CLONING OF EUKARYOTIC GENES IN SINGLE-STRAND PHAGE VECTORS - THE HUMAN INTERFERON GENES

Using oligonucleotide probes with defined sequences, clones were selected from a human lymphocyte c[complementary]DNA library which represents human leukocyte (HuIFN-.alpha.) and fibroblast (HuIFN-.beta.) interferon gene sequences. Double-stranded fl phage DNA was used as the vector for initial cloning of cDNA. Clones carrying interferon gene sequences were identified by hybridization with the oligonucleotide probes. The same oligonucleotide probes were used as primers for dideoxy chain termination sequencing of the clones. One HuIFN-.alpha. clone, 201, has a nucleotide sequence different from published HuIFN-.alpha. sequences. Under control of the lacUV5 promoter, the 201 gene was used to express biologically active HuIFN-.alpha. in Escherichia coli.