| abstract |
The present invention relates to a method of accelerating the onset of puberty in avians, especially ratites and psittaciformes, by administering a heterologous protein comprising inhibin, or a fragment thereof, and a carrier protein. The present invention also relates to a method of increasing egg production in animals, particularly birds, more particularly ratites, via the administration of the heterologous protein. This invention further relates to the heterologous protein and a method for producing the heterologous protein. The heterologous protein can be either inhibin conjugated to the carrier protein or inhibin fused to the carrier protein. The method of producing the fused heterologous protein comprises inserting double stranded cDNA encoding inhibin, or a fragment thereof, into a vector which encodes a carrier protein such as maltose binding protein or bovine serum albumin. After inserting the vector into an expression system, the fused heterologous protein is expressed by the system. After purifying the expressed heterologous protein, an effective amount of the protein is administered to an animal such that an immunological response occurs in the animal against the heterologous protein. |