To provide Fc-containing molecules lacking disulfide bonds in the hinge region which has improved thermal stability and suppressed dissociation of noncovalent interaction between two Fc chains.SOLUTION: This disclosure provides a polypeptide comprising an antibody Fc region having a deletion of one or more cysteine residues in the hinge region and substitution with a sulfhydryl-containing residue of one or more CH3-interface amino acids. By introducing a disulfide bond at the CH3 domain interface, the thermal stability of Fc-containing molecules lacking disulfide bonds within the hinge region can be improved. In addition, the covalent link keeps the two polypeptide chains that form a dimer in the Fc structure intact without disassociation in vitro or in vivo.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
STABILIZATION OF FC-CONTAINING POLYPEPTIDES