Recombinant Peptide
A peptide or protein produced using recombinant DNA technology, where the gene encoding the compound is inserted into a host organism such as bacteria or yeast. This is the standard production method for larger therapeutic peptides and proteins, including recombinant human growth hormone.
Technical Context
Recombinant production involves inserting the gene encoding the peptide into a host organism (commonly E. coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, or Chinese hamster ovary mammalian cells) that reads the genetic instructions and produces the peptide using its own cellular machinery. This method is used for peptides too large or structurally complex for chemical synthesis, typically exceeding 40-50 amino acids. Somatropin is the classic example — identical to 191 amino acid natural human growth hormone but produced in bacterial or mammalian cells. Recombinant peptides require extensive purification to remove host cell proteins, DNA, and endotoxins. Manufacturing is subject to strict cGMP standards and bioprocess validation.