POSITIVE SELECTION SYSTEMS USING MARKER GENES

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to investigate the feasibility of developing new compounds capable of utilizing common marker gene expression in transformed cells to control the growth and character of cells in cell culture and live tissue applications. If successful, the proposed research will provide breakthroughs needed to advance the promising medical uses of recombinant genes. In Phase I of this project, Marker Gene Technologies proposes to establish the feasibility of the technology by preparing new galactoside and Cephalosporin conjugates of common growth regulators, drugs and enzyme activators, for administration to animal cells or bacteria that contain either the beta-galactosidase (lacZ) or ampicillin resistance (Beta-lactamase, amp) genes as gene fusion markers. These new conjugates will be used to provide innovative methods of utilizing these fusion systems in transformed cells - to select for transgenic cells in a non-destructive fashion. In Phase I, the new conjugates will be assayed in vitro for their ability to cause specific and localized improvement of cell growth and to deliver the active agents in a cell- or tissue-specific manner. In Phase II, the conjugates will be further tested in a variety of significant medical applications. The success of this project opens up enormous commercial possibilities in the fields of cell selection, medical intervention in genetic diseases, immunotherapy for cancer treatment, biotechnological production of new proteins and drugs in cell-culture systems, and bacterial screening strategies, and the conjugates prepared can be marketed in these areas. In addition, it contributes new information and techniques for basic cell-biology research.