American Society of Hirudotherapy

Coexpression of BiP increased antithrombotic hirudin production in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Comparative study published in J Biotechnol (2003)

Last Updated: June 18, 2026Reviewed by: ASH Editorial Board
Research article — evidence reviewArticle reference
Evidence: Observational studySalivary PharmacologyDrug DevelopmentKim MD et al. · J Biotechnol, 2003

Abstract

In order to increase a production level of antithrombotic hirudin, BiP was simultaneously expressed in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains carrying ten and 15 copies of the hirudin expression cassette integrated in the chromosome. Coexpression of BiP greatly enhanced both cell growth and hirudin production in recombinant S. cerevisiae. Maximum hirudin concentration of 36 mg l(-1) was obtained from batch culture of the ten copy-number transformant concomitantly harboring an episomal copy of the BiP gene under the control of the GAL1 promoter, which is corresponding to a 2.5-fold increase compared with the control strain carrying the genomic BiP gene only. The mean size of the recombinant yeast cells expressing the BiP gene remained at a relatively constant level compared with the control strains of which size increased after the onset of hirudin expression by the GAL10 promoter.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Publication typeComparative StudyJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Indexed MeSH termsCell DivisionCells, CulturedEscherichia coliFibrinolytic AgentsFungal ProteinsGalactoseGene Expression Regulation, FungalGlucoseHSP70 Heat-Shock ProteinsHirudinsMutagenesis, InsertionalRecombinant Proteins

Summary

Coexpression of BiP chaperone with hirudin expression cassette in S. cerevisiae enhanced cell growth and hirudin production 2.5-fold; maximum 36 mg/L from batch culture.

Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy

This study coexpressed BiP in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae carrying ten and fifteen chromosomally integrated copies of a hirudin expression cassette to boost antithrombotic hirudin production. Maximum hirudin concentration reached 36 mg/L from batch culture of the ten-copy strain with episomal BiP under the GAL1 promoter, a 2.5-fold increase over control, while maintaining cell size stability. The abstract describes hirudin only as an antithrombotic agent and makes no mention of leeches, the leech secretome, or hirudotherapy. There is no defensible connection to ASH's domain based on this abstract. This is a yeast bioproduction study with no clinical or in-vivo data.

Citation

Coexpression of BiP increased antithrombotic hirudin production in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Kim MD et al. · J Biotechnol, 2003

DOI

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