Generation of beta-globin by sequence-specific proteolysis of a hybrid protein produced in Escherichia coli

High-level expression of many eukaryotic genes has proved difficult to achieve even when a strong promoter and the ribosome binding sequence from highly expressed Escherichia coli genes have been placed in front of the coding sequences. To overcome this problem, many eukaryotic proteins have been efficiently produced as hybrids after fusion of their genes with a coding sequence of E. coli genes. However, such hybrid proteins are not suitable for functional studies or clinical use unless the authentic protein sequence can be released by specific cleavage. Here, we have inserted the sequence Ile-Glu-Gly-Arg between the 31 amino-terminal residues of lambda cII protein and Val 1 of human beta-globin, and produced this hybrid in high yield in E. coli. We then cleaved the hybrid specifically at the single arginine, using blood coagulation factor Xa and thus liberated the authentic beta-globin chain. As factor Xa is specific for the tetrapeptide Ile-Glu-Gly-Arg, which is rare in protein sequences, our expression/cleavage system is applicable to the efficient production of many eukaryotic proteins.