecule. Each cistron in the dicistronic DNA molecule is linked to DNA expression control sequences for the coordinate expression of a fusion protein, Fd-cpVIII or Fd-cpIII, and a kappa light chain.
The first cistron encodes a periplasmic secretion signal (pelB leader) operatively linked to the fusion protein, either Fd-cpVIII or Fd-cpIII. The second cistron encodes a second pelB leader operatively linked to a kappa light chain. The presence of the pelB leader facilitates the coordinated but separate secretion of both the fusion protein and light chain from the bacterial cytoplasm into the periplasmic space.
The process described above is schematically diagrammed in FIG. 8. Briefly, the phagemid expression vector carries a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) selectable resistance marker gene in addition to the Fd-cpVIII fusion and the kappa chain. The f1 phage origin of replication facilitates the generation of single stranded phagemid. The isopropyl thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) induced expression of a dicistronic message encoding the Fd-cpVIII fusion (V.sub.H, C.sub.H1, cpVIII) and the light chain (V.sub.L, C.sub.L) leads to the formation of heavy and light chains. Each chain is delivered to the periplasmic space by the pelB leader sequence, which is subsequently cleaved. The heavy chain is anchored in the membrane by the cpVIII membrane anchor domain while the light chain is secreted into the periplasm. The heavy chain in the presence of light chain assembles to form Fab molecules. This same result can be achieved if, in the alternative, the light chain is anchored in the membrane via a light chain fusion protein having a membrane anchor and heavy chain is secreted via a pelB leader into the periplasm.
With subsequent infection of E. coli with a helper phage, as the assembly of the filamentous bacteriophage progresses, the coat protein VIII is incorporated along the entire length of the filamentous phage particles as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. If cpIII is used, the accumulation occurs on the tail of the bacteriophage. The advantage of the utilization of membrane anchors from cpVIII over cpIII is two fold. Firstly, a multiplicity of binding sites, consisting of approximately 2700 cpVIII monomers assembled in a tubular array, exist along the particle surface. Secondly, the construct does not interfere with phage infectivity.
a. Polynucleotide Selection
The nucleotide sequences encoding the immunoglobulin protein CDR's are highly variable. However, there are several regions of conserved sequences that flank the V region domains of either the light or heavy chain, for instance, and that contain substantially conserved nucleotide sequences, i.e., sequences that will hybridize to the same primer sequence. Therefore, polynucleotide synthesis (amplification) primers that hybridize to the conserved sequences and incorporate restriction sites into the DNA homolog produced that are suitable for operatively linking the synthesized DNA fragments to a vector were constructed. More specifically, the primers are designed so that the resulting DNA homologs produced can be inserted into an expression vector of this invention in reading frame with the upstream translatable DNA sequence at the region of the vector containing the directional ligation means.
(i) V.sub.H Primers
For amplification of the V.sub.H domains, primers are designed to introduce cohesive termini compatible with directional ligation into the unique Xho I and Spe I sites of the phagemid Hc2 expression vector. For example, the 3' primer (primer 12A in Table 5), was designed to be complementary to the mRNA in the J.sub.H region. In all cases, the 5' primers (primers 1-10, Table 5) were chosen to be complementary to the first strand cDNA in the conserved N-terminus region (antisense strand). Initially amplification was performed with a mixture of 32 primers (primer 1, Table 5) that were degenerate at five positions. Hybridoma mRNA could be amplified with mixed primers, but initial attempts to amplify mRNA from spleen yielded variable results. Therefore, several alternatives to amplification using the mixed 5' primers were compared.
The first alternative was to construct multiple unique primers, eight of which are shown in Table 5, corresponding to individual members of the mixed primer pool. The individual primers 2-9 of Table 5 were constructed by incorporating either of the two possible nucleotides at three of the five degenerate positions.
The second alternative was to construct a primer containing inosine (primer 10, Table 5) at four of the variable positions based on the published work of Takahashi, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (U.S.A.), 82:1931-1935, (1985) and Ohtsuka et al., J. Biol. Chem., 260:2605-2608, (1985). This primer has the advantage that it is not degenerate and, at the same time minimizes the negative effects of mismatches at the unconserved positions as discussed by Martin et al., Nuc. Acids Res., 13:8927 (1985). However, it was not known if the presence of inosine nucleotides would result in incorporation of unwanted sequences in the cloned V.sub.H regions. Therefore, inosine was not included at the one position that remains in the amplified fragments after the cleavage of the restriction sites. As a result, inosine was not in the cloned insert.
Additional V.sub.H amplification primers including the unique 3' primer were designed to be complementary to a portion of the first constant region domain of the gamma 1 heavy chain mRNA (primers 16 and 17, Table 5). These primers will produce DNA homologs containing polynucleotides coding for amino acids from the V.sub.H and the first constant region domains of the heavy chain. These DNA homologs can therefore be used to produce Fab fragments rather than an F.sub.V.
Additional unique 3' primers designed to hybridize to similar regions of another class of immunoglobulin heavy chain such as IgM, IgE and IgA are contemplated. Other 3' primers that hybridize to a specific region of a specific class of CH.sub.1 constant region and are adapted for transferring the V.sub.H domains amplified using this primer to an expression vector capable of expressing those V.sub.H domains with a different class of heavy or light chain constant region are also contemplated.
As a control for amplification from spleen or hybridoma mRNA, a set of primers hybridizing to a highly conserved region within the constant region IgG, heavy chain gene were constructed. The 5' primer (primer 11, Table 5) is complementary to the cDNA in the C.sub.H 2 region whereas the 3' primer (primer 13, Table 5) is complementary to the mRNA in the C.sub.H 3 region. It is believed that no mismatches were present between these primers and their templates.
The primers used for amplification of heavy chain Fd fragments for construction of Fabs are shown at least in Table 5. Amplification was performed in eight separate reactions, each containing one of the 5' primers (primers 2-9) and one of the 3' primers (primer 16). The remaining 5' primers that have been used for amplification in a single reaction are either a degenerate primer (primer 1) or a primer that incorporates inosine at four degenerate positions (primer 10, Table 5, and primers 17 and 18, Table 6). The remaining 3' primer (primer 14, Table 6) has been used to construct F.sub.V fragments. Many of the 5' primers incorporate a Xho I site, and the 3' primers incorporate a Spe I restriction site for insertion of the V.sub.H DNA homolog into the phagemid Hc2 expression vector (FIG. 4).
V.sub.H amplification primers designed to amplify human heavy chain variable regions are shown in Table 6. One of the 5' heavy chain primer contains inosine residues at degenerate nucleotide positions allowing a single primer to hybridize to a large number of variable region sequences. Primers designed to hybridize to the constant region sequences of various IgG mRNAs are also shown in Table 6.
(ii) V.sub.L Primers
The nucleotide sequences encoding the V.sub.L CDRs are highly variable. However, there are several regions of conserved sequences that flank the V.sub.L CDR domains including the J.sub.L, V.sub.L framework regions and V.sub.L leader/promotor. Therefore, amplification primers were constructed that hybridized to the conserved sequences and incorporate restriction sites that allow cloning the amplified fragments into the phagemid Lc2 vector cut with Sac I and Xba I.
For amplification of the V.sub.L CDR domains, the 5' primers (primers 1-8 in Table 6) were designed to be complementary to the first strand cDNA in the conserved N-terminus region. These primers also introduced a Sac I restriction endonuclease site to allow the V.sub.L DNA homolog to be cloned into the phagemid Lc2 expression vector. The 3' V.sub.L amplification primer (primer 9 in Table 6) was designed to be complementary to the mRNA in the J.sub.L regions and to introduce the Xba I restriction endonuclease site required to insert the V.sub.L DNA homolog into the phagemid Lc2 expression vector (FIG. 6).
Additional 3' V.sub.L amplification primers were designed to hybridize to the constant region of either kappa or lambda mRNA (primers 10 and 11 in Table 6). These primers allow a DNA homolog to be produced containing polynucleotide sequences coding for constant region amino acids of either kappa or lambda chain. These primers make it possible to produce an Fab fragment rather than an F.sub.V.
The primers used for amplification of kappa light chain sequences for construction of Fabs are shown at least in Table 6. Amplification with these primers was performed in 5 separate reactions, each containing one of the 5' primers (primers 3-6, and 12) and one of the 3' primers (primer 13). The remaining 3' primer (primer 9) has been used to construct F.sub.V fragments. The 5' primers contain a Sac I restriction site and the 3' primers contain a Xba I restriction site.
V.sub.L amplification primers designed to amplify human light chain variable regions of both the lambda and kappa isotypes are also shown in Table 6.
All primers and synthetic polynucleotides described herein, including those shown in Tables 3-7 were either purchased from Research Genetics in Huntsville, Ala. or synthesized on an Applied Biosystems DNA synthesizer, model 381A, using the manufacturer's instruction.
The 19 primers listed in Table 5 have been listed in the Sequence Listing and have been assigned the following SEQ. ID. NO.:
(1)=SEQ. ID. NO. 40
(2)=SEQ. ID. NO. 41
(3)=SEQ. ID. NO. 42
(4)=SEQ. ID. NO. 43
(5)=SEQ. ID. NO. 44
(6)=SEQ. ID. NO. 45
(7)=SEQ. ID. NO. 46
(8)=SEQ. ID. NO. 47
(9)=SEQ. ID. NO. 48
(10)=SEQ. ID. NO. 49
(11)=SEQ. ID. NO. 50
(12)=SEQ. ID. NO. 51
(12A)=SEQ. ID. NO. 52
(13)=SEQ. ID. NO. 53
(14)=SEQ. ID. NO. 54
(15)=SEQ. ID. NO. 55
(16)=SEQ. ID. NO. 56
(17)=SEQ. ID. NO. 57
(18)=SEQ. ID. NO. 58
The 40 primers listed as "(1)" through "(40)" in Table 6 have also been individually and sequentially listed in the Sequence Listing beginning with SEQ. ID. NO. 59 through SEQ. ID. NO. 98, respectively.
b. Preparation of a Repertoire of Genes Encoding Immunoglobulin Variable Domain
Nitrophenylphosphonamidate (NPN) was selected as the ligand for receptor binding in preparing a heterodimeric receptor according to the methods of the invention.
Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) was conjugated to NPN to form a NPN-KLH conjugate used for immunizing a mouse to produce an anti-NPN immune response and thereby provide a source of ligand specific heterodimeric receptor genes.
The NPN-KLH conjugate was prepared by admixing 250 .mu.l of a solution containing 2.5 mg of NPN in dimethylformamide with 750 .mu.l of a solution containing 2 mg of KLH in 0.01 Molar (M) sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.2). The two solutions were admixed by slow addition of the NPN solution to the KLH solution while the KLH solution was being agitated by a rotating stirring bar. Thereafter the admixture was maintained at 4.degree. C. for 1 hour with the same agitation to allow conjugation to proceed. The conjugated NPN-KLH was isolated from the nonconjugated NPN and KLH by gel filtration through Sephadex G-25. The isolated NPN-KLH conjugate was injected into mice as described below.
The NPN-KLH conjugate was prepared for injection into mice by adding 100 .mu.g of the conjugate to 250 .mu.l of phosphate buffered saline (PBS). An equal volume of complete Freund's adjuvant was added and emulsified the entire solution for 5 minutes. A 129 G.sub.IX+ mouse was injected with 300 .mu.l of the emulsion. Injections were given subcutaneously at several sites using a 21 gauge needle. A second immunization with NPN-KLH was given two weeks later. This injection was prepared as follows: 50 micrograms (.mu.g) of NPN-KLH were diluted in 250 .mu.l of PBS and an equal volume of alum was admixed to the NPN-KLH solution. The mouse was injected intraperitoneally with 500 .mu.l of the solution using a 23 gauge needle. One month later the mice were given a final injection of 50 .mu.g of the NPN-KLH conjugate diluted to 200 .mu.l in PBS. This injection was given intravenously in the lateral tail vein using a 30 gauge needle. Five days after this final injection the mice were sacrificed and total cellular RNA was isolated from their spleens.
Total cellular RNA was prepared from the spleen of a single mouse immunized with KLH-NPN as described above using the RNA preparation methods described by Chomczynski et al., Anal Biochem., 162:156-159 (1987) and using the RNA isolation kit (Stratagene) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Briefly, immediately after removing the spleen from the immunized mouse, the tissue was homogenized in 10 ml of a denaturing solution containing 4.0M guanine isothiocyanate, 0.25M sodium citrate at pH 7.0, and 0.1M beta-mercaptoethanol using a glass homogenizer. One ml of sodium acetate at a concentration of 2M at pH 4.0 was admixed with the homogenized spleen. One ml of phenol that had been previously saturated with H.sub.2 O was also admixed to the denaturing solution containing the homogenized spleen. Two ml of a chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (24:1 v/v) mixture was added to this homogenate. The homogenate was mixed vigorously for ten seconds and maintained on ice for 15 minutes. The homogenate was then transferred to a thick-walled 50 ml polypropylene centrifuged tube (Fisher Scientific Company, Pittsburg, Pa.). The solution was centrifuged at 10,000.times.g for 20 minutes at 4.degree. C. The upper RNA-containing aqueous layer was transferred to a fresh 50 ml polypropylene centrifuge tube and mixed with an equal volume of isopropyl alcohol. This solution was maintained at -20.degree. C. for at least one hour to precipitate the RNA. The solution containing the precipitated RNA was centrifuged at 10,000.times.g for twenty minutes at 4.degree. C. The pelleted total cellular RNA was collected and dissolved in 3 ml of the denaturing solution described above. Three ml of isopropyl alcohol was added to the re-suspended total cellular RNA and vigorously mixed. This solution was maintained at -20.degree. C. for at least 1 hour to precipitate the RNA. The solution containing the precipitated RNA was centrifuged at 10,000.times.g for ten minutes at 4.degree. C. The pelleted RNA was washed once with a solution containing 75% ethanol. The pelleted RNA was dried under vacuum for 15 minutes and then re-suspended in dimethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) treated (DEPC-H.sub.2 O) H.sub.2 O.
Messenger RNA (mRNA) enriched for sequences containing long poly A tracts was prepared from the total cellular RNA using methods described in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Maniatis et al., eds., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., (1982). Briefly, one half of the total RNA isolated from a single immunized mouse spleen prepared as described above was re-suspended in one ml of DEPC-H.sub.2 O and maintained at 65.degree. C. for five minutes. One ml of 2.times.high salt loading buffer consisting of 100 mM Tris-HCl (Tris hydroxymethyl! amino methane hydrochloride), 1M sodium chloride (NaCl), 2.0 mM disodium ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) at pH 7.5, and 0.2% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was added to the re-suspended RNA and the mixture allowed to cool to room temperature. The mixture was then applied to an oligo-dT (Collaborative Research Type 2 or Type 3) column that was previously prepared by washing the oligo-dT with a solution containing 0.1M sodium hydroxide and 5 mM EDTA and then equilibrating the column with DEPC-H.sub.2 O. The eluate was collected in a sterile polypropylene tube and reapplied to the same column after heating the eluate for 5 minutes at 65.degree. C. The oligo dT column was then washed with 2 ml of high salt loading buffer consisting of 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 500 mM sodium chloride, 1 mM EDTA at pH 7.5 and 0.1% SDS. The oligo dT column was then washed with 2 ml of 1.times.medium salt buffer consisting of 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 100 mM, 1 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS. The messenger RNA was eluted from the oligo dT column with 1 ml of buffer consisting of 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 1 mM EDTA, at pH 7.5, and 0.05% SDS. The messenger RNA was purified by extracting this solution with phenol/chloroform followed by a single extraction with 100% chloroform. The messenger RNA was concentrated by ethanol precipitation and re-suspended in DEPC H.sub.2 O.
The messenger RNA (mRNA) isolated by the above process contains a plurality of different V.sub.H coding polynucleotides, i.e., greater than about 10.sup.4 different V.sub.H -coding genes, and contains a similar number of V.sub.L -coding genes. Thus, the mRNA population represents a repertoire of variable region-coding genes.
c. Preparation of DNA Homologs
In preparation for PCR amplification, mRNA prepared above is used as a template for cDNA synthesis by a primer extension reaction. In a typical 50 .mu.l transcription reaction, 5-10 ug of spleen mRNA in water is first hybridized (annealed) with 500 ng (50.0 pmol) of the 3' V.sub.H primer (primer 12A, Table 5), at 65.degree. C. for five minutes. Subsequently, the mixture is adjusted to 1.5 mM dATP, dCTP, dGTP and dTTP, 40 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 8 mM MgCl.sub.2, 50 mM NaCl, and 2 mM spermidine. Moloney-Murine Leukemia virus Reverse transcriptase (Stratagene), 26 units, is added and the solution is maintained for 1 hour at 37 C.
PCR amplification is performed in a 100 .mu.l reaction containing the products of the reverse transcription reaction (approximately 5 ug of the cDNA/RNA hybrid), 300 ng of 3' V.sub.H primer (primer 12A of Table 5), 300 ng each of the 5' V.sub.H primers (primers 2-10 of Table 5) 200 mM of a mixture of dNTP's, 50 mM KCl, 10 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.3, 15 mM MgCl.sub.2, 0.1% gelatin and 2 units of Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerase. The reaction mixture is overlaid with mineral oil and subjected to 40 cycles of amplification. Each amplification cycle includes denaturation at 92.degree. C. for 1 minute, annealing at 52.degree. C. for 2 minutes and polynucleotide synthesis by primer extension (elongation) at 72.degree. C. for 1.5 minutes. The amplified V.sub.H -coding DNA homolog containing samples are then extracted twice with phenol/chloroform, once with chloroform, ethanol precipitated and are stored at -70.degree. C. in 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, and 1 mM EDTA.
Using unique 5' primers (2-9, Table 5), efficient V.sub.H -coding DNA homolog synthesis and amplification from the spleen mRNA is achieved as shown by agarose gel electrophoresis. The amplified cDNA (V.sub.H -coding DNA homolog) was seen as a major band of the expected size (360 bp). The amount the amplified V.sub.H -coding polynucleotide fragment in each reaction is similar, indicating that all of these primers were about equally efficient in initiating amplification. The yield and quality of the amplification with these primers is reproducible.
The primer containing inosine also synthesizes amplified V.sub.H -coding DNA homologs from spleen mRNA reproducibly, leading to the production of the expected sized fragment, of an intensity similar to that of the other amplified cDNAs. The presence of inosine also permits efficient DNA homolog synthesis and amplification, clearly indicating that such primers are useful in generating a plurality of V.sub.H -coding DNA homologs. Amplification products obtained from the constant region primers (primers 11 and 13, Table 5) are more intense indicating that amplification was more efficient, possibly because of a higher degree of homology between the template and primers. Following the above procedures, a V.sub.H -coding gene library is constructed from the products of eight amplifications, each performed with a different 5' primer. Equal portions of the products from each primer extension reaction are mixed and the mixed product is then used to generate a library of V.sub.H -coding DNA homolog-containing vectors.
DNA homologs of the V.sub.L are also prepared from the purified mRNA prepared as described above. In preparation for PCR amplification, mRNA prepared according to the above examples is used as a template for cDNA synthesis. In a typical 50 .mu.l transcription reaction, 5-10 ug of spleen mRNA in water is first annealed with 300 ng (50.0 pmol) of the 3' V.sub.L primer (primer 14, Table 5), at 65.degree. C. for five minutes. Subsequently, the mixture is adjusted to 1.5 mM dATP, dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP, 40 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 8 mM MgCl.sub.2, 50 mM NaCl, and 2 mM spermidine. Moloney-Murine Leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (Stratagene), 26 units, is added and the solution is maintained for 1 hour at 37.degree. C. The PCR amplification is performed in a 100 .mu.l reaction containing approximately 5 ug of the cDNA/RNA hybrid produced as described above, 300 ng of the 3' V.sub.L primer (primer 14 of Table 5), 300 ng of the 5' V.sub.L primer (primer 16 of Table 5), 200 mM of a mixture of dNTP's, 50 mM KCl, 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.3, 15 mM MgCl.sub.2, 0.1% gelatin and 2 units of Taq DNA polymerase. The reaction mixture is overlaid with mineral oil and subjected to 40 cycles of amplification. Each amplification cycle includes denaturation at 92.degree. C. for 1 minute, annealing at 52.degree. C. for 2 minutes and elongation at 72.degree. C. for 1.5 minutes. The amplified samples are then extracted twice with phenol/chloroform, once with chloroform, ethanol precipitated and are stored at -70.degree. C. in 10 mM Tris-HCl, 7.5 and 1 mM EDTA.
d. Insertion of DNA Homologs into a DNA Expression Vector
To prepare an expression library enriched in V.sub.H sequences, DNA homologs enriched in V.sub.H sequences are prepared according to Example 2c using the same set of 5' primers but with primer 12A (Table 5) as the 3' primer. The resulting PCR amplified products (2.5 ug/30 .mu.l of 150 mM NaCl, 8 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 6 mM MgSO.sub.4, 1 mM DTT, 200 ug/ml BSA) are digested at 37.degree. C. with restriction enzymes Xho I (125 units) and Spe I (125 units). In cloning experiments which required a mixture of the products of the amplification reactions, equal volumes (50 .mu.l, 1-10 ug concentration) of each reaction mixture are combined after amplification but before restriction digestion. The V.sub.H homologs are purified on a 1% agarose gel using the standard electro-elution technique described in Molecular Cloning A Laboratory Manual, Maniatis et al., eds., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., (1982). After gel electrophoresis of the digested PCR amplified spleen mRNA, the region of the gel containing DNA fragments of approximate 350 bps is excised, electro-eluted into a dialysis membrane, ethanol precipitated and re-suspended suspended in a TE solution containing 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5 and 1 mM EDTA to a final concentration of 50 ng/.mu.l. The resulting V.sub.H DNA homologs represent a repertoire of polypeptide genes having cohesive termini adapted for directional ligation to the vector Lambda Hc2. These prepared V.sub.H DNA homologs are then directly inserted by directional ligation into linearized Lambda Hc2 expression vector prepared as described below.
The Lambda Hc2 expression DNA vector is prepared for inserting a DNA homolog by admixing 100 ug of this DNA to a solution containing 250 units each of the restriction endonucleases Xho I and Spe I (both from Boehringer Mannheim, Indianapolis, Ind.) and a buffer recommended by the manufacturer. This solution is maintained at 37 from 1.5 hours. The solution is heated at 65.degree. C. for 15 minutes top inactivate the restriction endonucleases. The solution is chilled to 30.degree. C. and 25 units of heat-killable (HK) phosphatase (Epicenter, Madison, Wis.) and CaCl.sub.2 is admixed to it according to the manufacturer's specifications. This solution is maintained at 30.degree. C. for 1 hour. The DNA is purified by extracting the solution with a mixture of phenol and chloroform followed by ethanol precipitation. The Lambda Hc2 expression vector is now ready for ligation to the V.sub.H DNA homologs prepared in the above examples. These prepared V.sub.H DNA homologs are then directly inserted into the Xho I and Spe I restriction digested Lambda Hc2 expression vector that prepared above by ligating 3 moles of V.sub.H DNA homolog inserts with each mole of the Hc2 expression vector overnight at 5.degree. C. Approximately 3.0.times.10.sup.5 plague forming units are obtained after packaging the DNA with Gigapack II Bold (Stratagene) of which 50% are recombinants. The ligation mixture containing the V.sub.H DNA homologs are packaged according to the manufacturers specifications using Gigapack Gold II Packing Extract (Stratagene). The resulting Lambda Hc2 expression libraries are then transformed into XL1-Blue cells.
To prepare a library enriched in V.sub.L sequences, PCR amplified products enriched in V.sub.L sequences are prepared according to Example 2c. These V.sub.L DNA homologs are digested with restriction enzymes Sac I and Xba I and the digested V.sub.L DNA homologs are purified on a 1% agarose gel as described above for the V.sub.H DNA homologs to form a repertoire of V.sub.L -polypeptide genes adapted for directional ligation. The prepared V.sub.L DNA homologs are then directionally ligated into the Lambda Lc2 expression vector previously digested with the restriction enzymes, Sac I and Xba I as described for Lambda Hc2. The ligation mixture containing the V.sub.L DNA homologs is packaged to form a Lambda Lc2 expression library as described above and is ready to be plated on XL1-Blue cells.
e. Randomly Combining V.sub.H and V.sub.L DNA Homologs on the Same Expression Vector
The construction of a library containing vectors for expressing two cistrons that express heavy and light chains is accomplished in two steps. In the first step, separate heavy and light chain libraries are constructed in the expression vectors Lambda Hc2 and Lambda Lc2, respectively, as described using gene repertoires obtained from a mouse immunized with NPN-KLH. In the second step, these two libraries are combined at the antisymmetric EcoR I sites present in each vector. This resulted in a library of clones each of which potentially co-expresses a heavy and a light chain. The actual combinations are random and do not necessarily reflect the combinations present in the B-cell population in the parent animal.
The spleen mRNA resulting from the above immunizations (Example 2b) is isolated and used to create a primary library of V.sub.H gene sequences using the Lambda Hc2 expression vector. The primary library contains 1.3.times.10.sup.6 plaque-forming units (pfu) and can be screened for the expression of the decapeptide tag to determine the percentage of clones expressing V.sub.H and C.sub.H 1 (Fd) sequences. The sequence for this peptide is only in frame for expression following the cloning of a Fd (or V.sub.H) fragment into the vector. At least 80% of the clones in the library express Fd fragments based on immunodetection of the decapeptide tag.
The light chain library is constructed in the same way as the heavy chain and contains 2.5.times.10.sup.6 members. Plaque screening, using an anti-kappa chain antibody, indicates that 60% of the library contained express light chain inserts. A small percentage of inserts results from incomplete dephosphorylation of vector after cleavage with Sac I and Xba I.
Once obtained, the two libraries are used to construct a combinatorial library by crossing them at the EcoR I site. To accomplish the cross, DNA is first purified from each library.
The Lambda Lc2 library prepared in Example 2d is amplified and 500 ug of Lambda Lc2 expression library phage DNA is prepared from the amplified phage stock using the procedures described in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Maniatis et al., eds., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1982). Fifty ug of this amplified expression library phage DNA is maintained in a solution containing 100 units of MLu I restriction endonuclease (Boehringer Mannheim, Indianapolis, Ind.) in 200 .mu.l of a buffer supplied by the endonuclease manufacturer for 1.5 hours at 37.degree. C. The solution is then extracted with a mixture of phenol and chloroform. The DNA is then ethanol precipitated and re-suspended in 100 .mu.l of water. This solution is admixed with 100 units of the restriction endonuclease EcoR I (Boehringer) in a final volume of 200 .mu.l of buffer containing the components specified by the manufacturer. This solution is maintained at 37.degree. C. for 1.5 hours and the solution is then extracted with a mixture of phenol and chloroform. The DNA was ethanol precipitated and the DNA re-suspended in TE.
The Lambda Hc2 expression library prepared in Example 2d is amplified and 500 ug of Lambda Hc2 expression library phage DNA is prepared using the methods detailed above. 50 ug of this amplified library phage DNA is maintained in a solution containing 100 units of Hind III restriction endonuclease (Boehringer) in 200 .mu.l of a buffer supplied by the endonuclease manufacturer for 1.5 hours at 37.degree. C. The solution is then extracted with a mixture of phenol and chloroform saturated with 0.1M Tris-HCl, pH 7.5. The DNA is then ethanol precipitated and re-suspended in 100 .mu.l of water. This solution is admixed with 100 units of the restriction endonuclease EcoR I (Boehringer) in a final volume of 200 .mu.l of buffer containing the components specified by the manufacturer. This solution is maintained at 37.degree. C. for 1.5 hours and the solution is then extracted with a mixture of phenol and chloroform. The DNA is ethanol precipitated and the DNA re-suspended in TE.
The restriction digested Hc2 and Lc2 expression libraries are ligated together. To that end, a DNA admixture consists of 1 ug of Hc2 and 1 ug of Lc2 phage library DNA is prepared in a 10 .mu.l reaction using the reagents supplied in a ligation kit (Stratagene). The DNA admixture is warmed to 45.degree. C. for 5 minutes to melt any cohesive termini that may have reannealed. The admixture is then chilled to 0.degree. C. to prevent religation. Bacteriophage T4 DNA ligase (0.1 Weiss units which is equivalent to 0.02 units as determined in an exonuclease resistance assay) is admixed into the chilled DNA solution along with 1 ul of 5 mM ATP and 1 ul 10.times.bacteriophage T4 DNA ligase buffer (10.times.buffer is prepared by admixing 200 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.6, 50 mM Mgcl.sub.2,50 mM DTT, and 500 ug/ml BSA) to form a ligation admixture. After ligation for 16 hr at 4.degree. C., 1 .mu.l of the ligated the phage DNA is packaged with Gigapack Gold II packaging extract and plated on XL1-Blue cells prepared according to the manufacturers instructions to form a Lambda phage library of dicistronic expression vectors capable of expressing heavy and light chains derived from the NPN-immunized mouse. A portion of the clones obtained are used to determine the effectiveness of the combination.
f. Selection of Anti-NPN Reactive Heterodimer-Producing Dicistronic Vectors
The combinatorial Fab expression library prepared above in Example 2a was screened to identify clones having affinity for NPN. To determine the frequency of the phage clones which co-expressed the light and heavy chain fragments, duplicate lifts of the light chain, heavy chain and combinatorial libraries were screened as above for light and heavy chain expression. In this study of approximately 500 recombinant phage, approximately 60% co-expressed light and heavy chain proteins.
All three libraries, the light chain, the heavy chain and the combinatorial, were screened to determine if they contained recombinant phage that expressed antibody fragments which bound NPN. In a typical procedure 30,000 phage were plated on XL1-Blue cells and duplicate lifts with nitrocellulose were screened for binding to NPN coupled to .sup.125 I labeled BSA. The BSA was iodinated following the Chloramine-T method as described by Bolton et al., Biochem., 133:529-534 (1973). Duplicate screens of 80,000 recombinant phage from the light chain library and a similar number from the heavy chain library did not identify any clones which bound the antigen. In contrast, the screen of a similar number of clones from the Fab expression library identified many phage plaques that bound NPN. This observation indicates that under conditions where many heavy chains in combination with light chains bind to antigen the same heavy or light chains alone do not. Therefore, in the case of NPN, it is believed that there are many heavy and light chains that only bind antigen when they are combined with specific light and heavy chains respectively.
To assess the ability to screen large numbers of clones and obtain a more quantitative estimate of the frequency of antigen binding clones in the combinatorial library, one million phage plaques were screened and approximately 100 clones which bound to antigen were identified. For six clones which were believed to bind NPN, a region of the plate containing the six positive and approximately 20 surrounding bacteriophage plaques was selected and each plaque was cored, replated, and screened with duplicate lifts. As expected, approximately one in twenty of the phage specifically bound to antigen. Cores of regions of the plated phage believed to be negative did not give positives on replating.
Clone 2b, one of the plaques which reacted with NPN, was excised according to an in vivo excision protocol where 200 ul of phage stock and 200 ul of a F+ derivative of XL1-Blue (A.sub.600 =1.00) (Stratagene) were admixed with 1 ul of M13mp8 helper phage (1.times.10.sup.10 pfu/milliliter (ml)) and maintained at 37.degree. C. for 15 minutes. After a four hour maintenance in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium and heating at 70.degree. C. for 20 minutes to heat kill the XL1-Blue cells, the phagemids were re-infected into XL1-Blue cells and plated onto LB plates containing ampicillin. This procedure converted the cloned insert from the Lambda Zap II vector into a plasmid vector to allow easy manipulation and sequencing (Stratagene). The phagemid DNA encoding the V.sub.H and part of the V.sub.L was then determined by DNA sequencing using the Sanger dideoxy method described in Sanger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 74:5463-5467 (1977) using a Sequenase kit according to manufacturer's instructions (US Biochemical Corp., Cleveland, Ohio). The nucleotide residue sequence of Clone 2b Fd chain is listed in the Sequence Listing as SEQ. ID. NO. 99. The nucleotide residue sequences of the kappa light chain variable and constant regions are listed in the Sequence Listing as SEQ. ID. NO. 100 and SEQ. ID. NO. 101, respectively.
g. Preparation of a DNA Sequence Encoding a Filamentous Phage Coat Protein Membrane Anchor
cpVIII Membrane Anchor: M13mp18, a commercially available bacteriophage vector (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.), was used as a source for isolating the gene encoding cpVIII. The sequence of the gene encoding the membrane anchor domain of cpVIII listed in Sequence Listing as SEQ. ID. NO. 102, was modified through PCR amplification to incorporate the restriction endonuclease sites, Spe I and EcoR I, and two stop codons prior to the EcoR I site. The corresponding amino acid residue sequence of the membrane anchor domain of cpVIII is listed as SEQ. ID. NO. 17.
To prepare a modified cpVIII, replicative form DNA from M13mp18 was first isolated. Briefly, into 2 ml of LB (Luria-Bertani medium), 50 ul of a culture of a bacterial strain carrying an F' episome (JM107, JM109 or TG1) was admixed with a one tenth suspension of bacteriophage particles derived from a single plaque. The admixture was incubated for 4 to 5 hours at 37.degree. C. with constant agitation. The admixture was then centrifuged at 12,000.times.g for 5 minutes to pellet the infected bacteria. After the supernatant was removed, the pellet was resuspended by vigorous vortexing in 100 ul of ice-cold solution I. Solution I was prepared by admixing 50 mM glucose, 10 mM EDTA and 25 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, and autoclaving for 15 minutes.
To the bacterial suspension, 200 ul of freshly prepared Solution II was admixed and the tube was rapidly inverted five times. Solution II was prepared by admixing 0.2N NaOH and 1% SDS. To the bacterial suspension, 150 ul of ice-cold Solution III was admixed and the tube was vortexed gently in an inverted position for 10 seconds for to disperse Solution III through the viscous bacterial lysate. Solution III was prepared by admixing 60 ml of 5M potassium acetate, 11.5 ml of glacial acetic acid and 28.5 ml of water. The resultant bacterial lysate was then stored on ice for 5 minutes followed by centrifugation at 12,000.times.g for 5 minutes at 4.degree. C. in a microfuge. The resultant supernatant was recovered and transferred to a new tube. To the supernatant was added an equal volume of phenol: chloroform and the admixture was vortexed. The admixture was then centrifuged at 12,000.times.g for 2 minutes in a microfuge. The resultant supernatant was transferred to a new tube and the double-stranded bacteriophage DNA was precipitated with 2 volumes of ethanol at room temperature. After allowing the admixture to stand at room temperature for 2 minutes, the admixture was centrifuged to pellet the DNA. The supernatant was removed and the pelleted replicative form DNA was resuspended in 25 ul of Tris-HCl, pH 7.6, and 10 mM EDTA (TE).
The double-stranded M13mp18 replicative form DNA was then used as a template for PCR. Primers, AK 5 (SEQ. ID. NO. 103) and AK 6 (SEQ. ID. NO. 104), the sequences of which are listed in Table 7 below, were used in the PCR reaction to amplify the mature gene for cpVIII member anchor domain and incorporate the two cloning sites, Spe I and EcoR I. For the PCR reaction, 2 ul containing 1 nanogram (ng) of M13mp18 replicative form DNA was admixed with 10 ul of 10.times.PCR buffer purchased commercially (Promega Biotech, Madison, Wis.) in a 0.5 ml microfuge tube. To the DNA admixture, 8 ul of a 2.5 mM solution of dNTPs (dATP, dCTP, dGTP, dTTP) was admixed to result in a final concentration of 200 micromolar (uM). Three ul (equivalent to 60 picomoles (pM)) of the 5' forward AK 5 primer and 3 ul (60 pM) of the 3' backward AK 6 primer was admixed into the DNA solution. To the admixture, 73 ul of sterile water and 1 ul/5 units of polymerase (Promega Biotech) was added. Two drops of mineral oil were placed on top of the admixture and 40 rounds of PCR amplification in a thermocycler were performed. The amplification cycle consisted of 52.degree. C. for 2 minutes, 72.degree. C. for 1.5 minutes and 91.degree. C. for 2 minutes. The resultant PCR modified cpVIII membrane anchor domain DNA fragment from M13mp18 containing samples were then purified with Gene Clean (BIO101, La Jolla, Calif.), extracted twice with phenol/chloroform, once with chloroform followed by ethanol precipitation and were stored at -70.degree. C. in 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, and 1 mM EDTA.
To verify amplification of the modified cpVIII membrane anchor domain, the PCR purified DNA products were electrophoresed in a 1% agarose gel. The expected size of the cpVIII was approximately 150 base pairs. The area in the agarose containing the modified cpVIII DNA fragment was isolated from the agarose as described above. The sequence of the isolated modified cpVIII DNA fragment is listed as SEQ. ID. NO. 111. The isolated cpVIII DNA fragment was then admixed with a similarly prepared fragment of modified Fd as described below in Example 2i in order to form a DNA segment encoding the fusion protein Fd-cpVIII.
cpIII Membrane Anchor: M13mp18 was also used as a source for isolating the gene encoding the membrane anchor domain at cpIII, the sequence of which is listed in the Sequence Listing as SEQ. ID. NO. 112. The amino acid residue sequence of membrane anchor domain cpIII is listed in SEQ. II). NO. 16. M13mp18 replicative form DNA was prepared as described above and used as a template for PCR for amplifying the mature gene for cpIII membrane anchor domain and incorporating the two cloning sites, Spe I and EcoR I.
The primer pair, G-3(F) (SEQ. ID. NO. 107) and G-3(B) (SEQ. ID. NO. 108) listed in Table 7, was used in PCR as performed above to incorporate Spe I and Nhe I restriction sites. The resultant PCR modified cpIII DNA fragment was verified and purified as described above. The sequence of the PCR modified cpIII membrane anchor domain DNA fragment is listed in the Sequence Listing as SEQ. ID. NO. 113. A second PCR amplification using the primer pairs, Lac-F (SEQ. ID. NO. 109) and Lac-B (SEQ. ID. NO. 110) listed in Table 7, was performed on a separate aliquot of M13mp18 replicative form template DNA. The primers used for this amplification were designed to incorporate an overlapping sequence with the nucleotides encoding the membrane anchor region of cpIII, and the adjacent Nhe I site along with a sequence encoding a LacZ promoter region 5' to an EcoR I restriction site. The reaction and purification of the PCR product performed as described above. The sequence of the resultant PCR modified cpIII DNA fragment having Nho I and EcoR I restriction sites is listed in the Sequence Listing as SEQ. ID. NO. 114.
The products of the first and second PCR amplifications were then recombined at the nucleotides corresponding to cpIII membrane anchor overlap and Nhe I restriction site and subjected to a second round of PCR using the G3-F (SEQ. ID. NO. 107) and Lac-B (SEQ. ID. NO. 110) primer pair to form a recombined PCR DNA fragment product consisting of the following: a 5' Spe I restriction site; a cpIII DNA membrane anchor domain beginning at the nucleotide residue sequence which corresponds to the amino acid residue 198 of the entire mature cpIII protein; an endogenous stop site provided by the membrane anchor at amino acid residue number 112; a Nhe I restriction site, a LacZ promoter sequence; and a 3' EcoR I restriction site. The recombined PCR modified cpIII membrane anchor domain DNA fragment was then restriction digested with Spe I and EcoR I to produce a DNA fragment for directional ligation into a pComb phagemid expression vector prepared in Example 1a(iv) and to form a pCombIII phagemid expression vector as described in Example 1b(ii).
h. Isolation of Anti-NPN Coding V.sub.H DNA Segment
To prepare modified Fd fragments for recombination with the PCR modified cpVIII membrane anchor domain fragment to form a Fd-cpVIII DNA fusion product, PCR amplification as described above was performed using Clone 2b, prepared in Example 2f, as a template. The primers, Hc3 (SEQ. ID. NO. 105) and AK 7 (SEQ. ID. NO. 106), the sequences of which are listed in Table 7, were used in PCR to amplify the Fd portion of the Clone 2b and incorporate Xho I and Spe I cloning sites along with a cpVIII overlapping sequence. The amplified PCR modified Fd product was purified, electrophoresed and isolated from 1% agarose gels as described above. The size of the Fd fragment was 680 base pairs.
i. Preparation of a DNA Segment Encoding a Portion of the Fusion Protein Fd-cpVIII
The purified PCR modified Fd DNA fragment containing cpVIII overlapping nucleotide sequences prepared above was then admixed with the PCR modified cpVIII membrane anchor domain fragment to form an admixture. The fragments in the admixture were allowed to recombine at their complementary regions. The admixture containing the recombined PCR fragments was then subjected to a second round of PCR amplification as described above using the end primer pair AK 6 (SEQ. ID. NO. 104) and Hc3 (SEQ. ID. NO. 105) (Table 7). The corresponding product of the PCR amplification was purified and electrophoresed on agarose gels as described above. The PCR product was determined to be approximately 830 base pairs (Fd=680+150) confirming the fusion of Fd with cpVIII. The sequence of the PCR product linking the Fd sequence with the cpVIII sequence in frame in a 5' to 3' direction is listed as SEQ. ID. NO. 115. The Fd-cpVIII fusion product was then used in directional ligations described in Example 2j for the construction of a pCBAK8-2b dicistronic phagemid expression vector.
j. Construction of pCBAK8-2b Dicistronic Expression Vector
To construct a phagemid vector for the coordinate expression of a Fd-cpVIII fusion protein with kappa light chain, the PCR amplified Fd-cpVIII fusion product prepared in above in Example 2i was first ligated into Clone 2b phagemid expression vector isolated from the NPN combinatorial library prepared in Example 2f. For the ligation, the Fd-cpVIII PCR fusion product was first restriction digested with Xho I and EcoR I. Clone 2b phagemid vector was similarly digested resulting in the removal of the cloning and decapeptide regions. The digested Fd-cpVIII fragment was admixed and ligated into the digested Clone 2b at the cohesive termini generated by Xho I and EcoR I restriction digestion. The ligation resulted in operatively linking the nucleotide residue sequence encoding the Fd-cpVIII polypeptide fusion protein to a second cassette having the nucleotide residue sequences encoding the ribosome binding site, a pelB leader sequence and the kappa light chain already present in Clone 2b to form a dicistronic DNA molecule in the original Clone 2b phagemid expression vector.
E. coli, strain TG1, was then transformed with the phagemid containing the dicistronic DNA molecule and transformants were selected on ampicillin as the original Clone 2b contained an ampicillin selectable resistance marker gene. For high efficiency electro-transformation of E. coli, a 1:100 volume of an overnight culture of TG1 cells was inoculated into one liter of L-broth (1% Bacto tryptone, 0.5% Bacto yeast extract, 0.5% NaCl). The cell suspension was maintained at 37.degree. C. with vigorous shaking to a absorbance at 600 nm of 0.5 to 1.0. The cell suspension in log phase growth was then harvested by first chilling the flask on ice for 15 to 30 minutes followed by centrifugation in a cold rotor at 4000 g for 15 minutes to pellet the bacteria. The resultant supernatant was removed and the bacterial cell pellet was resuspended in a total of one liter of cold water to form a cell suspension. The centrifugation and resuspension procedure was repeated two more times and after the final centrifugation, the cell pellet was resuspended in 20 ml of cold 10% glycerol. The resuspended cell suspension was then centrifuged to form a cell pellet. The resultant cell pellet was resuspended to a final volume of 2 to 3 ml in cold 10% glycerol resulting in a cell concentration of 1 to 3.times.10.sup.10 cells/ml. For the electro-transformation procedure, 40 ul of the prepared cell suspension was admixed with 1 to 2 ul of phagemid DNA to form a cell-phagemid DNA admixture. The resultant admixture was mixed and allowed to sit on ice for one minute. An electroporation apparatus, for example a Gene Pulsar, was set a 25 uF and 2.5 kV. The pulse controller was set to 200 ohms. The cell-DNA admixture was transferred to a cold 0.2 cm electroporation cuvette. The cuvette was then placed in the chilled safety chamber and pulsed once at the above settings. To the pulsed admixture, 1 ml of SOC medium was then admixed and the cells were resuspended with a Pasteur pipette (SOC medium was prepared by admixing 2% Bacto tryptone, 0.5% Bacto yeast extract, 10 mM NaCl, 2.5 mM KCl, 10 mM MgCl.sub.2, 10 mM MgSO.sub.4, and 20 mM glucose). The cells suspension was then transferred to a 17.times.100 mm polypropylene tube and maintained at 37.degree. C. for one hour. After the maintenance period, the transformed TG1 cells were then plated on ampicillin LB plates for selection of ampicillin resistant colonies containing the phagemid which provided the selectable marker gene.
Ampicillin resistant colonies were selected and analyzed for the correct insert size and expression of Fab. Briefly, DNA minipreps of selected colonies were prepared for the isolation of phagemid DNA. The isolated phagemid DNA from each miniprep was restriction digested with Xho I and EcoR I and the digests were electrophoresed on a 1% agarose gel. Clone AK16 was selected as an 830 bp fragment was visualized on the gels confirming the insertion of the Fd-cpVIII PCR fusion product into digested Clone 2b.
Clone AK16 phagemid was then restriction digested with Xho I and Xba I and the nucleotide residue sequence of the dicistronic DNA molecule encoding the Fd-cpVIII fusion protein, the ribosome binding site and pelB leader sequence for expression of the light chain, a spacer region and the 2b kappa light chain was isolated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The isolated dicistronic DNA fragment was then ligated into a Xho I and Xba I restriction digested pCBAKO expression vector prepared in Example 1c(ii) to form a dicistronic phagemid expression vector designated pCBAK8-2b.
The resultant pCBAK8-2b expression vector consisted of nucleotide residue sequences encoding the following elements: f1 filamentous phage origin of replication; a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase selectable resistance marker gene; an inducible LacZ promoter upstream from the LacZ gene; a multiple cloning site flanked by T3 and T7 polymerase promoters; and the dicistronic DNA molecule (a first cassette consisting of a ribosome binding site, a pelB leader, and a Fd-cpVIII DNA fusion product operatively linked to a second cassette consisting of a second ribosome binding site, a second pelb leader, and a kappa light chain).
k. Construction of pCBAK3-2b Dicistronic Expression Vector
To construct a phagemid vector for the coordinate expression of a Fd-cpIII fusion protein with kappa light chain, the PCR amplified and recombined cpIII membrane anchor prepared in Example 2g having a 5' Spe I and 3' EcoR I restriction site was first directionally ligated into a pComb phagemid expression vector prepared in Example 1a(iv) to form a pCombIII phagemid vector. See Example 1b(ii) for details of vector construction. The resultant pCombIII phagemid vector was then restriction digested with Sac II and Apa I to form an isolated fragment. The resultant isolated fragment containing the expression control sequences and the cpIII sequence was then directionally ligated into a similarly digested pCBAKO phagemid vector prepared in Example 1c(ii) to form a pCBAK3 phagemid expression vector. This vector lacked Fd and kappa light chain sequences.
A phagemid expression vector, pCBAK3-2b, for the expression of a fusion protein and kappa light chain was then constructed. Briefly, the pCBAK3 phagemid expression vector prepared above was first digested with Xho I and Spe I to form a linearized pCBAK3 phagemid expression vector. PCR amplified and modified Fd fragment, prepared in Example 2h containing Xho I and Spe I sites, was subsequently restriction digested with Xho I and Spe I. The resultant Fd fragment was then directionally ligated via cohesive termini into the Xho I and Spe I restriction digested pCBAK3 phagemid expression vector to form a second phagemid expression vector in which the PCR modified Fd fragment was operatively linked in-frame to nucleotide residue sequences encoding cpIII. E. coli strain XL1-Blue (Stratagene) was then transformed with the above phagemid vector containing Fd-cpIII. Transformants containing the Fd-cpIII encoding phagemid were selected on chloramphenicol. Phagemid DNA was isolated from chloramphenicol resistant clones and was restriction digested with Sac I and Xba I to form a linearized phagemid expression vector into which a Sac I and Xba I light chain fragment prepared below was directionally ligated.
Phagemid Clone 2b, isolated from the original combinatorial library as described in Example 2a, was restriction digested with Sac I and Xba I to isolate the nucleotide residue sequence encoding the kappa light chain. The isolated kappa light chain sequence was then directionally ligated into the Sac I and Xba I restriction digested phagemid expression vector prepared above containing Fd-cpIII to form the phagemid expression vector, pCBAK3-2b. The resultant vector contained the nucleotide residue sequence of a dicistronic DNA molecule for the coordinate expression of a Fd-cpIII fusion protein with kappa light chain. The resultant phagemid expression vector consisted of nucleotide residue sequences encoding the following elements: f1 filamentous phage origin of replication; a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase selectable resistance marker gene; an inducible LacZ promoter upstream from the LacZ gene; a multiple cloning site flanked by T3 and T7 polymerase promoters; and the dicistronic molecule (a first cassette consisting of a first ribosome binding site and pelB leader operatively linked to Fd-cpIII operatively linked to a second cassette consisting of a second LacZ, a second ribosome binding site, and a second pelB leader operatively linked to a kappa light chain).
XL1-Blue cells were then transformed with the phagemid expression vector pCBAK3-2b. Transformed colonies containing the chloramphenicol resistant phagemids were selected as described above and analyzed for the correct size insert and expression of Fab as described in Example 2j. Following verification of the insert and expression of Fab in the pCBAK3-2b phagemid vector, XL1-Blue cells were then transformed and induced for the expression of Fab antibodies as described in Examples 3 and 4.
3. Expression of Anti-NPN Heterodimer on Phage Surfaces
For expression of antibody Fab directed against NPN on phage surfaces, XL1-Blue cells were separately transformed with the phagemid vectors, pCBAK8-2b and pCBAK3-2b, prepared in Examples 2j and 2k, respectively. The transformants were selected on LB plates containing 30 ug/ml chloramphenicol. Antibiotic resistant colonies were selected for each phagemid transformation and grown in liquid cultures at 37.degree. C. in super broth (super broth was prepared by admixing the following: 20 g 3 N-Morpholino! propane-sulfonic acid (MOPS); 60 g tryptone; 40 g yeast extract; and 2 liter of water; adjust pH to 7.0 with 10 m NaOH) containing 30 ug/ml chloramphenicol and 12.5 ug/ml tetracycline for the respective antibiotic selection of the phagemid and the F' episome. The antibiotic resistant transformed XL1-Blue cells were diluted to an optical density (OD.sub.600 nm) of 0.4 in super broth. The inducer, isopropyl thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), was admixed to the bacterial suspension for a final concentration of 1 mM and the admixture was maintained at 37.degree. C. for 1 hour to induce the expression of the fusion protein and kappa light chain from the LacZ promoter. Helper phage, either R408 or VCS M13 (Stratagene), was then admixed to the induced bacterial suspension at a ratio of 10-20 helper phage to 1 transformed bacterial cell to initiate the generation of copies of the sense strand of the phagemid DNA. The admixture containing the helper phage was then maintained for an additional two hours at 37.degree. C. to allow for filamentous bacteriophage assembly wherein the expressed anti-NPN Fab antibodies fused to either bacteriophage membrane anchor domains of cpVIII or cpIII were incorporated into surface of the bacteriophage particles. The bacterial suspension was then centrifuged resulting in a bacterial cell pellet and a supernatant containing phage. The supernatant was removed, collected and assayed as described below for the presence of functional anti-NPN Fab molecules anchored to the phage particles by either cpVIII or cpIII.
4. Assays for Verifying the Presence and Function of Anti-NPN Heterodimer on the Surface of Filamentous Phage
a. Electron Microscopy
To localize functional Fab molecules, the binding to antigen labelled with colloidal gold was studied. Phage containing supernatants and bacterial cells prepared in Example 3 were spotted on formvar Polysciences, Inc., Warrington, Pa.) coated grids affixed onto a solid phase. In some experiments grids were coated with cells and infected with phage in situ. Subsequently grids were blocked with bovine serum albumin (BSA) 1% in PBS at pH 7.2, washed and incubated with 2-7 nanometer (nm) colloidal gold particles coated with BSA-NPN hapten conjugate for a time period sufficient to form a labeled immunoreaction complex. The grids were washed to remove excess gold particles and negatively stained in uranylacetate and visualized by electron microscopy.
Examination of filamentous phage and permeabilized cells producing phage revealed specific labelling of phage or exposed bacterial membranes. Phage were observed to contain 1 to 24 copies of antigen binding sites per particle. Neither helper phage alone nor intact E. coli labelled with antigen. Background nonspecific binding was very low. Filamentous phage particles emerging from the E. coli surfaces were labelled with antigen as shown in FIG. 9.
The generation of a related phage surface expression vector utilizing cpIII as a fusion partner with Clone 2b, pCBAK3-2b, revealed specific antigen labelling to the phage head but not the column. Additionally human anti-tetanus Fab expressed as a cpIII fusion did not bind to BSA-NPN antigen.
b. Phase Elisa
Microtitration plates were coated with NPN-BSA conjugate (0.1 ml, 1 .mu.g/ml in 0.1M Tris-HCl pH 9.2), and blocked with 1% BSA in PBS. Serial two fold dilutions of pCBAK8-2b derived phage (0.1 ml), prepared in Example 3, were added to the pre-coated microtitration plate and incubated for 3 hours at ambient temperature or 16 hours at 4.degree. C. The plates were washed with PBS and goat anti-kappa alkaline phosphatase conjugate (Fisher Biotech, Pittsburgh, Pa.) added (0.1 ml diluted 1/1000 in PBS containing 0.1% BSA) and incubated for 2 hours at room temperature. The plates were washed in PBS and substrate added (0.1 ml, 1 mg/ml p-nitrophenylphosphate in 0.1M Tris-HCl, pH 9.5, containing 50 mM MgCl.sub.2). After incubation at 37.degree. C. for signal development, the optical densities at 400 nm were determined. Competition assays were performed with the addition of increasing amounts of free NPN hapten ranging from zero up to 5 mg/well.
The ELISA assays confirmed the presence of functional antibody Fab. In a two site ELISA on NPN antigen coated plates when probed with anti-mouse kappa chain enzyme conjugate, phage supernatant generated from helper phage infection of cells carrying the pCBAK8-2b construct exhibited expected titration curves with serial two fold dilutions of phage containing antibody. The results of the two-site ELISA are shown in FIG. 10. For a signal to be generated in this assay, the phage particle must (i) have functionally associated Fd and kappa chains and (ii) be multivalent. Specificity of the particle was assessed by inhibiting binding to the plate in the presence of increasing concentrations free hapten. The generated phage particles exhibited binding to solid phase of the ELISA and could be inhibited by addition of hapten as shown in FIG. 11. Complete inhibition was achieved when 5 ng of free NPN hapten was used in the assay. Helper phage did not give a signal in the ELISA.
c. Antigen Specific Precipitation of Phage
Phage supernatant from XL1-Blue was transformed with the pCBAK8-2b dicistronic expression vector prepared in Example 3 (1 ml) was incubated with BSA-NPN conjugate (10 .mu.l, 2 mg/ml) for 18 hours at 4.degree. C. The mixture was then pelleted by centrifugation at 3000 rpm on a bench top centrifuge and the appearance of precipitate noted. Helper phage was used as a control. The pellet was washed repeatedly in cold PBS (5.times.3 ml/wash) and then resuspended in LB (0.5 ml). The solubilized precipitates were added to fresh XLI-Blue cells (0.5 ml of overnight culture), incubated for 1 hour at 37.degree. C. and aliquots plated out on LB agar containing chloramphenicol (30 .mu.g/ml). Colonies were selected randomly. Colony lifts on nitrocellulose were treated with lysozyme to digest the cell wall, briefly treated with chloroform to breakdown the outer membrane, blocked in BSA 1% in PBS and incubated with .sup.125 I labelled BSA-NPN antigen. After several washes in PBS (containing 0.05% Tween-20), film was exposed to the washed and dried filter overnight at -70.degree. C. and the autoradiographs were then developed.
Precipitates were obtained with antibody containing phage but not helper phage in the presence of BSA-NPN. In addition, the particles retained infectivity on subsequent incubation with bacterial cells carrying the F' episome and generated 4.times.10.sup.5 colonies from a single solubilized precipitate.
Additionally, DNA restriction analysis was carried out to determine the presence of heavy and light chain inserts. DNA restriction analysis of the clones revealed the presence of a. Xho and Xba I fragment of 1.4 kb as expected for Fd-cpVIII fusion construct and kappa chain insert.
These results give additional evidence for antigen specificity and multivalency. In addition to providing immunological parameters, this precipitation offers possibilities for facile enrichment of antigen specific phage particles. In principle, phage containing specific antibodies can be highly enriched by precipitation with antigens (which may be cell surface markers, viral, bacterial as well as synthetic molecules). The washed antigen-antibody precipitates can be solubilized by the addition of excess antigen and viable phage recovered. For the recovery of rare species an immobilized antigen may be used which opens the way for differential affinity elution.
In order to demonstrate the utility of immobilized antigen for the enrichment of clones of defined binding specificity, a panning experiment was performed. An ampicillin resistant phagemid expressing an anti-tetanus Fab as a cpVIII fusion was constructed. Rescue of this clone with helper phage produced phage encoding the ampicillin resistant phagemid which displayed the anti-tetanus Fab on their coat. These phage encoding tetanus specificity were admixed with NPN hapten encoding phage (1:100) and allowed to bind to a microtitration plate coated with tetanus toxoid. Following a one hour maintenance period, the plate was washed extensively and phage were then eluted with a low pH buffer. Infection of XL1-Blue cells in log phase growth and subsequent plating of aliquots on ampicillin and chloramphenicol allowed for direct quantitation of enrichment. Examination of over 1,000 colonies showed that ampicillin resistant colonies derived from the eluted phage exceeded chloramphenicol resistant colonies by 27 to 1. Therefore, panning enriched the phage displaying the anti-tetanus Fab by 2700 fold. This result suggests that a clone of defined specificity present at one part per million will dominate over nonspecific clones following two rounds of panning.
5. Advantages of Assembling Combinatorial Antibody Fab Libraries Along Phage Surfaces
A powerful technique for generating and selecting combinatorial Fabs, with 10.sup.8-9 members, is presented. In the vector described herein, the restriction cloning sites for inserting PCR generated antibody fragments have been retained as previously reported for the lambda vector. The rescue of the genes encoding the antibody Fd and kappa chains is mediated through the utilization of the f1 origin of replication leading to the synthesis and packaging of the positive strand of the vector on co-infection with helper phage. Since the `mature` virus particle assembles by incorporating the major coat protein around the single stranded DNA as it passes through the inner membrane into the periplasmic space, not only does it capture the genetic information carried on the phagemid vector but also incorporates several copies of functional Fab along the length of the particle. On subsequent infection of hosts cells carrying the F' episome the phagemid confers resistance allowing selection of colonies on the appropriate antibiotic. In essence, the antigen recognition unit has been linked to instructions for its production.
The full power of the earlier combinatorial system could not be fully utilized since screening allowed ready access to only about 0.1-1% of the members. In the phagemid/M13 system similar size libraries are generated and all the members are accessed via affinity selection. Furthermore, unlike the lambda vector which generated monovalent Fabs, this system generates multivalent particles, thus allowing the capture of a wider range of affinities.
The unique phagemid restriction sites permit the recombination of Fd and kappa chains allowing chain replacement or shuffling. The rescue of filamentous single stranded DNA allows rapid sequencing and analysis of the genetic make up of the clone of interest. Indeed it can be envisaged that phage encoding antibody specificity may be enriched by antigen selection prior to DNA sequencing or mutagenesis. The option to further develop an iterative process of mutation followed by selection may allow the rapid generation of high affinity antibodies from germ line sequences. The process may be automated. Setting aside the potential of the system to mimic nature, the phagemid/M13 system would allow a more complete dissection of the antibody response in humans which may yield useful therapeutic and diagnostic reagents.
The membrane anchoring of the heavy chain and the compartmentalization of the kappa chain in the periplasm is the key to expressing this functional dimeric protein. The potential of this system is by no means limited to antibodies and may be extended to any protein recognition system or combination of systems containing multiple members. For example coupling of ligand and effector systems in a high avidity matrix is now possible. In a similar vein a library of ligands can be sorted against a library of receptors.
6. Randomized Mutagenesis of the CDR3 Region of a Heavy Chain Encoding Tetanus Toxoid
a. PCR Mutagenesis with Degenerate Oligonucleotides
To obtain a mutagenized heterodimer of this invention of altered specificity that would no longer recognize TT but would recognize and specifically bind to a new antigen, a method was developed to randomize only the CDR3 region of a heavy chain fragment encoded by a known nucleotide sequence. This approach is schematically diagrammed in FIG. 12 where a representative heavy chain fragment within a phagemid clone, consisting of alternating framework regions (1 through 4) shown by white blocks and complementarity determining regions (CDR) (1 through 3) shown by cross-hatched blocks and the first constant region (CH1), is subjected to two separate rounds of PCR. In the first PCR amplification reaction, the 5' end of the heavy chain beginning at framework 1 and extending to the 3' end of framework 3 is amplified. In the second PCR amplification reaction, the CDR3 region is randomly mutagenized shown by the black box. This is accomplished through the use of a pool of oligonucleotide primers synthesized with a degenerate region sandwiched between and contiguous with conserved framework 3 and 4 region sequences. The resulting amplification products, each having a randomized CDR3 region, begin at the 3' end of framework 3 and extend to the 3' end of the CH1 region. The pool of degenerate oligonucleotide primers have been designed to result in the amplification of products having a 5' end that is complementary to and will overlap with the 3' end of the products of the first PCR reaction product. Thus, the two separate PCR reaction products are pooled and subjected to a third PCR reaction in which the overlapping region between the two products is extended to result in heavy chain having a randomized CDR3 region.
A heavy chain DNA template for use in this invention was available in a clone (a phagemid vector containing heavy and light chain fragments) from a human combinatorial anti-tetanus toxoid (TT) Fab library. This library was constructed in the pCBAK-3 dicistronic expression vector for the expression of a heavy chain-cpIII fusion protein (Fd-cpIII) and a soluble light chain as described for anti-NPN in Example 2k and by Persson et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 88:2432-2436 (1992) and Barbas et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 88:7978-7982 (1992). A clone, hereinafter referred to as pCE-TT7E, was expressed as described for anti-NPN heterodimers on phage surfaces in Example 3 and subsequently screened by panning on TT-coated plates as described for anti-NPN in Example 4c . Clone pCE-TT7E exhibited a K.sub.d towards TT on the order of 10.sup.-7 M and was enriched over nonspecific phage by 10.sup.3 -fold as described by Barbas et al., supra. Clone pCE-TT7E, having both heavy and light chain sequences, was used as the template DNA for the randomized mutagenesis of the CDR3 region of the heavy chain to alter antigen binding specificity as described herein. The sequence of the heavy chain was determined as described in Example 1a(ii). Two separate PCR reactions were performed as illustrated in FIG. 12.
The first PCR reaction resulted in the amplification of the region of the heavy chain fragment in the pC3-TT7E clone beginning of framework region 1 and extending to the end of framework region 3 which is located 5' to CDR3 which is approximately 400 base pairs in length. To amplify this region, the following primer pairs were used. The 5' anti-sense oligonucleotide primer, FT3X, having the nucleotide sequence 5'-G-CAA-TAA-ACC-CTC-ACT-AAA-GGG-3' (SEQ ID NO 118), hybridized to the non-coding strand of the heavy chain corresponding to the region 5' of and including the beginning of framework 1. The 3' sense oligonucleotide primer, B7EFR3, having the nucleotide sequence 5'-TCT-CGC-ACA-ATA-ATA-CAC-GGC-3' (SEQ ID NO 119), hybridized to the coding strand of the heavy chain corresponding to the 3' end of the framework 3 region. The oligonucleotide primers were synthesized by Research Genetics (Hunstville, Ala.). The PCR reaction was performed in a 100 ul reaction containing one ug of each of oligonucleotide primers FTX3 and B7EFR3, 8 ul 2.5 mM dNTP's (dATP, dCTP, dGTP, dTTP), 1 ul Taq polymerase, 10 ng of template pCE-TT7E, and 10 ul of 10.times.PCR buffer purchased commercially (Promega Biotech). Two drops of mineral oil were placed on top of the admixture and 35 rounds of PCR amplification in a thermocycler were performed. The amplification cycle consisted of denaturing at 94 C. for one minute, annealing at 50.degree. C. for one minute, followed by extension at 72.degree. C. for two minutes. The resultant PCR amplification products were then gel purified as described in Example 1d and used in an overlap extension PCR reaction with the products of the second PCR reaction, both as described below, to recombine the two products into reconstructed heavy chains containing mutagenized CDR3 regions as illustrated in FIG. 12.
The second PCR reaction resulted in the amplification of the heavy chain from the 3' end of framework region 3 extending to the end of CH1 region which is approximately 390 base pairs in length. To amplify this region, the following primer pairs were used. The 5' anti-sense oligonucleotide primer pool, designated 7ECDR3, had the nucleotide sequence represented by the formula,
where N can be A, C, G, or T and S is either C or G (SEQ ID NO 120), wherein the 5' end of the primer pool is complementary to the 3' end of framework 3 represented by the complementary nucleotide sequence of the oligonucleotide primer B73FR3 and the 3' end of the primer pool is complementary to the 5' end of framework 4. The region between the two specified ends of the primer pool is represented by a 48-mer NNS degeneracy which ultimately encodes a diverse population of mutagenized CDR3 regions of 16 amino acid residues in length. The 3' sense oligonucleotide primer, CG1Z, as described by Persson et al., supra, having the nucleotide sequence 5'-GCATGTACTAGTTTTGTCACAAGATTTGGG-3' (SEQ ID NO 121), hybridized to the coding strand of the heavy chain corresponding to the 3' end of the CH1. The second PCR reaction was performed on the pC3-TT7E in a 100 ul reaction as described above containing one ug of each of oligonucleotide primers 7ECDR3 and CG1Z. The resultant PCR amplification product was then gel purified as described above.
One hundred nanograms of gel purified products from the first and second PCR reactions were then admixed with 1 ug each of FTX3 and CG1Z oligonucleotide primers as a primer pair in a final PCR reaction to form a complete heavy chain fragment by overlap extension as illustrated in FIG. 12. The PCR reaction admixture also contained 10 ul 10.times.PCR buffer, 1 ul Taq polymerase and 8 ul 2.5 mM d NTP's as described above. The PCR reaction was performed as described above. To obtain sufficient quantities of amplification product, 15 identical PCR reactions were performed. The resulting heavy chain fragments beginning at framework 1 and extending to the end of CH1 and having randomly mutagenized CDR3 regions were approximately 790 base pairs in length. The heavy chain fragment amplification products from the 15 reactions were first pooled and then gel purified as described above prior to their incorporation into a phagemid library.
b. Phagemid Library Construction
The resultant gel purified heavy chain fragments prepared in Example 6a were then digested with the restriction enzymes, Xho I and Spe I, as described in Example 2d. The resultant digested heavy chain fragments were subsequently gel purified prior to insertion into the pC3-TT7E phagemid vector clone which was previously digested with the same restriction enzymes to remove the non-mutagenized heavy chain fragment and form a linear vector. Ligation of 640 ng of the heavy chain Xho I/Spe I fragments having mutagenized CDR3 regions into two ug of the linearized pC3-TT7E phagemid vector to form circularized vectors having mutagenized CDR3 regions was performed overnight at room temperature using 10 units of BRL ligase (Gaithersburg, Md.) in BRL ligase buffer in a reaction volume of 150 ul. Five separate ligation reactions were performed to increase the size of the phage library having mutagenized CDR3 regions. Following the ligation reactions, the circularized DNA was precipitated at -20.degree. C. for two hours by the admixture of 2 ul of 20 mg/ml glycogen, 15 ul of 3M sodium acetate at pH 5.2 and 300 ul of ethanol. DNA was then pelleted by microcentrilugation at 4.degree. C. for 15 minutes. The DNA pellet was washed with cold 70% ethanol and dried under vacuum. The pellet was resuspended in 10 ul of water and transformed by electroporation into 300 ul of E. coli XL1-Blue cells as described in Example 2k to form a phage library. The total yield from the mutagenesis and transformation procedure described herein was approximately 5.times.10.sup.7 transformants.
After transformation, to isolate phage on which heterodimer expression has been induced for subsequent panning on target antigens such as fluorescein, 3 ml of SOC medium (SOC was prepared by admixture of 20 g bacto-tryptone, 5 g yeast extract and 0.5 g NaCl in one liter of water, adjusting the pH to 7.5 and admixing 20 ml of glucose just before use to induce the expression of the Fd-cpIII and light chain heterodimer) was admixed and the culture was shaken at 220 rpm for one hour at 37 C., after which 10 ml of SB (SB was prepared by admixing 30 g tryptone, 20 g yeast extract, and 10 g Mops buffer per liter with pH adjusted to 7) containing 20 ug/ml carbenicillin and 10 ug/ml tetracycline and the admixture was shaken at 300 rpm for an additional hour. This resultant admixture was admixed to 100 ml SB containing 50 ug/ml carbenicillin and 10 ug/ml tetracycline and shaken for one hour, after which helper phage VCSM13 (10.sup.12 pfu) were admixed and the admixture was shaken for an additional two hours. After this time, 70 ug/ml kanamycin was admixed and maintained at 30.degree. C. overnight. The lower temperature resulted in better heterodimer incorporation on the surface of the phage. The supernatant was cleared by centrifugation (4000 rpm for 15 minutes in a JA10 rotor at 4.degree. C.). Phage were precipitated by admixture of 4% (w/v) polyethylene glycol 8000 and 3% (w/v) NaCl and maintained on ice for 30 minutes, followed by centrifugation (9000 rpm for 20 minutes in a JA10 rotor at 4.degree. C.). Phage pellets were resuspended in 2 ml of PBS and microcentrifuged for three minutes to pellet debris, transferred to fresh tubes and stored at -20.degree. C. for subsequent screening as described below.
For determining the titering colony forming units (cfu), phage (packaged phagemid) were diluted in SB and 1 ul was used to infect 50 ul of fresh (AOD600=1) E. coli XLI-Blue cells grown in SB containing 10 ug/ml tetracycline. Phage and cells were maintained at room temperature for 15 minutes and then directly plated on LB/carbenicillin plates.
c. Selection of Anti-Fluorescein Heterodimers on Phage Surfaces
1) Multiple Pannings of the Phage Library Having Mutagenized CDR3 Regions
The phage library produced in Example 6b having heavy chain fragments with mutagenized CDR3 regions was panned as described herein on a microtiter plate coated with a 50 ug/ml fluorescein-BSA conjugate to screen for anti-fluorescein heterodimers. Fluorescein was conjugated to BSA according to the methods described in "Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual", eds Harlow et al., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1988.
The panning procedure described was a modification of that originally described by Parmley and Smith (Parmley et al., Gene, 73:30-5-318). Two to four wells of a microtiter plate (Costar 3690) were coated overnight at 4.degree. C. with 25 .mu.l of 50 .mu.g/ml antigen prepared above in 0.1M bicarbonate, pH 8.6. The wells were washed twice with water and blocked by completely filling the well with 3% (w/v) bovine serum albumin (BSA) in PBS and incubating the plate at 37.degree. C. for 1 hour. Blocking solution was shaken out, 50 .mu.l of the phage library prepared above (typically 10.sup.11 cfu) was added to each well, and the plate was incubated for 2 hours at 37.degree. C.
Phage were removed and the plate was washed once with water. Each well was then washed 10 times with TBS/Tween (50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl, 0.5% Tween 20) over a period of 1 hour at room temperature --pipetted up and down to wash the well, each time allowing the well to remain completely filled with TBS/Tween between washings. The plate was washed once more with distilled water and adherent phage were eluted by the addition of 50 .mu.l of elution buffer (0.1M HCl adjusted to pH 2.2 with solid glycine, containing 1 mg/ml BSA) to each well and incubation at room temperature for 10 minutes. The elution buffer was pipetted up and down several times, removed, and neutralized with 3 .mu.l of 2M Tris base per 50 .mu.l of elution buffer used. Eluted phage were used to infect 2 ml of fresh (OD.sub.600 =1) E. coli XLI-Blue cells for 15 minutes at room temperature, after which 10 ml of SB containing 20 .mu.g/ml carbenicillin and 10 .mu.g/ml tetracycline was admixed. Aliquot (20, 10, and 1/10 .mu.l) were removed for plating to determine the number of phage (packaged phagemids) that were eluted from the plate.! The culture was shaken for 1 hour at 37.degree. C., after which it was added to 100 ml of SB containing 50 .mu.g/ml carbenicillin and 10 .mu.g/ml tetracycline and shaken for 1 hour. Then helper phage VCSM13 (10.sup.12 pfu) were added and the culture was shaken for an additional 2 hours. After this time, 70 .mu.g/ml kanamycin was added and the culture was incubated at 37.degree. C. overnight. Phage preparation and further panning were repeated as described above.
Following each round of panning, the percentage yield of phage must be determined, where % yield--(number of phage eluted/number of phage applied) .times.100.
As an alternative to elution with acid, phage bound to the wells of the microtiter plate were eluted by admixing 50 ul of a solution of 10.sup.-5 M fluorescein diluted in PBS followed by a maintenance period of one hour at 37 C. The solution was then pipetted up and down to wash the wells. The resultant eluate was transferred to 2 ml of fresh E. coli XLI-Blue cells for infection as described above for preparing phage and further panning. In subsequent rounds of panning, phage were eluted with 10.sup.-6 M fluorescein.
The results of the amount of phage that were specifically bound to fluorescein-coated wells over four consecutive rounds of panning and eluted with acid or with fluorescein alone are shown below in Table 8. Comparable yields of phage on which heterodimers were expressed that bound specifically to fluorescein were achieved with either elution protocol. Approximately 20 clones of the 5.times.10.sup.7 clones resulting from the mutagenesis and transformation exhibited specificity of binding towards fluorescein-coated wells. These data confirm that mutagenesis of the CDR3 region as described in this invention resulted in the altering of a heterodimer which initially specifically bound to TT to one that specifically bound fluorescein.
2) Preparation of Soluble Heterodimers for Characterizing Binding Specificity to Fluorescein
In order to further characterize the specificity of the mutagenized heterodimers expressed on the surface of phage as described above, soluble heterodimers were prepared and analyzed in ELISA assays on fluorescein-coated plates, by competive ELISA with increasing concentrations of soluble fluorescein-BSA and also by fluorescence quenching assays. The latter assays were performed as described in "Fluorescein Hapten: An Immunological Probe", ed E. W. Voss, CRC Press, Inc. pp 52-54, 984.
To prepare soluble heterodimers, phagemid DNA from positive clones was isolated and digested with SpeI and NheI. Digestion with these enzymes produces compatible cohesive ends. The 4.7-kb DNA fragment lacking the gIII portion was gel-purified (0.6% agarose) and self-ligated. Transformation of E. coli XLI-Blue afforded the isolation of recombinants lacking the gIII fragment. Clones were examined for removal of the gIII fragment by XhoI/XbaI digestion, which should yield an 1.6-kb fragment. Clones were grown in 100 ml SB containing 50 .mu.g/ml carbenicillin and 20 mM MgCl.sub.2 at 37.degree. C. until an OD.sub.600 of 0.2 was achieved. IPTG (1 mM) was added and the culture grown overnight at 30.degree. C. (growth at 37.degree. C. provides only a light reduction in heterodimer yield). Cells were pelleted by centrifugation at 4000 rpm for 15 minutes in a JA10 rotor at 4.degree. C. Cells were resuspended in 4 ml PBS containing 34 .mu.g/ml phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and lysed by sonication on ice (2-4 minutes at 50% duty). Debris was pelleted by centrifugation at 14,000 rpm in a JA20 rotor at 4.degree. C. for 15 minutes. The supernatant was used directly for ELISA analysis and was stored at -20.degree. C. For the study of a large number of clones, 10-ml cultures provided plenty of heterodimer for analysis. In this case, sonications were performed in 2 ml of buffer.
The soluble heterodimers prepared above were assayed by ELISA. For this assay, 1 ug/well of fluorescein-BSA solution was admixed to individual wells of a microtiter plate and maintained at 4.degree. C. overnight to allow the protein solution to adhere to the walls of the well. After the maintenance period, the wells were washed one time with PBS and thereafter maintained with a solution of 3% BSA to block nonspecific sites on the wells. The plates were maintained at 37.degree. C. for one hour after which time the plates were inverted and shaken to remove the BSA solution. Soluble heterodimers prepared above were then admixed to each well and maintained at 37.degree. C. for one hour to form an immunoreaction products. Following the maintenance period, the wells were washed 10 times with PBS to remove unbound soluble antibody and then maintained with a secondary goat anti-human FAB conjugated to alkaline phosphatase diluted in PBS containing 1% BSA. The wells were maintained at 37.degree. C. for one hour after which the wells were was 10 times with PBS followed by development with p-nitrophenyl phosphate.
Immunoreactive heterodimers as determined in the above ELISA were then analyzed by competition ELISA to determine the affinity of the mutagenized heterodimers. The ELISA was performed as described above with increasing concentrations of soluble fluorescein-BSA ranging in concentration from 10.sup.-9 M up to 10.sup.-5 M in concentration admixed in the presence of the soluble heterodimers. Maximal inhibition of binding was achieved at a concentration of 10.sup.-6 M free antigen with a half-maximal inhibition obtained with approximately 10.sup.-7 M free antigen. Thus, the mutagenized heterodimers of this invention specifically recognize and bind to fluorescein. Additional experiments were performed to confirm that the mutagenized heterodimers no longer recognized the TT to which they nonmutagenized heterodimer originally bound. Fluorescence quenching assays were also performed to confirm the specificity of binding of the mutagenized heterodimers. Soluble heterodimers prepared from phage that were either eluted with acid or with fluorescein alone were equally effective at binding fluorescein by any of the aforementioned approaches. The invention of mutagenesis of the CDR3 region of the heavy chain of a heterodimer described herein thus resulted in the alteration of binding specificity from TT to fluorescein.
Thus, the above example illustrates a method according to the present invention for mutagenizing the complementarity determining region (CDR) of an immunoglobulin gene, and also illustrates oligonucleotides useful therefor.
In one embodiment, therefore, an oligonucleotide is contemplated that is useful as a primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for inducing mutagenesis in a complementarity determining region (CDR) of an immunoglobulin gene. The oligonucleotide has 3' and 5' termini and comprises (1) a nucleotide sequence at its 3' terminus capable of hybridizing to a first framework region of an immunoglobulin gene, (2) a nucleotide sequence at its 5' terminus capable of hybridizing to a second framework region of an immunoglobulin gene, and (3) a nucleotide sequence between the 3' and 5' termini adapted for introducing mutations during a PCR into the CDR region between the first and second framework regions of the immunoglobulin gene, thereby mutagenizing the CDR region.
Insofar as immunoglobulin genes have three CDR regions on both the heavy chain and the light chain of an immunoglobulin, each separated by a distinctive framework region, it is to be understood that the above example is readily applicable to introducing mutations into a specific CDR by selection of the above 5' and 3' nucleotide sequences as to hybridize to the framework regions flanking the targeted CDR. Thus the above first and second framework sequences can be the conserved sequences flanking CDR1, CDR2 or CDR3 on either the heavy or light chain. Exemplary and preferred is the CDR3 of the human immunoglobulin heavy chain.
The length of the 3' and 5' terminal nucleotide sequences of a subject mutagenizing oligonucleotide can vary in length as is well known, so long as the length provides a stretch of nucleotides complementary to the target framework sequences as to hybridize thereto. In the case of the 3' terminal nucleotide sequence, it must be of sufficient length and complementarity to the target framework region located 3' to the CDR region to be mutagenized as to hybridize and provide a 3' hydroxyl terminus for initiating a primer extension reaction. In the case of the 5' terminal nucleotide sequence, it must be of sufficient length and complementarity to the target framework region located 5' to the CDR region to be mutagenized as to provide a means for hybridizing in a PCR overlap extension reaction as described above to assemble the complete immunoglobulin heavy or light chain.
Framework regions flanking a CDR are well characterized in the immunological arts, and include known nucleotide sequences or consensus sequences as described elsewhere herein. Where a single, preselected immunoglobulin gene is to be mutagenized, the framework-defined sequences flanking a particular CDR are known, or can be readily determined by nucleotide sequencing protocols. Where a repertoire of immunoglobulin genes are to be mutagenized, the framework-derived sequences are preferably conserved, as described elsewhere herein.
Preferably, the length of the 3' and 5' terminal nucleotide sequences are each at least 6 nucleotides in length, and can be up to 50 or more nucleotides in length, although these lengths are unnecessary to assure accurate and reproducible hybridization. Preferred are lengths in the range of 12 to 30 nucleotides, and typically are about 18 nucleotides.
A particularly preferred framework-defined nucleotide sequence for use as a 3' terminus nucleotide sequence has the nucleotide sequence 5'-TGGGGCCAAGGGACCACG-3' (SEQ ID NO 122).
A particularly preferred framework-defined nucleotide sequence for use as a 5' terminus nucleotide sequence has the nucleotide sequence 5'-GTGTATTATTGTGCGAGA-3' (SEQ ID NO 123).
The nucleotide sequence located between the 3' and 5' termini adapted for mutagenizing a CDR can be any nucleotide sequence, insofar as the novel sequence will be incorporated by the above methods. However, the present approach provides a means to produce a large population of mutagenized CDR's in a single PCR reaction by the use of a population of redundant sequences defining randomized or nearly randomized nucleotides in the CDR region to be mutagenized.
A preferred oligonucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence between the above described 3' and 5' termini that is represented by the formula: NNS!.sub.n or NNK!.sub.n, wherein N can independently be any nucleotide, where S is G or C, K is G or T, and where n is from 3 to about 24. In preferred embodiments the preferred oligonucleotides have the formula:
Exemplary and particularly preferred is the oligonucleotide where with the formula NNS!.sub.n and n is 16, such that the oligonucleotide represents a large population of redundant oligonucleotide sequences.
The invention also contemplates a mutagenesis method for altering the immunological specificity of a cloned immunologlobulin gene. The method provides direct mutagenesis in a preselected CDR of an immunoglobulin gene which comprises subjecting a recombinant DNA molecule (rDNA) containing the cloned immunoglobulin gene having a target CDR to PCR conditions suitable for amplifying a preselected region of the CDR. In the method, the rDNA molecule is subjected to PCR conditions that include a PCR primer oligonucleotide as described above constituting the first primer in a PCR primer pair as is well known to produce an amplified PCR product that is derived from the preselected CDR region but that includes the nucleotide sequences of the PCR primer. The second oligonucleotide in the PCR amplifying conditions can be any PCR primer derived from the immunoglobulin gene to be mutagenized, as described herein.
Preferred are methods using an oligonucleotide of this invention as described above.
The foregoing is intended as illustrative of the present invention but not limiting. Numerous variations and modifications can be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for producing a library of complementarity determining region (CDR)-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimers, the method comprising the steps of: 1) amplifying a CDR portion of a template immunoglobulin variable domain gene selected from the group consisting of a template immunoglobulin heavy chain variable domain gene and a template immunoglobulin light chain variable domain gene, wherein said template immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes have a framework region and said CDR portion and encode respective heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides, and wherein said amplifying is by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a PCR primer oligonucleotide for mutagenizing a preselected nucleotide region in said CDR portion, thereby forming a library of amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments, said PCR primer oligonucleotide having 3' and 5' termini and comprising: a) a nucleotide sequence at the 3' terminus capable of hybridizing to a first framework region of said selected template immunoglobulin variable domain gene; b) a nucleotide sequence at the 5' terminus capable of hybridizing to a second framework region of said selected template immunoglobulin variable domain gene; and c) a nucleotide sequence between the 3' and 5' termini according to the formula selected from the group consisting of: wherein N is independently any nucleotide, S is G or C and K is G or T, and n is 3 to about 24, the 3' and 5' terminal nucleotide sequences having a length of about 6 to 50 nucleotides, or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto; 2) inserting individual members of the library of amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments formed in step (1) into a dicistronic phagemid expression vector comprising immunoglobulin heavy and light chain variable domain genes that lack the immunoglobulin gene portion corresponding to the fragment to be inserted, wherein upon insertion said vector is capable of expressing heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides encoded by said vector, thereby forming a library of dicistronic expression vectors containing amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments; and 3) expressing said immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes in the library of dicistronic expression vectors formed in step (2) whereby said encoded heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides assemble on the surface of a phage to form a phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimer, thereby producing a library of CDR-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimers.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said 3' terminus has the nucleotide sequence 5'-TGGGGCCAAGGGACCACG-3' (SEQ ID NO 122), or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said 5' terminus has the nucleotide sequence 5'-GTGTATTATTGTGCGAGA-3' (SEQ ID NO 123) or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said template immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes are obtained from a human.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said CDR portion is CDR3.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said formula is:
7. The method of claim 1 wherein n is 16 in the formula NNS!.sub.n (SEQ ID NO 120).
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said formula is:
9. A method for producing a complementarity determining region (CDR)-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimer with altered antigen binding specificity, the method comprising the steps of: 1) amplifying a CDR portion of a template immunoglobulin variable domain gene selected from the group consisting of a template immunoglobulin heavy chain variable domain gene and a template immunoglobulin light chain variable domain gene, wherein said template immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes have a framework region and said CDR portion and encode respective heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides having a preselected antigen binding specificity to a first antigen, and wherein said amplifying is by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a PCR primer oligonucleotide for mutagenizing a preselected nucleotide region in said CDR portion to alter said preselected antigen binding specificity, thereby forming a library of amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments, said PCR primer oligonucleotide having 3' and 5' termini and comprising: a) a nucleotide sequence at the 3' terminus capable of hybridizing to a first framework region of said selected template immunoglobulin variable domain gene; b) a nucleotide sequence at the 5' terminus capable of hybridizing to a second framework region of said selected template immunoglobulin variable domain gene; and c) a nucleotide sequence between the 3' and 5' termini according to the formula selected from the group consisting of: wherein N is independently any nucleotide, S is G or C and K is G or T, and n is 3 to about 24, the 3' and 5' terminal nucleotide sequences having a length of about 6 to 50 nucleotides, or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto; 2) inserting individual members of the library of amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments formed in step (1) into a dicistronic phagemid expression vector comprising immunoglobulin heavy and light chain variable domain genes that lack the immunoglobulin gene portion corresponding to the fragment to be inserted, wherein upon insertion said vector is capable of expressing heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides encoded by said vector, thereby forming a library of dicistronic expression vectors containing amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments; 3) expressing said immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes in the library of dicistronic expression vectors formed in step (2) whereby said encoded heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides assemble on the surface of a phage to form a phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimer, thereby producing a library of CDR-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimers; and 4) immunoreacting members of the library of CDR-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimers formed in step (3) on a preselected second antigen, said second antigen being different than said first antigen to allow for selection of a CDR-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimer with altered antigen binding specificity.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said 3' terminus has the nucleotide sequence 5'-TGGGGCCAAGGGACCACG-3' (SEQ ID NO 122), or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein said 5' terminus has the nucleotide sequence 5'-GTGTATTATTGTGCGAGA-3' (SEQ ID NO 123) or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein said template immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes are obtained from a human.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein said CDR portion is CDR3.
14. The method of claim 9 wherein said formula is
15. The method of claim 9 wherein n is 16in the formula NNS!.sub.n (SEQ ID NO 120).
16. The method of claim 9 wherein said formula is:
17. A method for producing a soluble complementarity determining region (CDR)-mutagenized immunoglobulin heterodimer with altered immunoreactivity to a preselected antigen, the method comprising the steps of: 1) amplifying a CDR portion of a template immunoglobulin variable domain gene selected from the group consisting of a template immunoglobulin heavy chain variable domain gene and a template immunoglobulin light chain variable domain gene, wherein said template immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes have a framework region and said CDR portion and encode respective heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides immunoreactive with a preselected antigen, and wherein said amplifying is by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a PCR primer oligonucleotide for mutagenizing a preselected nucleotide region in said CDR portion to alter said immunoreactivity of said immunoglobulin heterodimer to the preselected antigen, thereby forming a library of amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments, said PCR primer oligonucleotide having 3' and 5' termini and comprising: a) a nucleotide sequence at the 3' terminus capable of hybridizing to a first framework region of said selected template immunoglobulin variable domain gene; b) a nucleotide sequence at the 5' terminus capable of hybridizing to a second framework region of said selected template immunoglobulin variable domain gene; and c) a nucleotide sequence between the 3' and 5' termini according to the formula selected from the group consisting of: wherein N is independently any nucleotide, S is G or C and K is G or T, and n is 3 to about 24, the 3' and 5' terminal nucleotide sequences having a length of about 6 to 50 nucleotides, or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto; 2) inserting individual members of the library of amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments formed in step (1) into a dicistronic phagemid expression vector comprising immunoglobulin heavy and light chain variable domain genes that lack the immunoglobulin gene portion corresponding to the fragment to be inserted, wherein upon insertion said vector is capable of expressing heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides encoded by said vector, thereby forming a library of dicistronic expression vectors containing amplified CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin gene fragments; 3) expressing said immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes in the library of dicistronic expression vectors formed in step (2) whereby said encoded heavy and light chain variable domain polypeptides assemble on the surface of a phage to form a phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimer, thereby producing a library of CDR-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimers; 4) immunoreacting members of the library of CDR-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimers produced in step (5) on said preselected antigen to isolate an immunoglobulin heterodimer having altered immunoreactivity; 5) isolating said immunoreacted CDR-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimer obtained in step (4); 6) producing a soluble form of said immunoreacted form of immunoreacted CDR-mutagenized phage-displayed immunoglobulin heterodimer isolated in step (5); and 7) assaying said soluble form of immunoreacted CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin heterodimer prepared in step (6) to identify a CDR-mutagenized immunoglobulin heterodimer with altered immunoreactivity to the preselected antigen.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein said assaying is determined by an increase in affinity to the preselected antigen.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the affinity is greater than 10.sup.5 M.sup.-1 dissociation constant (K.sub.d).
20. The method of claim 17 wherein said 3' terminus has the nucleotide sequence 5'-TGGGGCCAAGGGACCACG-3' (SEQ ID NO 122), or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto.
21. The method of claim 17 wherein said 5' terminus has the nucleotide sequence 5'-GTGTATTATTGTGCGAGA-3' (SEQ ID NO 123) or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto.
22. The method of claim 17 wherein said template immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes are obtained from a human.
23. The method of claim 17 wherein said CDR portion is CDR3.
24. The method of claim 17 wherein said formula is
25. The method of claim 17 wherein n is 16in the formula NNS!.sub.n (SEQ ID NO 120).
26. The method of claim 17 wherein said formula is:
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