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Abstract

The present invention provides use of a protein conjugate comprising a 'ble' protein, which has specific binding properties. The protein conjugates are capable of binding reversibly to an antibiotic from the bleomycin family, which property is exploited in a variety of immobilisation methods. In preferred aspects of the invention, the conjugates are used as markers for protein expression and/or folding, or for affinity tagging. The present invention also provides a probe comprising an array of an immobilised antibody from the bleomycin family, which acts as an analyte capture moiety. In another aspect, a purification media is provided, which comprises an antibiotic of the bleomycin family as an analyte capture moiety. Also provided is a method for generating soluble forms of an insoluble protein by expressing the protein as a 'ble' fusion protein and selecting in the presence of an antibiotic from the bleomycin family. In a further aspect, the 'ble' protein is expressed as a fusion protein in a cell into which is introduced a labelled antibiotic of the bleomycin family, thereby allowing identification of the cellular localisation of the protein.

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First Claim