In: Biology
Why might a researcher decided to use a polyprotein instead of individual subunits?
Polyproteins composed of covalently linked individual proteins with different biological functions are prevalent in nature. For instance SARS coronavirus, the agent that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, realizes its entire proteome from two large polyproteins, each encoded by a long single open reading frame (ORF). The expressed SARS polyproteins are then processed into the individual functional protein subunits by the action of highly specific proteases also encoded by the ORFs.
Benefits of polyproteins in Research