COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR STABLE ISOTOPE LABELLING OF BIOLOGICAL COMPOUNDS

摘要

The present invention is concerned the labelling of biological compounds withstable isotopes such that the three-dimensional structure of the biologicalcompounds may be analysed by e.g. NMR spectroscopy. The invention employsmicroorganisms that are grown on mineral media comprising carbon and nitrogensources that contain stable isotopes to produce biomass that is uniformlylabelled with stable isotopes. The biomass may be autolysed to produce anautolysate. The biomass may further be extracted with organic solvent toproduce lipids. The (delipidised) biomass is hydrolysed to produce labelledamino acids and other nutrients, which are used together with the autolysate,extracted lipids and further components to compose a culture medium for amammalian or insect host cells for the production of biological compounds thatare uniformly labelled with stable isotopes. The biological compoundpreferably is a biological acromolecule, such as e.g. a mammalian membraneprotein.