Methods and products for the synthesis of oligosaccharide structures on glycoproteins, glycolipids, or as free molecules, and for the isolation of cloned genetic sequences that determine these structures

Abstract

A method for isolating a gene, comprising: (i) isolating a cell possessing a post-translational characteristic of interest, said post-translational characteristic being the presence of a membrane-bound oligosaccharide or polysaccharide of interest on the surface of said cell, the presence of a soluble oligosaccharide or polysaccharide of interest in an extract of said cell, or the presence of a particularly glycosyltransferase activity in an extract of said cell; (ii) creating a genetic library of either cDNA or genomic DNA from the genetic material of said isolated cell; (iii) transforming host cells with said genetic library; and (iv) screening said transformed host cells for a host cell containing said post-translational characteristic, thereby obtaining a cell containing said gene, is disclosed. The method can be used to obtain genes encoding glycosyltransferases.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . An isolated DNA fragment comprising a sequence which encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14.  
     
     
         2 . The DNA fragment of  claim 1 , which comprises the sequence from base 255 to base 1208 of SEQ ID NO:13.  
     
     
         3 . The DNA fragment of  claim 1 , which comprises SEQ ID NO:13.  
     
     
         4 . A vector, comprising a DNA sequence which encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14.  
     
     
         5 . The vector of  claim 4 , wherein said DNA sequence comprises from base 255 to base 1208 of SEQ ID NO:13.  
     
     
         6 . The vector of  claim 4 , wherein said DNA sequence comprises SEQ ID NO:13.  
     
     
         7 . A protein having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:14.  
     
     
         8 . A polypeptide, comprising an amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 43 to 359 of SEQ ID NO:14.