Directed Evolution of Formylglycine-generating Enzyme to Build an Optimal Platfor

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The formylglycine generating-enzyme (FGE) recognizes and acts specifically on a pentapeptide (CXPXR), oxidizing the cysteine to an unusual aldehyde bearing formylglycine residue (fGly). This conversion to fGly is possible when the sequence is inserted into recombinant proteins. The small FGE target sequence, termed the aldehyde tag , anchors the Redwood Bioscience technology that can generate homogenous, enhanced biotherapeutics. This platform provides the site specificity and chemical flexibility needed to generate useful post translational modifications on virtually any protein. This ability o affix novel chemical functionalities to a biological entity of interest is an immensely powerful platform for the developmentand optimization of new therapeutics. As applications of this technology are explored it will be advantageous to have flexibility in the consensus sequence recognized by FGE, so as to permit the modification of as many protein targets as possible, id