Abstract: CuZn Superoxide dismutase(CuZn-SOD) is the enzyme that can catalyze the removal of superoxide radicals, which are generated in a variety of biological oxidations. It is a ubiquitous enzyme and provides a defense against oxygen toxicity. To dismutate superoxide radical effectively in and around vascular endothelial cells, we constructed a fusion gene encoding a hybrid SOD(namely HBSOD) consisting of human CuZnSOD and a C-terminal basic peptide that binds to heparin-like proteoglycans. The fusion gene was expressed successfully in pichia pastries. The purified HBSOD exhibited a normal SOD activity. The protein also possessed a high binding affinity to heparin proteoglycans.

Key words: Human CuZn superoxide dismutase, Heparin-affinity, Molecular modification, Engineering enzyme