CA2385880A1 - Novel human organic anion transporter-like proteins and polynucleotides encoding the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Novel human polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences are disclosed that can be used in therapeutic, diagnostic, and pharmacogenomic applications.

Description

NOVEL HUMAN ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER-LIKE PROTEINS AND
POLYNUCLEOTIDES ENCODING THE SAME
The present application claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Applicatior_ Number 60/156,161 which was filed on September 27, 1999 and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
1. INTRODUCTION
The present invention relates to the discovery, identification, and characterization of novel human polynucleotides encoding proteins that share sequence similarity with animal organic anion transporter proteins.
The invention encompasses the described polynucleotides, host cell expression systems, the encoded proteins, fusion proteins, polypeptides and peptides, antibodies to the encoded proteins and peptides, and genetically engineered animals that either lack or over express the disclosed sequences, antagonists and agonists of the proteins, and other compounds that modulate the expression or activity of the proteins encoded by the disclosed sequences that can be used for diagnosis, drug screening, clinical trial monitoring and the treatment of physiological disorders.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Transporter proteins mediate the inflow or outflow of compounds and/or ions across membranes. Given the physiological importance of such activities, transporter proteins have been subject to intense scrutiny and are proven drug targets.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the discovery, identification, and characterization of nucleotides that encode novel human proteins, and the corresponding amino acid sequences of these proteins. The novel human proteins (NHPs) described for the first time herein share structural SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) similarity with animal organic anion, and more particularly prostaglandin, transporter proteins. As such, the NHPs represents a new family of proteins having homologues and orthologs across a range of phyla and species.
The novel human nucleic acid sequence described herein, encodes alternative proteins/open reading frames (ORFs) of 536 or 535 amino acids in length (see SEQ ID NO: 2).
The invention also encompasses agonists and antagonists of the described NHPs, including small molecules, large molecules, mutant NHPs, or portions thereof that compete with native NHPs, peptides, and antibodies, as well as nucleotide sequences that can be used to inhibit the expression of the described NHP (e.g., antisense and ribozyme molecules, and gene or regulatory sequence replacement constructs) or to enhance the expression of the described NHP polynucleotides (e. g., expression constructs that place the described sequence under the control of a strong promoter system). The present invention also includes both transgenic animals that express a NHP transgene, and NHP "knock-outs" (which can be conditional) that do not express a functional NHP.
Further, the present invention also relates to processes for identifying compounds that modulate, i.e., act as agonists or antagonists, of NHP expression and/or NHP product activity that utilize purified preparations of the described NHP and/or NHP product, or cells expressing the same. Such compounds can be used as therapeutic agents for the treatment of any of a wide variety of symptoms associated with biological disorders or imbalances.

4. DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCE LISTING AND FIGURES
The Sequence Listing provides the sequence of the a transporter-like ORF that encodes the described NHP amino acid sequences.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The NHPs, described for the first time herein, are novel proteins that are expressed in, inter alia, human cell lines, SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) and human brain, pituitary, spinal cord, lymph node, trachea, testis, heart, adipose, skin, pericardium, and hypothalamus cells. The described sequences were compiled from gene trapped cDNAs and clones isolated from a human lymph node cDNA
library (Edge Biosystems, Gaithersburg, MD).
The present invention encompasses the nucleotides presented in the Sequence Listing, host cells expressing such nucleotides, the expression products of such nucleotides, and:
(a) nucleotides that encode mammalian homologs of the described sequence, including the specifically described NHP, and the NHP products; (b) nucleotides that encode one or more portions of the NHP that correspond to functional domains, and the polypeptide products specified by such nucleotide sequences, including but not limited to the novel regions of any active domain(s); (c) isolated nucleotides that encode mutant versions, engineered or naturally occurring, of the described NHP in which all or a part of at least one domain is deleted or altered, and the polypeptide products specified by such nucleotide sequences, including but not limited to soluble proteins and peptides in which all or a portion of the signal sequence in deleted; (d) nucleotides that encode chimeric fusion proteins containing all or a portion of a coding region of an NHP, or one of its domains (e.g., a receptor/ligand binding domain, accessory protein/self-association domain, etc.) fused to another peptide or polypeptide; or (e) therapeutic or diagnostic derivatives of the described polynucleotides such as oligonucleotides, antisense polynucleotides, ribozymes, dsRNA, or gene therapy constructs comprising a sequence first disclosed in the Sequence Listing.
As discussed above, the present invention includes:
(a) the human DNA sequences presented in the Sequence Listing (and vectors comprising the same) and additionally contemplates any nucleotide sequence encoding a contiguous NHP
open reading frame (ORF) that hybridizes to a complement of a DNA sequence presented in the Sequence Listing under highly stringent conditions, e.g., hybridization to filter-bound DNA

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) in 0.5 M NaHP04, 7o sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 1 mM EDTA at 65°C, and washing in 0.lxSSC/0.1o SDS at 68°C (Ausubel F.M. et al., eds., 1989, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Vol.
I, Green Publishing Associates, Inc., and John Wiley & sons, Inc., New York, at p. 2.10.3) and encodes a functionally equivalent gene product. Additionally contemplated are any nucleotide sequences that hybridize to the complement of the DNA sequence that encode and express an amino acid sequence presented in the Sequence Listing under moderately stringent conditions, e.g., washing in 0.2xSSC/0.1o SDS at 42°C (Ausubel et al., 1989, supra), yet still encode a functionally equivalent NHP product. Functional equivalents of a NHP
include naturally occurring NHPs present in other species and mutant NHPs whether naturally occurring or engineered (by site directed mutagenesis, gene shuffling, directed evolution as described in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,837,458). The invention also includes degenerate nucleic acid variants of the disclosed NHP polynucleotide sequences.
Additionally contemplated are polynucleotides encoding NHP ORFs, or their functional equivalents, encoded by polynucleotide sequences that are about 99, 95, 90, or about 85 percent similar to corresponding regions of SEQ ID N0:1 (as measured by BLAST sequence comparison analysis using, for example, the GCG sequence analysis package using default parameters).
The invention also includes nucleic acid molecules, preferably DNA molecules, that hybridize to, and are therefore the complements of, the described NHP nucleotide sequences.
Such hybridization conditions may be highly stringent or less highly stringent, as described above. In instances where the nucleic acid molecules are deoxyoligonucleotides ("DNA
oligos"), such molecules are generally about 16 to about 100 bases long, or about 20 to about 80, or about 34 to about 45 bases long, or any variation or combination of sizes represented therein that incorporate a contiguous region of sequence first disclosed in the Sequence Listing. Such oligonucleotides can be used in conjunction with the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to screen libraries, isolate clones, and prepare cloning and sequencing templates, etc.
Alternatively, such NHP oligonucleotides can be used as hybridization probes for screening libraries, and assessing gene expression patterns (particularly using a micro array or high-throughput "chip" format). Additionally, a series of the described NHP oligonucleotide sequences, or the complements thereof, can be used to represent all or a portion of the described NHP sequences. The oligonucleotides, typically between about 16 to about 40 (or any whole number within the stated range) nucleotides in length may partially overlap each other and/or the NHP sequence may be represented using oligonucleotides that do not overlap. Accordingly, the described NHP polynucleotide sequences shall typically comprise at least about two or three distinct oligonucleotide sequences of at least about 18, and preferably about 25, nucleotides in length that are each first disclosed in the described Sequence Listing. Such oligonucleotide sequences may begin at any nucleotide present within a sequence in the Sequence Listing and proceed in either a sense (5'-to-3') orientation vis-a-vis the described sequence or in an antisense orientation.
For oligonucleotide probes, highly stringent conditions may refer, e.g., to washing in 6xSSC/0.05o sodium pyrophosphate at 37°C (for 14-base oligos), 48°C (for 17-base oligos) , 55°C (for 20-base oligos) , and 60 °C (for 23-base oligos). These nucleic acid molecules may encode or act as NHP sequence antisense molecules, useful, for example, in NHP
sequence regulation (for and/or as antisense primers in amplification reactions of NHP gene nucleic acid sequences).
With respect to NHP gene regulation, such techniques can be used to regulate biological functions. Further, such sequences can be used as part of ribozyme and/or triple helix sequences that are also useful for NHP sequence regulation.
Inhibitory antisense or double stranded oligonucleotides can additionally comprise at least one modified base moiety which is selected from the group including but not limited to SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5'-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine.
The antisense oligonucleotide can also comprise at least one modified sugar moiety selected from the group including but not limited to arabinose, 2-fluoroarabinose, xylulose, and hexose.
In yet another embodiment, the antisense oligonucleotide will comprise at least one modified phosphate backbone selected from the group consisting of a phosphorothioate, a phosphorodithioate, a phosphoramidothioate, a phosphoramidate, a phosphordiamidate, a methylphosphonate, an alkyl phosphotriester, and a formacetal or analog thereof.
In yet another embodiment, the antisense oligonucleotide is an a-anomeric oligonucleotide. An a-anomeric oligonucleotide forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual (3-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gautier et al., 1987, Nucl. Acids Res. 15:6625-6641). The oligonucleotide is a 2'-0-methylribonucleotide ( moue et al., 1987, Nucl. Acids Res.
15:6131-6148), or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (moue et al., 1987, FEBS Lett. 215:327-330). Alternatively, double stranded RNA can be used to disrupt the expression and function of a SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) targeted NHP. Oligonucleotides of the invention can be synthesized by standard methods known in the art, e.g. by use of an automated DNA synthesizer (such as are commercially available from Biosearch, Applied Biosystems, etc.). As examples, phosphorothioate oligonucleotides can be synthesized by the method of Stein et al. (1988, Nucl. Acids Res.
16:3209), and methylphosphonate oligonucleotides can be prepared by use of controlled pore glass polymer supports (Sarin et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85:7448-7451), etc.
Low stringency conditions are well known to those of skill in the art, and will vary predictably depending on the specific organisms from which the library and the labeled sequences are derived. For guidance regarding such conditions see, for example, Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning, A
Laboratory Manual (and periodic updates thereof), Cold Springs Harbor Press, N.Y.; and Ausubel et al., 1989, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Green Publishing Associates and Wiley Interscience, N.Y.
Alternatively, suitably labeled NHP nucleotide probes can be used to screen a human genomic library using appropriately stringent conditions or by PCR. The identification and characterization of human genomic clones is helpful for identifying polymorphisms (including, but not limited to, nucleotide repeats, microsatellite alleles, single nucleotide polymorphisms, or coding single nucleotide polymorphisms), determining the genomic structure of a given locus/allele, and designing diagnostic tests. For example, sequences derived from regions adjacent to the intron/exon boundaries of the human gene can be used to design primers for use in amplification assays to detect mutations within the exons, introns, splice sites (e. g., splice acceptor and/or donor sites), etc., that can be used in diagnostics and pharmacogenomics.
Further, a NHP sequence homolog can be isolated from nucleic acid from an organism of interest by performing PCR
using two degenerate or "wobble" oligonucleotide primer pools SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) designed on the basis of amino acid sequences within the NHP
products disclosed herein. The template for the reaction may be total RNA, mRNA, and/or cDNA obtained by reverse transcription of mRNA prepared from, for example, human or non-human cell lines or tissue, such as prostate, rectum, colon, or adrenal gland, known or suspected to express an allele of a NHP sequence. The PCR product can be subcloned and sequenced to ensure that the amplified sequences represent the sequence of the desired NHP. The PCR fragment can then be used to isolate a full length cDNA clone by a variety of methods. For example, the amplified fragment can be labeled and used to screen a cDNA library, such as a bacteriophage cDNA library. Alternatively, the labeled fragment can be used to isolate genomic clones via the screening of a genomic library.
PCR technology can also be used to isolate full length cDNA sequences. For example, RNA can be isolated, following standard procedures, from an appropriate cellular or tissue source (i.e., one known, or suspected, to express NHP
sequence, such as, for example, testis tissue). A reverse transcription (RT) reaction can be performed on the RNA using an oligonucleotide primer specific for the most 5' end of the amplified fragment for the priming of first strand synthesis.
The resulting RNA/DNA hybrid may then be "tailed" using a standard terminal transferase reaction, the hybrid may be digested with RNase H, and second strand synthesis may then be primed with a complementary primer. Thus, cDNA sequences upstream of the amplified fragment can be isolated. For a review of cloning strategies that can be used, see e.g., Sambrook et al., 1989, supra.
A cDNA encoding a mutant NHP sequence can be isolated, for example, by using PCR. In this case, the first cDNA
strand may be synthesized by hybridizing an oligo-dT
oligonucleotide to mRNA isolated from tissue known or suspected to be expressed in an individual putatively carrying a mutant NHP allele, and by extending the new strand with reverse transcriptase. The second strand of the cDNA is then SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) synthesized using an oligonucleotide that hybridizes specifically to the 5' end of the normal sequence. Using these two primers, the product is then amplified via PCR, optionally cloned into a suitable vector, and subjected to DNA
sequence analysis through methods well known to those of skill in the art. By comparing the DNA sequence of the mutant NHP
allele to that of a corresponding normal NHP allele, the mutations) responsible for the loss or alteration of function of the mutant NHP sequence product can be ascertained.
Alternatively, a genomic library can be constructed using DNA obtained from an individual suspected of or known to carry a mutant NHP allele (e. g., a person manifesting a NHP-associated phenotype such as, for example, immune disorders, obesity, high blood pressure, etc.), or a cDNA library can be constructed using RNA from a tissue known, or suspected, to express a mutant NHP allele. A normal NHP sequence, or any suitable fragment thereof, can then be labeled and used as a probe to identify the corresponding mutant NHP allele in such libraries. Clones containing mutant NHP sequence can then be purified and subjected to sequence analysis according to methods well known to those skilled in the art.
Additionally, an expression library can be constructed utilizing cDNA synthesized from, for example, RNA isolated from a tissue known, or suspected, to express a mutant NHP
allele in an individual suspected of or known to carry such a mutant allele. In this manner, gene products made by the putatively mutant tissue may be expressed and screened using standard antibody screening techniques in conjunction with antibodies raised against a normal NHP product, as described below. (For screening techniques, see, for example, Harlow, E. and Lane, eds., 1988, "Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual", Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor.) Additionally, screening can be accomplished by screening with labeled NHP fusion proteins, such as, for example, alkaline phosphatase-NHP or NHP-alkaline phosphatase fusion proteins.
In cases where a NHP mutation results in an expressed gene product with altered function (e. g., as a result of a missense SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) or a frameshift mutation), polyclonal antibodies to a NHP are likely to cross-react with a corresponding mutant NHP sequence product. Library clones detected via their reaction with such labeled antibodies can be purified and subjected to sequence analysis according to methods well known in the art.
An additional application of the described novel human polynucleotide sequences is their use in the molecular mutagenesis/evolution of proteins that are at least partially encoded by the described novel sequences using, for example, polynucleotide shuffling or related methodologies. Such approaches are described in U.S. Patents Nos. 5,830,721 and 5,837,458 which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The invention also encompasses (a) DNA vectors that contain any of the foregoing NHP coding sequences and/or their complements (i.e., antisense); (b) DNA expression vectors that contain any of the foregoing NHP coding sequences operatively associated with a regulatory element that directs the expression of the coding sequences (for example, baculo virus as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,869,336 herein incorporated by reference); (c) genetically engineered host cells that contain any of the foregoing NHP coding sequences operatively associated with a regulatory element that directs the expression of the coding sequences in the host cell; and (d) genetically engineered host cells that express ar~ endogenous NHP sequence under the control of an exogenously introduced regulatory element (i.e., gene activation). As used herein, regulatory elements include, but are not limited to, inducible and non-inducible promoters, enhancers, operators and other elements known to those skilled in the art that drive and regulate expression. Such regulatory elements include but are not limited to the human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) immediate early gene, regulatable, viral elements (particularly retroviral LTR promoters) the early or late promoters of SV40 adenovirus, the 1ac system, the trp system, the TAC system, the TRC system, the major operator and promoter regions of phage lambda, the control regions of fd coat protein, the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) promoter for 3-phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK), the promoters of acid phosphatase, and the promoters of the yeast a-mating factors.
Where, as in the present instance, some of the described NHP peptides or polypeptides are thought to be membrane associated, expression systems can be engineered that produce soluble derivatives of a NHP (corresponding to a NHP
extracellular and/or intracellular domains, or truncated polypeptides lacking one or more transmembrane domains) and/or NHP fusion protein products (especially NHP-Ig fusion proteins, i.e., fusions of a NHP domain, e.g., ECD, ATM to an IgFc), NHP antibodies and anti-idiotypic antibodies (including Fab fragments) which can be used in therapeutic applications.
Preferably, the above expression systems are engineered to allow the desired peptide or polypeptide to be recovered from the culture media. It should also be noted that a sequence roughly similar to a sequence present near the 3' region of the described ORF has been reported as a human secreted protein in gene 28 clone HLHSH36 so it remains possible that one or more regions or domains of the described protein circulates as a soluble molecule within the body.
The present invention also encompasses antibodies and anti-idiotypic antibodies (including Fab fragments), antagonists and agonists of the NHP, as well as compounds or nucleotide constructs that inhibit expression of the NHP
coding sequence (transcription factor inhibitors, antisense and ribozyme molecules, or gene or regulatory sequence replacement constructs), or promote the expression of a NHP
(e.g., expression constructs in which NHP coding sequences are operatively associated with expression control elements such as promoters, promoter/enhancers, etc.).
The NHP or NHP peptides, NHP fusion proteins, NHP
nucleotide sequences, antibodies, antagonists and agonists can be useful for the detection of mutant NHPs or inappropriately expressed NHPs for the diagnosis of disease. The NHP proteins or peptides, NHP fusion proteins, NHP nucleotide sequences, host cell expression systems, antibodies, antagonists, SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26l agonists and genetically engineered cells and animals can be used for screening for drugs (or high throughput screening of combinatorial libraries) effective in the treatment of the symptomatic or phenotypic manifestations of perturbing the normal function of NHP in the body. The use of engineered host cells and/or animals can offer an advantage in that such systems allow not only for the identification of compounds that bind to the endogenous receptor/ligand of a NHP, but can also identify compounds that trigger NHP-mediated activities or pathways.
Finally, the NHP products can be used as therapeutics.
For example, soluble derivatives such as NHP peptides/domains corresponding the NHP, NHP fusion protein products (especially NHP-Ig fusion proteins, i.e., fusions of a NHP, or a domain of a NHP, to an IgFc), NHP antibodies and anti-idiotypic antibodies (including Fab fragments), antagonists or agonists (including compounds that modulate or act on downstream targets in a NHP-mediated pathway) can be used to directly treat diseases or disorders. For instance, the administration of an effective amount of soluble NHP, or a NHP-IgFc fusion protein or an anti-idiotypic antibody (or its Fab) that mimics the NHP could activate or effectively antagonize the endogenous NHP or a protein interactive therewith. Nucleotide constructs encoding such NHP products can be used to genetically engineer host cells to express such products in vivo; these genetically engineered cells function as "bioreactors" in the body delivering a continuous supply of a NHP, a NHP peptide, or a NHP fusion protein to the body.
Nucleotide constructs encoding functional NHPs, mutant NHPs, as well as antisense and ribozyme molecules can also be used in "gene therapy" approaches for the modulation of NHP
expression. Thus, the invention also encompasses pharmaceutical formulations and methods for treating biological disorders.
Various aspects of the invention are described in greater detail in the subsections below.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) 5.1 THE NHP SEQUENCES
The cDNA sequence and the corresponding deduced amino acid sequence of the described NHP are presented in the Sequence Listing. The NHP coding sequence was obtained from human cDNA libraries using probes and/or primers generated from human gene trapped sequence tags. The described ORF has a predicted hydrophobic leader sequence characteristic of membrane proteins.
Expression analysis has provided evidence that the described NHPs can be expressed in human tissues as well as gene trapped human cells. In addition to the organic ion transporter proteins discussed above, the described NHP shares significant similarity to a range of prostaglandin transporters. Given the physiological importance of prostaglandins, their transporters have been subject to intense scrutiny as exemplified in U.S. Patent No. 5,792,851 herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The described sequences have several features of note including the fact that the described ORF initiates with tandem ATG codons, and an alternative form of the transcript has been identified that deletes sequences 103-151 from SEQ ID
N0:3 (upstream from the tandem initiation codons). Where translation initiates from the second of the two initiation codons, the resulting NHP will be one amino acid shorter (on the 5' end) than the NHP product described in SEQ ID N0:2.
5.2 NHPS AND NHP POLYPEPTIDES
NHPs, polypeptides, peptide fragments, mutated, truncated, or deleted forms of the NHPs, and/or NHP fusion proteins can be prepared for a variety of uses. These uses include but are not limited to the generation of antibodies, as reagents in diagnostic assays, the identification of other cellular gene products related to a NHP, as reagents in assays for screening for compounds that can be as pharmaceutical reagents useful in the therapeutic treatment of mental, biological, or medical disorders and disease.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) The Sequence Listing discloses the amino acid sequences encoded by the described NHP coding sequence. The NHP has initiator methionines in DNA sequence contexts consistent with a translation initiation site.
The NHP amino acid sequences of the invention include the amino acid sequence presented in the Sequence Listing as well as analogues and derivatives thereof. Further, corresponding NHP homologues from other species are encompassed by the invention. In fact, any NHP protein encoded by the NHP
nucleotide sequences described above are within the scope of the invention, as are any novel polynucleotide sequences encoding all or any novel portion of an amino acid sequence presented in the Sequence Listing. The degenerate nature of the genetic code is well known, and, accordingly, each amino acid presented in the Sequence Listing, is generically representative of the well known nucleic acid "triplet" codon, or in many cases codons, that can encode the amino acid. As such, as contemplated herein, the amino acid sequences presented in the Sequence Listing, when taken together with the genetic code (see, for example, Table 4-1 at page 109 of "Molecular Cell Biology", 1986, J. Darnell et al. eds., Scientific American Books, New York, NY, herein incorporated by reference) are generically representative of all the various permutations and combinations of nucleic acid sequences that can encode such amino acid sequences.
The invention also encompasses proteins that are functionally equivalent to the NHPs encoded by the presently described nucleotide sequences as judged by any of a number of criteria, including, but not limited to, the ability to bind and cleave a substrate of a NHP, or the ability to effect an identical or complementary downstream pathway, or a change in cellular metabolism (e. g., proteolytic activity, ion flux, tyrosine phosphorylation, etc.). Such functionally equivalent NHP proteins include, but are not limited to, additions or substitutions of amino acid residues within the amino acid sequence encoded by the NHP nucleotide sequences described above, but which result in a silent change, thus producing a SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) functionally equivalent gene product. Amino acid substitutions may be made on the basis of similarity in polarity, charge, solubility, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, and/or the amphipathic nature of the residues involved. For example, nonpolar (hydrophobic) amino acids include alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and methionine; polar neutral amino acids include glycine, serine, threonine, cysteine, tyrosine, asparagine, and glutamine; positively charged (basic) amino acids include arginine, lysine, and histidine; and negatively charged (acidic) amino acids include aspartic acid and glutamic acid.
A variety of host-expression vector systems can be used to express the NHP nucleotide sequences of the invention.
Where, as in the present instance, the NHP peptide or polypeptide is thought to be a soluble or secreted molecule, the peptide or polypeptide can be recovered from the culture media. Such expression systems also encompass engineered host cells that express a NHP, or functional equivalent, in situ.
Purification or enrichment of a NHP from such expression systems can be accomplished using appropriate detergents and lipid micelles and methods well known to those skilled in the art. However, such engineered host cells themselves may be used in situations where it is important not only to retain the structural and functional characteristics of the NHP, but to assess biological activity, e.g., in drug screening assays.
The expression systems that may be used for purposes of the invention include but are not limited to microorganisms such as bacteria (e. g., E. coli, B. subtilis) transformed with recombinant bacteriophage DNA, plasmid DNA or cosmid DNA
expression vectors containing NHP nucleotide sequences; yeast (e. g., Saccharomyces, Pichia) transformed with recombinant yeast expression vectors containing NHP nucleotide sequences;
insect cell systems infected with recombinant virus expression vectors (e. g., baculovirus) containing NHP sequences; plant cell systems infected with recombinant virus expression vectors (e. g., cauliflower mosaic virus, CaMV; tobacco mosaic virus, TMV) or transformed with recombinant plasmid expression SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) vectors (e. g., Ti plasmid) containing NHP nucleotide sequences; or mammalian cell systems (e. g., COS, CHO, BHK, 293, 3T3) harboring recombinant expression constructs containing promoters derived from the genome of mammalian cells (e. g., metallothionein promoter) or from mammalian viruses (e. g., the adenovirus late promoter; the vaccinia virus 7.5K promoter).
In bacterial systems, a number of expression vectors may be advantageously selected depending upon the use intended for the NHP product being expressed. For example, when a large quantity of such a protein is to be produced for the generation of pharmaceutical compositions of or containing NHP, or for raising antibodies to NHP, vectors that direct the expression of high levels of fusion protein products that are readily purified may be desirable. Such vectors include, but are not limited, to the E. coli expression vector pUR278 (Ruther et al., 1983, EMBO J. 2:1791), in which a NHP coding sequence may be ligated individually into the vector in frame with the lacZ coding region so that a fusion protein is produced; pIN vectors (Inouye & Inouye, 1985, Nucleic Acids Res. 13:3101-3109; Van Heeke & Schuster, 1989, J. Biol. Chem.
264:5503-5509); and the like. pGEX vectors may also be used to express foreign polypeptides as fusion proteins with gluta-thione S-transferase (GST). In general, such fusion proteins are soluble and can easily be purified from lysed cells by adsorption to glutathione-agarose beads followed by elution in the presence of free glutathione. The PGEX vectors are designed to include thrombin or factor Xa protease cleavage sites so that the cloned target gene product can be released from the GST moiety.
In an insect system, Autographa californica nuclear polyhidrosis virus (AcNPV) is used as a vector to express foreign sequences. The virus grows in Spodoptera frugiperda cells. A NHP coding sequence may be cloned individually into non-essential regions (for example the polyhedrin gene) of the virus and placed under control of an AcNPV promoter (for example the polyhedrin promoter). Successful insertion of NHP

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) coding sequence will result in inactivation of the polyhedrin gene and production of non-occluded recombinant virus (i.e., virus lacking the proteinaceous coat coded for by the polyhedrin gene). These recombinant viruses are then used to infect Spodoptera frugiperda cells in which the inserted sequence is expressed (e.g., see Smith et al., 1983, J.
Virol. 46: 584; Smith, U.S. Patent No. 4,215,051).
In mammalian host cells, a number of viral-based expression systems may be utilized. In cases where an adenovirus is used as an expression vector, the NHP nucleotide sequence of interest may be ligated to an adenovirus transcription/translation control complex, e.g., the late promoter and tripartite leader sequence. This chimeric gene may then be inserted in the adenovirus genome by in vitro or in vivo recombination. Insertion in a non-essential region of the viral genome (e.g., region E1 or E3) will result in a recombinant virus that is viable and capable of expressing a NHP product in infected hosts (e. g., See Logan & Shenk, 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:3655-3659). Specific initiation signals may also be required for efficient translation of inserted NHP nucleotide sequences. These signals include the ATG initiation codon and adjacent sequences. In cases where the entire NHP coding sequence or cDNA, including its own initiation codon and adjacent sequences, is inserted into the appropriate expression vector, no additional translational control signals may be needed. However, in cases where only a portion of a NHP coding sequence is inserted, exogenous translational control signals, including, perhaps, the ATG
initiation codon, must be provided. Furthermore, the initiation codon must be in phase with the reading frame of the desired coding sequence to ensure translation of the entire insert. These exogenous translational control signals and initiation codons can be of a variety of origins, both natural and synthetic. The efficiency of expression may be enhanced by the inclusion of appropriate transcription enhancer elements, transcription terminators, etc. (See Bittner et al., 1987, Methods in Enzymol. 153:516-544).

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In addition, a host cell strain may be chosen that modulates the expression of the inserted sequences, or modifies and processes the gene product in the specific fashion desired. Such modifications (e.g., glycosylation) and processing (e.g., cleavage) of protein products may be important for the function of the protein. Different host cells have characteristic and specific mechanisms for the post-translational processing and modification of proteins and gene products. Appropriate cell lines or host systems can be chosen to ensure the correct modification and processing of the foreign protein expressed. To this end, eukaryotic host cells which possess the cellular machinery for proper processing of the primary transcript, glycosylation, and phosphorylation of the gene product may be used. Such mammalian host cells include, but are not limited to, CHO, VERO, BHK, HeLa, COS, MDCK, 293, 3T3, WI38, and in particular, human cell lines.
For long-term, high-yield production of recombinant proteins, stable expression is preferred. For example, cell lines which stably express the NHP sequences described above can be engineered. Rather than using expression vectors which contain viral origins of replication, host cells can be transformed with DNA controlled by appropriate expression control elements (e. g., promoter, enhancer sequences, transcription terminators, polyadenylation sites, etc.), and a selectable marker. Following the introduction of the foreign DNA, engineered cells may be allowed to grow for 1-2 days in an enriched media, and then are switched to a selective media.
The selectable marker in the recombinant plasmid confers resistance to the selection and allows cells to stably integrate the plasmid into their chromosomes and grow to form foci which in turn can be cloned and expanded into cell lines.
This method may advantageously be used to engineer cell lines which express the NHP product. Such engineered cell lines may be particularly useful in screening and evaluation of compounds that affect the endogenous activity of the NHP
product.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) A number of selection systems may be used, including but not limited to the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (Wigler, et al., 1977, Cell 11:223), hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Szybalska & Szybalski, 1962, Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 48:2026), and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (Lowy, et al., 1980, Cell 22:817) genes can be employed in tk-, hgprt- or aprt- cells, respectively. Also, antimetabolite resistance can be used as the basis of selection for the following genes: dhfr, which confers resistance to methotrexate (Wigler, et al., 1980, Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:3567; O'Hare, et al., 1981, Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:1527); gpt, which confers resistance to mycophenolic acid (Mulligan & Berg, 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad.
Sci. USA 78:2072); neo, which confers resistance to the aminoglycoside G-418 (Colberre-Garapin, et al., 1981, J. Mol.
Biol. 150:1); and hygro, which confers resistance to hygromycin (Santerre, et al., 1984, Gene 30:147).
Alternatively, any fusion protein can be readily purified by utilizing an antibody specific for the fusion protein being expressed. For example, a system described by Janknecht et al. allows for the ready purification of non-denatured fusion proteins expressed in human cell lines (Janknecht, et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:8972-8976). In this system, the gene of interest is subcloned into a vaccinia recombination plasmid such that the gene's open reading frame is translationally fused to an amino-terminal tag consisting of six histidine residues. Extracts from cells infected with recombinant vaccinia virus are loaded onto Ni2+~nitriloacetic acid-agarose columns and histidine-tagged proteins are selectively eluted with imidazole-containing buffers.
5.3 ANTIBODIES TO NHP PRODUCTS
Antibodies that specifically recognize one or more epitopes of a NHP, or epitopes of conserved variants of a NHP, or peptide fragments of a NHP are also encompassed by the invention. Such antibodies include but are not limited to polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), humanized SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) or chimeric antibodies, single chain antibodies, Fab fragments, F(ab')2 fragments, fragments produced by a Fab expression library, anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibodies, and epitope-binding fragments of any of the above.
The antibodies of the invention may be used, for example, in the detection of NHP in a biological sample and may, therefore, be utilized as part of a diagnostic or prognostic technique whereby patients may be tested for abnormal amounts of NHP. Such antibodies may also be utilized in conjunction with, for example, compound screening schemes for the evaluation of the effect of test compounds on expression and/or activity of a NHP coding sequence product.
Additionally, such antibodies can be used in.conjunction gene therapy to, for example, evaluate the normal and/or engineered NHP-expressing cells prior to their introduction into the patient. Such antibodies may additionally be used as a method for the inhibition of abnormal NHP activity. Thus, such antibodies may, therefore, be utilized as part of treatment methods.
For the production of antibodies, various host animals may be immunized by injection with the NHP, an NHP peptide (e. g., one corresponding the a functional domain of an NHP), truncated NHP polypeptides (NHP in which one or more domains have been deleted), functional equivalents of the NHP or mutated variant of the NHP. Such host animals may include but are not limited to pigs, rabbits, mice, goats, and rats, to name but a few. Various adjuvants may be used to increase the immunological response, depending on the host species, including but not limited to Freund's adjuvant (complete and incomplete), mineral salts such as aluminum hydroxide or aluminum phosphate, surface active substances such as lysolecithin, pluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides, oil emulsions, and potentially useful human adjuvants such as BCG
(bacille Calmette-Guerin) and Corynebacterium parvum.
Alternatively, the immune response could be enhanced by combination and or coupling with molecules such as keyhole limpet hemocyanin, tetanus toxoid, diptheria toxoid, SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) ovalbumin, cholera toxoid or fragments thereof. Polyclonal antibodies are heterogeneous populations of antibody molecules derived from the sera of the immunized animals.
Monoclonal antibodies, which are homogeneous populations of antibodies to a particular antigen, can be obtained by any technique which provides for the production of antibody molecules by continuous cell lines in culture. These include, but are not limited to, the hybridoma technique of Kohler and Milstein, (1975, Nature 256:495-497; and U.S. Patent No.
4,376,110), the human B-cell hybridoma technique (Kosbor et al., 1983, Immunology Today 4:72; Cole et al., 1983, Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80:2026-2030), and the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al., 1985, Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96). Such antibodies may be of any immunoglobulin class including IgG, IgM, IgE, IgA, IgD and any subclass thereof. The hybridoma producing the mAb of this invention may be cultivated in vitro or in vivo.
Production of high titers of mAbs in vivo makes this the presently preferred method of production.
In addition, techniques developed for the production of "chimeric antibodies" (Morrison et al., 1984, Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci., 81:6851-6855; Neuberger et al., 1984, Nature, 312:604-608; Takeda et al., 1985, Nature, 324:452-454) by splicing the genes from a mouse antibody molecule of appropriate antigen specificity together with genes from a human antibody molecule of appropriate biological activity can be used. A chimeric antibody is a molecule in which different portions are derived from different animal species, such as those having a variable region derived from a murine mAb and a human immunoglobulin constant region. Such technologies are described in U.S. Patents Nos. 6,075,181 and 5,877,397 and their respective disclosures which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Alternatively, techniques described for the production of single chain antibodies (U. S. Patent 4,946,778; Bird, 1988, Science 242:423-426; Huston et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad.
Sci. USA 85:5879-5883; and Ward et al., 1989, Nature 334:544-SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) 546) can be adapted to produce single chain antibodies against NHP coding sequence products. Single chain antibodies are formed by linking the heavy and light chain fragments of the Fv region via an amino acid bridge, resulting in a single chain polypeptide.
Antibody fragments which recognize specific epitopes may be generated by known techniques. For example, such fragments include, but are not limited to: the F(ab')2 fragments which can be produced by pepsin digestion of the antibody molecule and the Fab fragments which can be generated by reducing the disulfide bridges of the F(ab')2 fragments. Alternatively, Fab expression libraries may be constructed (Huse et al., 1989, Science, 246:1275-1281) to allow rapid and easy identification of monoclonal Fab fragments with the desired specificity.
Antibodies to NHP can, in turn, be utilized to generate anti-idiotype antibodies that "mimic" the NHP, using techniques well known to those skilled in the art. (See, e.g., Greenspan & Bona, 1993, FASEB J 7(5):437-444; and Nissinoff, 1991, J. Immunol. 147(8):2429-2438). For example antibodies which bind to a NHP domain and competitively inhibit the binding of NHP to its cognate receptor can be used to generate anti-idiotypes that "mimic" the NHP and, therefore, bind, activate, or neutralize a NHP, NHP receptor, or NHP ligand. Such anti-idiotypic antibodies or Fab fragments of such anti-idiotypes can be used in therapeutic regimens involving a NHP mediated pathway.
The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein, which are intended as single illustrations of individual aspects of the invention, and functionally equivalent methods and components are within the scope of the invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention, in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. All cited publications, patents, and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) SEQUENCE LISTING
<110> Turner, C. Alexander Jr.
Donoho, Gregory Wattles, Frank Nehls, Michael Friedrich, Glenn Zambrowicz, Brian Sands, Arthur T.
<120> NOVEL HUMAN ORGANIC ANION
TRANSPORTER-LIKE PROTEINS AND POLYNUCLEOTIDES ENCODING THE
SAME
<130> LEX-0045-PCT
<150> US 60/156,161 <151> 1999-09-27 <160> 3 <170> FastSEQ for Windows Version 4.0 <210> 1 <211> 1608 <212> DNA
<213> homo Sapiens <400>

atgatgtacttgctgctcattggggcccaggtgctcctgggcatcggtgctacccctgtg60 cagcccctgggcgtctcctacatcgacgaccacgtgcggaggaaggactcctcgctctat120 ataggaatcctgttcacgatgctggtatttggaccagcctgcgggtttatcctgggctct180 ttctgtaccaaaatctacgtggatgcggtcttcattgacacaagtaacctggacatcact240 ccggacgacccccgctggatcggagcctggtggggtggctttctgctctgcggtgcctta300 ctcttcttctcttccctcttgatgtttgggtttccacagtccctgcccccgcactcagag360 cccgccatggaaagcgagcaggccatgctctccgaaagagaatacgagagacccaagccc420 agcaacggggtcctgaggcaccccctggagccagacagcagtgcctcctgtttccagcag480 ctgagagtgatcccgaaggtcaccaagcacctgctctcaaaccctgtgttcacctgcatc540 atcctggccgcctgcatggagattgcagtggtggctggcttcgctgcctttttggggaag600 tacctggagcagcagtttaacctcaccacctcttctgccaaccagctgcttgggatgact660 gcgatcccgtgtgcttgtctgggtatcttcctgggaggtcttttggtgaagaagctcagc720 ctgtctgccctgggggccattcggatggccatgctcgtcaacctggtgtccactgcttgc780 tacgtctccttcctcttcctgggctgcgacactggccctgtggctggggttactgttccc840 tatggaaacagcacagcacctggctcagccctggacccctactcgccctgcaataataac900 tgtgaatgccaaaccgattccttcactccagtgtgtggggcagatggcatcacctacctg960 tctgcctgctttgctggctgcaacagcacgaatctcacgggctgtgcgtgcctcaccacc1020 gtccctgctgagaacgcaaccgtggttcctggaaaatgccccagtcctgggtgccaagag1080 gccttcctcactttcctctgtgtgatgtgtatctgcagcctgatcggtgccatggcacag1140 acaccctcagtcatcatcctcatcaggacagtcagccctgaactcaagtcttacgctttg1200 ggagttctttttctcctccttcgtttgttgggcttcatccctccacccctcatcttcggg1260 gctggcatcgactccacctgcctgttctggagcacgttctgtggggagcaaggcgcctgc1320 gtcctctacgacaatgtggtctaccgatacctgtatgtcagcatcgccatcgcgctcaaa1380 tccttcgccttcatcctgtacaccaccacgtggcagtgcctgaggaaaaactataaacgc1440 tacatcaaaaaccacgagggcgggctgagcaccagtgagttctttgcctctactctgacc1500 ctagacaacctggggagggaccctgtgcccgcaaaccagacacataggacaaagtttatc1560 tataacctgg aagaccatga gtggtgtgaa aacatggagt ccgtttta 1608 <210> 2 <211> 536 <212> PRT
<213> homo sapiens <400> 2 Met Met Tyr Leu Leu Leu Ile Gly Ala Gln Val Leu Leu Gly Ile Gly Ala Thr Pro Val Gln Pro Leu Gly Val Ser Tyr Ile Asp Asp His Val Arg Arg Lys Asp Ser Ser Leu Tyr Ile Gly Ile Leu Phe Thr Met Leu Val Phe Gly Pro Ala Cys Gly Phe Ile Leu Gly Ser Phe Cys Thr Lys Ile Tyr Val Asp Ala Val Phe Ile Asp Thr Ser Asn Leu Asp Ile Thr Pro Asp Asp Pro Arg Trp Ile Gly Ala Trp Trp Gly Gly Phe Leu Leu Cys Gly Ala Leu Leu Phe Phe Ser Ser Leu Leu Met Phe Gly Phe Pro Gln Ser Leu Pro Pro His Ser Glu Pro Ala Met Glu Ser Glu Gln Ala Met Leu Ser Glu Arg Glu Tyr Glu Arg Pro Lys Pro Ser Asn Gly Val Leu Arg His Pro Leu Glu Pro Asp Ser Ser Ala Ser Cys Phe Gln Gln Leu Arg Val Ile Pro Lys Val Thr Lys His Leu Leu Ser Asn Pro Val Phe Thr Cys Ile Ile Leu Ala Ala Cys Met Glu Ile Ala Val Val Ala Gly Phe Ala Ala Phe Leu Gly Lys Tyr Leu Glu Gln Gln Phe Asn Leu Thr Thr Ser Ser Ala Asn Gln Leu Leu Gly Met Thr Ala Ile Pro Cys Ala Cys Leu Gly Ile Phe Leu Gly Gly Leu Leu Val Lys Lys Leu Ser Leu Ser Ala Leu Gly Ala Ile Arg Met Ala Met Leu Val Asn Leu Val Ser Thr Ala Cys Tyr Val Ser Phe Leu Phe Leu Gly Cys Asp Thr Gly Pro Val Ala Gly Val Thr Val Pro Tyr Gly Asn Ser Thr Ala Pro Gly Ser Ala Leu Asp Pro Tyr Ser Pro Cys Asn Asn Asn Cys Glu Cys Gln Thr Asp Ser Phe Thr Pro Val Cys Gly Ala Asp Gly Ile Thr Tyr Leu Ser Ala Cys Phe Ala Gly Cys Asn Ser Thr Asn Leu Thr Gly Cys Ala Cys Leu Thr Thr Val Pro Ala Glu Asn Ala Thr Val Val Pro Gly Lys Cys Pro Ser Pro Gly Cys Gln Glu Ala Phe Leu Thr Phe Leu Cys Val Met Cys Ile Cys Ser Leu Ile Gly Ala Met Ala Gln Thr Pro Ser Val Ile Ile Leu Ile Arg Thr Val Ser Pro Glu Leu Lys Ser Tyr Ala Leu Gly Val Leu Phe Leu Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Gly Phe Ile Pro Pro Pro Leu Ile Phe Gly Ala Gly Ile Asp Ser Thr Cys Leu Phe Trp Ser Thr Phe Cys Gly Glu Gln Gly Ala Cys Val Leu Tyr Asp Asn Val Val Tyr Arg Tyr Leu Tyr Val Ser Ile Ala Ile Ala Leu Lys Ser Phe Ala Phe Ile Leu Tyr Thr Thr Thr Trp Gln Cys Leu Arg Lys Asn Tyr Lys Arg Tyr Ile Lys Asn His Glu Gly Gly Leu Ser Thr Ser Glu Phe Phe Ala Ser Thr Leu Thr Leu Asp Asn Leu Gly Arg Asp Pro Val Pro Ala Asn Gln Thr His Arg Thr Lys Phe Ile Tyr Asn Leu Glu Asp His Glu Trp Cys Glu Asn Met Glu Ser Val Leu <210> 3 <211> 2230 <212> DNA
<213> homo sapiens <400>

cgcgctgctgtcagcgctgcccgagttcctgacccaccagtacaagtacgaggcgggcga60 gatccgctggggcgccgagggccgcgacgtctgcgcagccaacggctcgggcggcgacga120 ggggcccgaccccgacctcatctgccgcaaccggacggctaccaacatgatgtacttgct180 gctcattggggcccaggtgctcctgggcatcggtgctacccctgtgcagcccctgggcgt240 ctcctacatcgacgaccacgtgcggaggaaggactcctcgctctatataggaatcctgtt300 cacgatgctggtatttggaccagcctgcgggtttatcctgggctctttctgtaccaaaat360 ctacgtggatgcggtcttcattgacacaagtaacctggacatcactccggacgacccccg420 ctggatcggagcctggtggggtggctttctgctctgcggtgccttactcttcttctcttc480 cctcttgatgtttgggtttccacagtccctgcccccgcactcagagcccgccatggaaag540 cgagcaggccatgctctccgaaagagaatacgagagacccaagcccagcaacggggtcct600 gaggcaccccctggagccagacagcagtgcctcctgtttccagcagctgagagtgatccc660 gaaggtcaccaagcacctgctctcaaaccctgtgttcacctgcatcatcctggccgcctg720 catggagattgcagtggtggctggcttcgctgcctttttggggaagtacctggagcagca780 gtttaacctcaccacctcttctgccaaccagctgcttgggatgactgcgatcccgtgtgc840 ttgtctgggtatcttcctgggaggtcttttggtgaagaagctcagcctgtctgccctggg900 ggccattcggatggccatgctcgtcaacctggtgtccactgcttgctacgtctccttcct960 cttcctgggctgcgacactggccctgtggctggggttactgttccctatggaaacagcac1020 agcacctggctcagccctggacccctactcgccctgcaataataactgtgaatgccaaac1080 cgattccttcactccagtgtgtggggcagatggcatcacctacctgtctgcctgctttgc1140 tggctgcaacagcacgaatctcacgggctgtgcgtgcctcaccaccgtccctgctgagaa1200 cgcaaccgtggttcctggaaaatgccccagtcctgggtgccaagaggccttcctcacttt1260 cctctgtgtgatgtgtatctgcagcctgatcggtgccatggcacagacaccctcagtcat1320 catcctcatcaggacagtcagccctgaactcaagtcttacgctttgggagttctttttct1380 cctccttcgtttgttgggcttcatccctccacccctcatcttcggggctggcatcgactc1440 cacctgcctgttctggagcacgttctgtggggagcaaggcgcctgcgtcctctacgacaa1500 tgtggtctaccgatacctgtatgtcagcatcgccatcgcgctcaaatccttcgccttcat1560 cctgtacaccaccacgtggcagtgcctgaggaaaaactataaacgctacatcaaaaacca1620 cgagggcgggctgagcaccagtgagttctttgcctctactctgaccctagacaacctggg1680 gagggaccctgtgcccgcaaaccagacacataggacaaagtttatctataacctggaaga1740 ccatgagtggtgtgaaaacatggagtccgttttatagtgactaaaggagggctgaactct1800 gtattagtaatccaagggtcatttttttcttaaaaaaagaaaaaaaggttccaaaaaaaa1860 ccaaaactcagtacacacacacaggcacagatgcacacacacgcagacagacacaccgac1920 tttgtcctttttctcagcatcagagccagacaggattcagaataaggagagaatgacatc1980 gtgcggcagggtcctggaggccactcgcgcggctgggccacagagtctactttgaaggca2040 cctcatggttttcaggatgctgacagctgcaagcaacaggcactgccaaattcagggaac2100 agtggtggccagcttggaggatggacatttctggatacacatacacatacaaaacagaaa2160 acattttttaaaagaagtttcctaaaataaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa2220 aaaaaaaaaa 2230

Claims (3)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising at least 24 contiguous bases of nucleotide sequence first disclosed in the NHP polynucleotide sequence described in SEQ
ID NO: 1.

2. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence that:
(a) encodes the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID
NO: 2; and (b) hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof.

3. An isolated nucleic acid molecule according to Claim 1, wherein said NHP polynucleotide sequence encodes the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2.