| abstract |
Described herein is a novel expression system for producing multiple gene products of interest from a single polycistronic construct. In particular, the expression system contains a polycistronic vector capable of expressing functional antibodies in eukaryotic host cells, which vector contains at least the following elements operably linked in the 5' to 3' orientation: a promoter operable in a eukaryotic cell; a DNA sequence encoding at least the variable region of an antibody light chain; an internal ribosome entry site (IRES); and at least one DNA sequence encoding an antibody heavy chain. Also disclosed are mammalian cells containing the polycistronic expression vector, and a method of producing functional antibodies in mammalian cells transfected with the polycistronic expression vector. |