ALBUMIN VARIANTS

1 . (canceled)

2 . A method of preparing a variant albumin comprising:

providing to a host cell, a nucleic acid encoding a variant albumin having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2 along the length of said variant albumin; wherein said variant albumin has a substitution corresponding to substitutions in SEQ ID NO: 2 selected from K573A,C,D,F,G,H,I,L,M,N,P, R,S,V,W, or Y; and

generating said variant albumin from said nucleic acid.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said nucleic acid encodes a variant albumin having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said nucleic acid encodes a variant albumin having at least 98% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising isolating the variant albumin from said host cell or from a media for said host cell.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said variant of albumin has a longer serum half-life than an albumin having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said variant of albumin has an enhanced binding to FcRn relative to an albumin having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

8 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising modifying said nucleic acid to include one or more alterations, which generate a thiol group on said variant albumin.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said variant albumin has a sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2 of more than 90% along the length of said variant albumin, and wherein said variant albumin is at least 100 amino acids in length.

10 . A nucleic acid encoding a variant albumin having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2 along the length of said variant albumin, wherein said variant albumin has a substitution corresponding to K573A,C,D,F,G,H,I,L,M,N,P, R,S, V,W, or Y.

11 . The nucleic acid of claim 10 , wherein said nucleic acid encodes a variant albumin having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

12 . The nucleic acid of claim 10 , wherein said nucleic acid encodes a variant albumin having at least 98% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

13 . A method of preparing a fusion polypeptide comprising a variant albumin, the method comprising:

providing to a host cell, a nucleic acid encoding a fusion polypeptide comprising a variant albumin having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2 along the length of said variant albumin and a second polypeptide; wherein said variant albumin has a substitution corresponding to the substitutions in SEQ ID NO: 2 selected from K573A,C,D,F,G,H,I,L,M,N,P,Q,R,S,T,V,W, or Y; and

generating said fusion polypeptide from said nucleic acid.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising isolating the fusion polypeptide from said host cell or from a media for said host cell.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said fusion polypeptide has a longer serum half-life than a fusion polypeptide comprising an albumin having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said variant of albumin has enhanced binding to FcRn relative to an albumin having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising modifying said nucleic acid to further comprise one or more alterations that generate a thiol group on said variant albumin.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said variant albumin has a sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2 of more than 90% along the length of said variant albumin, and wherein said variant albumin is at least 100 amino acids in length.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said nucleic acid encodes a variant albumin having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

20 . A nucleic acid encoding a fusion polypeptide comprising a variant albumin having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein said variant albumin has a substitution corresponding to K573A,C,D,F,G,H,I,L,M,N,P,Q,R,S,T,V,W, or Y, and a second polypeptide.

21 . The nucleic acid of claim 19 , wherein said nucleic acid encodes a variant albumin having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.