EP1051481A1

EP1051481A1 - Secreted proteins and polynucleotides encoding them

Info

Publication number: EP1051481A1
Application number: EP99905538A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kenneth Jacobs; John M. Mccoy; Edward R. Lavallie; Lisa A. Collins-Racie; Cheryl Evans; David Merberg; Maurice Treacy; Michael J. Agostino; Robert J. Ii Steininger
Original assignee: Genetics Institute LLC
Current assignee: Genetics Institute LLC
Priority date: 1998-01-30
Filing date: 1999-01-28
Publication date: 2000-11-15
Also published as: JP2002507390A; EP1051481A4; CA2318911A1; AU2567999A; WO1999038959A1

Abstract

Novel polynucleotides and the proteins encoded thereby are disclosed.

Description

SECRETED PROTEINS AND POLYNUCLEOTIDES ENCODING THEM

This application is a continuation-in-part of provisional application Ser. No. 60/073,095, filed January 30, 1998, which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides novel polynucleotides and proteins encoded by such polynucleotides, along with therapeutic, diagnostic and research utilities for these polynucleotides and proteins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technology aimed at the discovery of protein factors (including e.g., cytokines, such as lymphokines, interferons, CSFs and interleukins) has matured rapidly over the past decade. The now routine hybridization cloning and expression cloning techniques clone novel polynucleotides "directly" in the sense that they rely on information directly related to the discovered protein (i.e., partial DNA/amino acid sequence of the protein in the case of hybridization cloning; activity of the protein in the case of expression cloning). More recent "indirect" cloning techniques such as signal sequence cloning, which isolates DNA sequences based on the presence of a now well-recognized secretory leader sequence motif, as well as various PCR-based or low stringency hybridization cloning techniques, have advanced the state of the art by making available large numbers of DNA/amino acid sequences for proteins that are known to have biological activity by virtue of their secreted nature in the case of leader sequence cloning, or by virtue of the cell or tissue source in the case of PCR-based techniques. It is to these proteins and the polynucleotides encoding them that the present invention is directed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one embodiment, the present invention provides a composition comprising an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:l;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1529 to nucleotide 1726;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726; (d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;

(i) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2; (j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above;

(k) a polynucleotide which encodes a species homologue of the protein of (h) or (i) above ; and

(1) a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(i).

Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1529 to nucleotide 1726; the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; or the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In yet other preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 from amino acid 1 to amino acid 53. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2, or a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 28 to amino acid 37 of SEQ ID NO:2.

Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:l.

Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynucleotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of: (a) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:l, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:l; and

(ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(ii) hybridizing said probe(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; and

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (ba) SEQ ID NO:l, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:l; and

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C;

(iii) amplifying human DNA sequences; and

(iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii).

Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:l, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:l to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:l , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:l. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1529 to nucleotide 1726, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of

SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1529 to nucleotide 1726, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1529 to nucleotide 1726. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID

NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;

(b) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 from amino acid 1 to amino acid 53;

(c) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2; and

(d) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 from amino acid 1 to amino acid 53. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 28 to amino acid 37 of SEQ ID NO:2. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a composition comprising an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 334 to nucleotide 597;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 478 to nucleotide 597;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4; (i) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:4;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; (k) a polynucleotide which encodes a species homologue of the protein of (h) or (i) above ; and

(1) a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(i). Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID

NO:3 from nucleotide 334 to nucleotide 597; the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 478 to nucleotide 597; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone cbllO_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; or the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone cbllO_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:4, or a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 39 to amino acid 48 of SEQ ID NO:4. Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ

ID NO:3.

Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynucleotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of: (a) a process comprising the steps of: (i) preparing one or more polynucleotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:3, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:3; and (ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said probe(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; and (iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of: (i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(ba) SEQ ID NO:3, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:3; and (bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone cbllO_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (iii) amplifying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii).

Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:3 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:3 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:3. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 334 to nucleotide 597, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 334 to nucleotide 597, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 334 to nucleotide 597. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 478 to nucleotide 597, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 478 to nucleotide 597, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 478 to nucleotide 597.

In other embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:4; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cbllO_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:4, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino add sequence from amino acid 39 to amino acid 48 of SEQ ID NO:4.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a composition comprising an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 191 to nucleotide 1132; (c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID

NO:5 from nucleotide 290 to nucleotide 1132;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (g) a polynucleotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6; (i) a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:6;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of (a)-(g) above;

(k) a polynudeotide which encodes a species homologue of the protein of (h) or (i) above ; and

NO:5 from nucleotide 191 to nucleotide 1132; the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nudeotide 290 to nudeotide 1132; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; or the nudeotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:6, or a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 152 to amino acid 161 of

SEQ ID NO:6. Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ

ID NO:5.

Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynucleotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of: (a) a process comprising the steps of: (i) preparing one or more polynucleotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:5, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:5; and (ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said probe(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; and (iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(ba) SEQ ID NO:5, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:5; and

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C;

(iii) amplifying human DNA sequences; and

(iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii). Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:5 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:5 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:5. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 191 to nucleotide 1132, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of

SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 191 to nucleotide 1132, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 191 to nucleotide 1132. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID

NO:5 from nucleotide 290 to nucleotide 1132, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from

10 nucleotide 290 to nucleotide 1132, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 290 to nucleotide 1132.

In other embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino acid sequence selerted from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:6; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:6, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 152 to amino acid 161 of SEQ ID NO:6.

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nucleotide 1898; (c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(d) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (e) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynudeotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

11 (g) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:8;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:8;

(i) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of (a)-(f) above;

(j) a polynucleotide which encodes a species homologue of the protein of (g) or (h) above ; and (k) a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(h).

Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nucleotide 1898; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; or the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:8, or a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 189 to amino acid 198 of SEQ ID NO:8.

Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:7.

Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynudeotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of: (a) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

12 (aa) SEQ ID NO:7, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:7; and

(ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said probe(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; and

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and (b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence seleded from the group consisting of:

(ba) SEQ ID NO:7, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:7; and

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (iii) amplifying human DNA sequences; and

(iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii). Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:7, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:7 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:7 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:7. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nucleotide 1898, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nucleotide 1898, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nucleotide 1898.

13 In other embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino add sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8; (b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:8; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:8, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino add sequence from amino acid 189 to amino acid 198 of SEQ ID NO:8.

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 308 to nucleotide 592;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 377 to nucleotide 592; (d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

14 (h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:10;

(i) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:10;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above;

(k) a polynucleotide which encodes a species homologue of the protein of (h) or (i) above ; and (1) a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(i).

Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 308 to nudeotide 592; the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 377 to nucleotide 592; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; or the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:10, or a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 42 to amino acid 51 of SEQ ID NO:10.

Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:9.

Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynucleotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynudeotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

15 (aa) SEQ ID NO:9, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:9; and

(ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of done gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said probe(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; and

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and (b) a process comprising the steps of :

(ba) SEQ ID NO:9, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:9; and

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of done gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(ϋi). Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:9, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:9 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:9 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:9. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 308 to nucleotide 592, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 308 to nucleotide 592, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 308 to nucleotide 592. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 377 to nucleotide 592, and extending contiguously from a

16 nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nudeotide 377 to nudeotide 592, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 377 to nucleotide 592.

In other embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:10; and (c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:10 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:10, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:10 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 42 to amino acid 51 of SEQ ID NO:10. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a composition comprising an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 124 to nucleotide 1881;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 325 to nucleotide 1881;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

17 (f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12;

(i) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 12;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above;

Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 124 to nucleotide 1881; the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 325 to nucleotide 1881; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone hbl041_2 deposited tinder accession number ATCC 98647; or the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:12, or a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 288 to amino acid 297 of SEQ ID NO:12.

Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll.

18 Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynudeotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:ll, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:ll; and

(ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (ba) SEQ ID NO:ll, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the

3' end of SEQ ID NO:ll; and

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C;

(iii) amplifying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii). Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ

ID NO:ll to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:ll , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:ll. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 124 to nucleotide

19 1881, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 124 to nucleotide 1881, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 124 to nucleotide 1881. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 325 to nucleotide 1881, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11 from nucleotide 325 to nucleotide 1881, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 325 to nucleotide 1881. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino add sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:12; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:12 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:12, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 288 to amino acid 297 of SEQ ID NO:12.

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nudeotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13; (b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID

NO:13 from nucleotide 163 to nucleotide 1431;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

20 (d) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynudeotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14; (h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:14;

(i) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(f) above; (j) a polynudeotide which encodes a spedes homologue of the protein of (g) or (h) above ; and

(k) a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(h).

Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13 from nucleotide 163 to nucleotide 1431; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC

98647; or the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:14, or a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino add sequence from amino add 206 to amino acid 215 of SEQ ID NO:14.

Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:13.

21 Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynucleotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynudeotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence seleded from the group consisting of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:13, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:13; and

(ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of done mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (ba) SEQ ID NO:13, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the

3' end of SEQ ID NO:13; and

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C;

(iii) amplifying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii). Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:13, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ

ID NO:13 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:13 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:13. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:13 from nudeotide 163 to nudeotide

22 1431, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:13 from nudeotide 163 to nudeotide 1431, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:13 from nucleotide 163 to nucleotide 1431. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:14; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:14 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO: 14, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 206 to amino acid 215 of SEQ ID NO:14.

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:15; (b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID

NO:15 from nucleotide 653 to nucleotide 934;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 878 to nucleotide 934;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

23 (f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynudeotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16;

(i) a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:16;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above;

(k) a polynucleotide which encodes a spedes homologue of the protein of (h) or (i) above ; and (1) a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(i).

Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 653 to nucleotide 934; the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 878 to nucleotide 934; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; or the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:16, or a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 42 to amino acid 51 of SEQ ID NO:16.

Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:15.

24 Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynudeotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:15, but exduding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:15; and

(ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (ba) SEQ ID NO:15, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the

3' end of SEQ ID NO:15; and

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C;

(iii) amplifying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii). Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:15, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ

ID NO:15 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:15 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:15. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 653 to nucleotide

25 934, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 653 to nucleotide 934, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 from nucleotide 653 to nudeotide 934. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15 from nucleotide 878 to nucleotide 934, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 878 to nucleotide 934, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 878 to nucleotide 934. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a protein, wherein said protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:16; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:16, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:16 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino add 42 to amino acid 51 of SEQ ID NO:16.

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:17; (b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID

NO:17 from nucleotide 72 to nucleotide 1319;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nucleotide 1319;

26 (d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18;

(i) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:18;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above;

Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 72 to nucleotide 1319; the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nucleotide 1319; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; or the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:18, or a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18 having

27 biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino add sequence from amino add 202 to amino acid 211 of SEQ ID NO:18.

Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:17. Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynucleotides produced according to a process selected from the group consisting of: (a) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynudeotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:17, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:17; and

(ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of done na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (ii) hybridizing said probe(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; and

(ba) SEQ ID NO:17, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:17; and

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii). Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:17, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ

28 ID NO:17 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:17 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:17. Also preferably the polynudeotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 72 to nucleotide 1319, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 72 to nucleotide 1319, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 72 to nudeotide 1319. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nucleotide 1319, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nucleotide 1319, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nucleotide 1319.

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:18; and (c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:18, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:18 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 202 to amino acid 211 of SEQ ID NO:18. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a composition comprising an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19;

29 (b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 2848 to nucleotide 3048;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048; (d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number

ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynudeotide encoding a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; (h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20;

(i) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:20; (j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above;

(1) a polynudeotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(i).

Preferably, such polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nudeotide 2848 to nudeotide 3048; the nudeotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048; the nucleotide sequence of the full-length protein coding sequence of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; or the nudeotide sequence of a mature protein coding sequence of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In other preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide encodes the full-length or a mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of done na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647. In yet other preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein

30 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 from amino acid 5 to amino add 62. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:20, or a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino add sequence from amino acid 28 to amino acid 37 of SEQ ID NO:20.

Other embodiments provide the gene corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:19.

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:19, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:19; and

(ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (ba) SEQ ID NO:19, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the

3' end of SEQ ID NO:19; and

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

31 (ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C;

(iii) amplifying human DNA sequences; and

(iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii). Preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:19, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ

ID NO:19 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:19 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:19. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nudeotide 2848 to nudeotide

3048, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 2848 to nucleotide 3048, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 from nucleotide 2848 to nucleotide 3048. Also preferably the polynucleotide isolated according to the above process comprises a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of

SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048.

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20; (b) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 from amino acid 5 to amino acid 62;

(c) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:20; and

(d) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins. Preferably such protein comprises the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 or the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 from amino add 5 to amino acid 62. In further preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid

32 sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 having biological activity, the fragment preferably comprising eight (more preferably twenty, most preferably thirty) consecutive amino adds of SEQ ID NO:20, or a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 having biological activity, the fragment comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid 28 to amino acid 37 of SEQ ID NO:20.

In certain preferred embodiments, the polynucleotide is operably linked to an expression control sequence. The invention also provides a host cell, including bacterial, yeast, insert and mammalian cells, transformed with such polynucleotide compositions. Also provided by the present invention are organisms that have enhanced, reduced, or modified expression of the gene(s) corresponding to the polynucleotide sequences disclosed herein.

Processes are also provided for producing a protein, which comprise:

(a) growing a culture of the host cell transformed with such polynucleotide compositions in a suitable culture medium; and (b) purifying the protein from the culture.

The protein produced according to such methods is also provided by the present invention.

Protein compositions of the present invention may further comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Compositions comprising an antibody which specifically reacts with such protein are also provided by the present invention.

Methods are also provided for preventing, treating or ameliorating a medical condition which comprises administering to a mammalian subject a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a protein of the present invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figures 1 A and IB are schematic representations of the pED6 and pNOTs vectors, respectively, used for deposit of clones disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

ISOLATED PROTEINS AND POLYNUCLEOTIDES

Nucleotide and amino acid sequences, as presently determined, are reported below for each clone and protein disclosed in the present application. The nucleotide sequence of each clone can readily be determined by sequencing of the deposited clone

33 in accordance with known methods. The predicted amino add sequence (both full-length and mature forms) can then be determined from such nucleotide sequence. The amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by a particular clone can also be determined by expression of the clone in a suitable host cell, collecting the protein and determining its sequence. For each disclosed protein applicants have identified what they have determined to be the reading frame best identifiable with sequence information available at the time of filing.

As used herein a "secreted" protein is one which, when expressed in a suitable host cell, is transported across or through a membrane, including transport as a result of signal sequences in its amino acid sequence. "Secreted" proteins include without limitation proteins secreted wholly (e.g., soluble proteins) or partially (e.g. , receptors) from the cell in which they are expressed. "Secreted" proteins also include without limitation proteins which are transported across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Clone "bn69 15"

A polynudeotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "bn69_15". bn69_15 was isolated from a human adult placenta cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. bn69_15 is a full-length clone, including the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "bn69_15 protein").

The nucleotide sequence of bn69_15 as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:l, and indudes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the bn69_15 protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:2. Amino acids 47 to 59 of SEQ ID NO:2 are a predicted leader/signal sequence, with the predicted mature amino acid sequence beginning at amino add 60. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the predicted leader/signal sequence, it is likely to act as a transmembrane domain should the predided leader/signal sequence not be separated from the remainder of the bn69_15 protein. Another potential bn69_15 reading frame and predicted amino add sequence is encoded by basepairs 1008 to 1352 of SEQ ID NO:l and is reported in SEQ ID NO:31.

34 The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing done bn69_15 should be approximately 2800 bp.

The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for bn69_15 was searched against the GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. bn69_15 demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as H80692 (yvOlblO.rl Homo sapiens cDNA clone 241435 5'), T64701 (yc48d02.rl Homo sapiens cDNA clone 83907 5'), and W21368 (zb59c01.rl Soares fetal lung NbHL19W Homo sapiens cDNA clone 307872 5' similar to gb:M83186 CYTOCHROME C OXIDASE POLYPEPTIDE VIIA-HEART PRECURSOR (HUMAN)). Based upon sequence similarity, bn69_15 proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity. The TopPredll computer program predicts an additional potential transmembrane domain within the bn69_15 protein sequence centered around amino acid 32 of SEQ ID NO:2.

Clone "cbllO 1"

A polynudeotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "cbll0_l". cbll0_l was isolated from a human fetal brain cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. cbll0_l is a full-length clone, including the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "cbll0_l protein").

The nucleotide sequence of cbll0_l as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:3, and includes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the cbll0_l protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:4. Amino adds 36 to 48 of SEQ ID NO:4 are a predicted leader/ signal sequence, with the predicted mature amino acid sequence beginning at amino add 49. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the predicted leader/signal sequence, it is likely to act as a transmembrane domain should the predicted leader/signal sequence not be separated from the remainder of the cbll0_l protein.

The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing clone cbll0_l should be approximately 900 bp.

35 The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for cbll0_l was searched against the GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. cbllO_l demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as AC001083 (Homo sapiens (subclone 2_a6 from BAC H75) DNA sequence, complete sequence), D28485 (Human MSMB gene for beta-microseminoprotein (MSP), promoter region and exonl), and Z98052 (Human DNA sequence *** SEQUENCING IN PROGRESS *** from clone 505B13; HTGS phase 1). Based upon sequence similarity, cbllO_l proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity.

Clone "ch4 11"

A polynucleotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "ch4_ll". ch4_ll was isolated from a human fetal kidney cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. ch4_ll is a full-length clone, including the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "ch4_ll protein").

The nudeotide sequence of ch4_ll as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:5, and includes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the ch4_l 1 protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:6. Amino acids 21 to 33 of SEQ ID NO:6 are a predicted leader /signal sequence, with the predicted mature amino add sequence beginning at amino add 34. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the predicted leader /signal sequence, it is likely to act as a transmembrane domain should the predicted leader/signal sequence not be separated from the remainder of the ch4_ll protein.

The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing done ch4_ll should be approximately 1600 bp.

The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for ch4_ll was searched against the GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. ch4_ll demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as AA318160 (EST20431 Retina LT Homo sapiens cDNA 5' end), R94133 (yt74g06.rl Soares fetal liver spleen 1NFLS Homo sapiens cDNA clone 276275 5'), and W27798 (37hl Human retina cDNA randomly primed sublibrary Homo sapiens). The predicted amino acid sequence disclosed herein for ch4_ll was searched against the

36 GenPept and GeneSeq amino add sequence databases using the BLASTX search protocol. The predicted ch4_ll protein demonstrated at least some similarity to sequences identified as L28819 (involucrin [Mus musculus]). The ch4_ll protein is the human homologue of the mouse K483_l protein (see GenBank 180067 and 180068, GeneSeq V09119, V09120, and W42028, and U.S. Patent No. 5,708,157). Based upon sequence similarity, ch4_ll proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity. The TopPredll computer program predicts three potential transmembrane domains within the ch4_ll protein sequence centered around amino acids 28, 189, and 280 of SEQ ID NO:6, respectively.

Clone "cn621 8"

A polynudeotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "cn621_8". cn621_8 was isolated from a human fetal brain cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino add sequence of the encoded protein. cn621_8 is a full-length done, including the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "cn621_8 protein").

The nucleotide sequence of cn621_8 as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:7, and includes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the cn621_8 protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:8.

The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing clone cn621_8 should be approximately 3500 bp. The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for cn621_8 was searched against the

GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. cn621_8 demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as W18181 (IMAGE:20099 Soares infant brain 1NIB Homo sapiens cDNA clone 20099), W60570 (zd26g04.rl Soares fetal heart NbHH19W Homo sapiens cDNA clone 3418145'), W60661 (zd26g04.sl Soares fetal heart NbHH19W Homo sapiens cDNA done), and Z84474 (Human DNA sequence from PAC 111M5 on chromosome 6. Contains BBC1, RFP finger protein, EST, STS, tRNAs and polymorphic repeat). The predicted amino add sequence disdosed herein for cn621_8 was searched against the GenPept and GeneSeq amino add sequence databases using the BLASTX search protocol. The predicted cn621_8

37 protein demonstrated at least some similarity to sequences identified as L35279 (BMP-1 [Homo sapiens]), U91963 (tolloid-like (TLL) [Homo sapiens]), and X64414 (low density lipoprotein receptor [Mus musculus]). Based upon sequence similarity, cn621_8 proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity. The TopPredϋ computer program predicts a potential transmembrane domain within the cn621_8 protein sequence centered around amino acid 220 of SEQ ID NO:8.

Clone "gv621 1"

A polynucleotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "gy621_l". gy621_l was isolated from a human adult testes cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. gy621_l is a full-length clone, including the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "gy621_l protein").

The nucleotide sequence of gy621_l as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:9, and includes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the gy621_l protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:10. Amino adds 11 to 23 of SEQ ID NO:10 are a predicted leader/signal sequence, with the predicted mature amino add sequence beginning at amino add 24. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the predicted leader /signal sequence, it is likely to act as a transmembrane domain should the predicted leader/signal sequence not be separated from the remainder of the gy621_l protein. The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing clone gy621_l should be approximately 3800 bp.

The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for gy621_l was searched against the GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. gy621_l demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as AA166536 (ms63h05.rl Stratagene mouse embryonic carcinoma (#937317)

Mus musculus cDNA clone 616281 5'), AA416723 (zu08a04.sl Soares testis NHT Homo sapiens cDNA clone 731214 3'), and AA463756 (aa07a05.rl Soares NhHMPu SI Homo sapiens cDNA clone 812528 5'). Based upon sequence similarity, gy621_l proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity. The TopPredll computer

38 program predicts at least one additional potential transmembrane domains within the gy621_l protein sequence of SEQ ID NO:10. The nucleotide sequence of gy621_l indicates that it may contain one or more AC1 or AC2 repetitive elements.

Clone "hbl041 2"

A polynudeotide of the present invention has been identified as done "hbl041_2". hbl041_2 was isolated from a human fetal kidney cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. hbl041_2 is a full-length clone, induding the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "hbl041_2 protein").

The nudeotide sequence of hbl041_2 as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:ll, and indudes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the hbl041_2 protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:12. Amino adds 55 to 67 of SEQ ID NO:12 are a predicted leader/signal sequence, with the predicted mature amino add sequence beginning at amino add 68. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the predicted leader /signal sequence, it may act as a transmembrane domain should the predicted leader /signal sequence not be separated from the remainder of the hbl041_2 protein.

The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing clone hbl041_2 should be approximately 2450 bp.

The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for hbl041_2 was searched against the GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. hbl041_2 demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as AA050445 (mj21cl2.rl Soares mouse embryo NbME13.5 14.5 Mus musculus cDNA done 4767585'), AA087161 (mollb05.rl Life Tech mouse embryo 105dpc 10665016 Mus musculus cDNA clone 553233 5'), and W84558 (zd89hl0.sl Soares fetal heart NbHH19W Homo sapiens cDNA clone 3567073')- The predicted amino acid sequence disdosed herein for hbl041_2 was searched against the GenPept and GeneSeq amino add sequence databases using the BLASTX search protocol. The predicted hbl041_2 protein demonstrated at least some similarity to sequences identified as AB000459 (unnamed

39 protein product [Homo sapiens]). Based upon sequence similarity, hbl041_2 proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity.

Clone "mh703 1" A polynucleotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "mh703_l". mh703_l was isolated from a human adult brain (thalamus) cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No.5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. mh703_l is a full-length clone, induding the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "mh703_l protein").

The nudeotide sequence of mh703_l as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:13, and indudes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the mh703_l protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:14.

The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing clone mh703_l should be approximately 1700 bp.

The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for mh703_l was searched against the GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. mh703_l demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as AA173536 (zp04e07.rl Stratagene ovarian cancer (#937219) Homo sapiens cDNA clone 5954285'), AA173577 (zp04e07.sl Stratagene ovarian cancer (#937219) Homo sapiens cDNA done 5954283'), AA278788 (zs79a09.rl NCI_CGAP_GCB1 Homo sapiens cDNA clone IMAGE 7036725" similar to TR E189399 E189399 HYPOTHETICAL 51.4 KD PROTEIN), and T26646 (Human gene signature HUMGS08893). The predicted amino acid sequence disclosed herein for mh703_l was searched against the GenPept and GeneSeq amino acid sequence databases using the BLASTX search protocol. The predicted mh703_l protein demonstrated at least some similarity to sequences identified as R85881 (WD-40 domain-contg. YCW2 protein) and U80447 (similar to the beta transducin family [Caenorhabditis elegans]). mh703_l protein contains at least two beta- transducin family Trp- Asp repeat signature motifs, and also contains the WD-40 motif of G-proteins. Based upon sequence similarity, mh703_l proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity.

40 mh703_l protein was expressed in a COS cell expression system, and an expressed protein band of approximately 51 kDa was detected in conditioned medium using SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Clone "na461 19"

A polynucleotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "na461_19". na461_19 was isolated from a human adult brain (corpus callosum) cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. na461_19 is a full-length clone, including the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "na461_19 protein").

The nucleotide sequence of na461_19 as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:15, and includes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the na461_19 protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:16. Amino adds 63 to 75 of SEQ ID NO:16 are a predicted leader/signal sequence, with the predicted mature amino acid sequence beginning at amino acid 76. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the predicted leader /signal sequence, it is likely to act as a transmembrane domain should the predicted leader/signal sequence not be separated from the remainder of the na461_19 protein.

The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing clone na461_19 should be approximately 2300 bp.

The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for na461_19 was searched against the GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. na461_19 demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as AA032203 (zf01d04.sl Soares fetal heart NbHH19W Homo sapiens cDNA clone 3756553'), AA203707 (zx52cl2.rl Soares fetal liver spleen 1NFLS SI Homo sapiens cDNA clone 446134 5' similar to contains element MER2 repetitive element), AA262333 (zr70hll.sl Soares NhHMPu SI Homo sapiens cDNA clone 668805 3'), AA318276

(EST20340 Retina II Homo sapiens cDNA 5' end), AA436588 (zv08el2.rl Soares NhHMPu SI Homo sapiens cDNA clone 753070 5'), and T21229 (Human gene signature HUMGS02545). Based upon sequence similarity, na461_19 proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity.

41 Clone "na492 2"

A polynudeotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "na492_2". na492_2 was isolated from a human adult brain (corpus callosum) cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. na492_2 is a full- length clone, including the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "na492_2 protein").

The nucleotide sequence of na492_2 as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:17, and indudes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the na492_2 protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:18. Amino acids 321 to 333 of SEQ ID NO:18 are a predicted leader/ signal sequence, with the predicted mature amino acid sequence beginning at amino acid 334. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the predicted leader /signal sequence, it is likely to act as a transmembrane domain should the predicted leader/signal sequence not be separated from the remainder of the na492_2 protein.

The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing clone na492_2 should be approximately 1800 bp. The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for na492_2 was searched against the

GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. na492_2 demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as AA514389 (nf57b05.sl NCI_CGAP_Co3 Homo sapiens cDNA clone IMAGE:923985), H81154 (yu60f02.rl Homo sapiens cDNA clone 230523 5'), and R89359 (yq05c05.sl Homo sapiens cDNA clone 196040 3'). The predicted amino acid sequence disclosed herein for na492_2 was searched against the GenPept and GeneSeq amino acid sequence databases using the BLASTX search protocol. The predicted na492_2 protein demonstrated at least some similarity to sequences identified as AB004534 (pi015 [Schizosaccharomyces pombe]). Based upon sequence similarity, na492_2 proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity. The TopPredll computer program predicts two potential transmembrane domains within the na492_2 protein sequence, one centered around amino add 350 and another around amino add 370 of SEQ ID NO:18.

42 Clone "na669 10"

A polynudeotide of the present invention has been identified as clone "na669_10". na669_10 was isolated from a human adult brain (corpus callosum) cDNA library using methods which are selective for cDNAs encoding secreted proteins (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637), or was identified as encoding a secreted or transmembrane protein on the basis of computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. na669_10 is a full-length clone, induding the entire coding sequence of a secreted protein (also referred to herein as "na669_10 protein").

The nudeotide sequence of na669_10 as presently determined is reported in SEQ ID NO:19, and indudes a poly(A) tail. What applicants presently believe to be the proper reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of the na669_10 protein corresponding to the foregoing nucleotide sequence is reported in SEQ ID NO:20. Amino adds 40 to 52 of SEQ ID NO:20 are a predicted leader /signal sequence, with the predided mature amino acid sequence beginning at amino acid 53. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the predicted leader /signal sequence, it is likely to act as a transmembrane domain should the predicted leader/signal sequence not be separated from the remainder of the na669_10 protein.

The EcoRI/NotI restriction fragment obtainable from the deposit containing done na669_10 should be approximately 3300 bp. The nucleotide sequence disclosed herein for na669_10 was searched against the

GenBank and GeneSeq nucleotide sequence databases using BLASTN/BLASTX and FASTA search protocols. na669_10 demonstrated at least some similarity with sequences identified as AA035207 (zk27hll.sl Soares pregnant uterus NbHPU Homo sapiens cDNA clone 471813 3'), AA429797 (zw57dl0.rl Soares total fetus Nb2HF8 9w Homo sapiens cDNA clone 774163 5'), AA512946 (nh91d01.sl NCI_CGAP_Brt.l Homo sapiens cDNA clone IMAGE:965857), C20746 (HUMGS0004776, Human Gene Signature), and N33343 (yy08d08.sl Homo sapiens cDNA clone 270639 3'). Based upon sequence similarity, na669_10 proteins and each similar protein or peptide may share at least some activity. The TopPredll computer program predicts two potential transmembrane domains within the na669_10 protein sequence, one centered around amino acid 11 and another around amino acid 46 of SEQ ID NO:20.

43 Deposit of Clones

Clones bn69_15, cbllO_l, ch4_ll, cn621_8, gy621_l, hbl041_2, mh703_l, na461_19, na492_2, and na669_10 were deposited on January 30, 1998 with the American Type Culture Collection (10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Virginia 20110-2209 U.S.A.) as an original deposit under the Budapest Treaty and were given the accession number ATCC 98647, from which each clone comprising a particular polynucleotide is obtainable. All restrictions on the availability to the public of the deposited material will be irrevocably removed upon the granting of the patent, except for the requirements specified in 37 C.F.R. § 1.808(b), and the term of the deposit will comply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.806.

Each clone has been transfected into separate bacterial cells (E. coli) in this composite deposit. Each clone can be removed from the vector in which it was deposited by performing an EcoRI/NotI digestion (5' site, EcoRI; 3' site, NotI) to produce the appropriate fragment for such clone. Each clone was deposited in either the pED6 or pNOTs vector depicted in Figures 1A and IB, respectively. The pED6dpc2 vector ("pED6") was derived from pEDόdpcl by insertion of a new polylinker to facilitate cDNA cloning (Kaufman et al, 1991, Nucleic Acids Res. 19: 4485-4490); the pNOTs vector was derived from pMT2 (Kaufman et al, 1989, Mol. Cell. Biol. 9: 946-958) by deletion of the DHFR sequences, insertion of a new polylinker, and insertion of the M13 origin of replication in the Clal site. In some instances, the deposited clone can become "flipped" (i.e., in the reverse orientation) in the deposited isolate. In such instances, the cDNA insert can still be isolated by digestion with EcoRI and NotI. However, NotI will then produce the 5' site and EcoRI will produce the 3' site for placement of the cDNA in proper orientation for expression in a suitable vector. The cDNA may also be expressed from the vectors in which they were deposited.

Bacterial cells containing a particular clone can be obtained from the composite deposit as follows:

An oligonucleotide probe or probes should be designed to the sequence that is known for that particular clone. This sequence can be derived from the sequences provided herein, or from a combination of those sequences. The sequence of an oligonucleotide probe that was used to isolate or to sequence each full-length clone is identified below, and should be most reliable in isolating the clone of interest.

44 Clone Probe Sequence bn69_15 SEQ ID NO:21 cbllO_l SEQ ID NO:22 ch4_ll SEQ ID NO:23 cn621_8 SEQ ID NO:24 gy621_l SEQ ID NO:25 hbl041_2 SEQ ID NO:26 mh703_l SEQ ID NO:27 na461_19 SEQ ID NO:28 na492_2 SEQ ID NO:29 na669_10 SEQ ID NO:30

In the sequences listed above which include an N at position 2, that position is occupied in preferred probes /primers by a biotinylated phosphoaramidite residue rather than a nucleotide (such as, for example, that produced by use of biotin phosphoramidite (1- dimethoxytrityloxy-2-(N-biotinyl-4-aminobutyl)-propyl-3-O-(2-cyanoethyl)-(N,N- diisopropyl)-phosphoramadite) (Glen Research, cat. no. 10-1953)).

The design of the oligonucleotide probe should preferably follow these parameters: (a) It should be designed to an area of the sequence which has the fewest ambiguous bases ("N's"), if any;

(b) It should be designed to have a T_m of approx. 80 ° C (assuming 2° for each

A or T and 4 degrees for each G or C).

The oligonucleotide should preferably be labeled with γ-³²P ATP (specific activity 6000 Ci/mmole) and T4 polynucleotide kinase using commonly employed techniques for labeling oligonucleotides. Other labeling techniques can also be used. Unincorporated label should preferably be removed by gel filtration chromatography or other established methods. The amount of radioactivity incorporated into the probe should be quantitated by measurement in a scintillation counter. Preferably, specific activity of the resulting probe should be approximately 4e+6 dpm/pmole.

The bacterial culture containing the pool of full-length clones should preferably be thawed and 100 ul of the stock used to inoculate a sterile culture flask containing 25 ml of sterile L-broth containing ampicillin at 100 μg/ml. The culture should preferably be grown to saturation at 37°C, and the saturated culture should preferably be diluted in

45 fresh L-broth. Aliquots of these dilutions should preferably be plated to determine the dilution and volume which will yield approximately 5000 distinct and well-separated colonies on solid bacteriological media containing L-broth containing ampicillin at 100 μg/ml and agar at 1.5% in a 150 mm petri dish when grown overnight at 37°C. Other known methods of obtaining distinct, well-separated colonies can also be employed.

Standard colony hybridization procedures should then be used to transfer the colonies to nitrocellulose filters and lyse, denature and bake them.

The filter is then preferably incubated at 65°C for 1 hour with gentle agitation in 6X SSC (20X stock is 175.3 g Nad/liter, 88.2 g Na citrate/liter, adjusted to pH 7.0 with NaOH) containing 0.5% SDS, 100 μg/ml of yeast RNA, and 10 mM EDTA (approximately 10 mL per 150 mm filter). Preferably, the probe is then added to the hybridization mix at a concentration greater than or equal to le+6 dpm/mL. The filter is then preferably incubated at 65°C with gentle agitation overnight. The filter is then preferably washed in 500 mL of 2X SSC/0.5% SDS at room temperature without agitation, preferably followed by 500 mL of 2X SSC/0.1% SDS at room temperature with gentle shaking for 15 minutes. A third wash with 0.1X SSC/0.5% SDS at 65°C for 30 minutes to 1 hour is optional. The filter is then preferably dried and subjected to autoradiography for sufficient time to visualize the positives on the X-ray film. Other known hybridization methods can also be employed. The positive colonies are picked, grown in culture, and plasmid DNA isolated using standard procedures. The clones can then be verified by restriction analysis, hybridization analysis, or DNA sequencing.

Fragments of the proteins of the present invention which are capable of exhibiting biological activity are also encompassed by the present invention. Fragments of the protein may be in linear form or they may be cyclized using known methods, for example, as described in H.U. Saragovi, et al, Bio /Technology 10, 773-778 (1992) and in R.S. McDowell, et al, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 114, 9245-9253 (1992), both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Such fragments may be fused to carrier molecules such as immunoglobulins for many purposes, including increasing the valency of protein binding sites. For example, fragments of the protein may be fused through "linker" sequences to the Fc portion of an immunoglobulin. For a bivalent form of the protein, such a fusion could be to the Fc portion of an IgG molecule. Other immunoglobulin isotypes may also be used to generate such fusions. For example, a protein - IgM fusion would generate a decavalent form of the protein of the invention.

46 The present invention also provides both full-length and mature forms of the disdosed proteins. The full-length form of the such proteins is identified in the sequence listing by translation of the nucleotide sequence of each disclosed clone. The mature form(s) of such protein may be obtained by expression of the disclosed full-length polynucleotide (preferably those deposited with ATCC) in a suitable mammalian cell or other host cell. The sequence(s) of the mature form(s) of the protein may also be determinable from the amino acid sequence of the full-length form.

The present invention also provides genes corresponding to the polynucleotide sequences disclosed herein. "Corresponding genes" are the regions of the genome that are transcribed to produce the mRNAs from which cDNA polynucleotide sequences are derived and may include contiguous regions of the genome necessary for the regulated expression of such genes. Corresponding genes may therefore include but are not limited to coding sequences, 5' and 3' untranslated regions, alternatively spliced exons, introns, promoters, enhancers, and silencer or suppressor elements. The corresponding genes can be isolated in accordance with known methods using the sequence information disclosed herein. Such methods include the preparation of probes or primers from the disclosed sequence information for identification and /or amplification of genes in appropriate genomic libraries or other sources of genomic materials. An "isolated gene" is a gene that has been separated from the adjacent coding sequences, if any, present in the genome of the organism from which the gene was isolated.

The chromosomal location corresponding to the polynucleotide sequences disclosed herein may also be determined, for example by hybridizing appropriately labeled polynucleotides of the present invention to chromosomes in situ. It may also be possible to determine the corresponding chromosomal location for a disclosed polynucleotide by identifying significantly similar nucleotide sequences in public databases, such as expressed sequence tags (ESTs), that have already been mapped to particular chromosomal locations. For at least some of the polynucleotide sequences disclosed herein, public database sequences having at least some similarity to the polynucleotide of the present invention have been listed by database accession number. Searches using the GenBank accession numbers of these public database sequences can then be performed at an Internet site provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information having the address http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/UniGene/, in order to identify "UniGene clusters" of overlapping sequences. Many of the "UniGene clusters" so identified will already have been mapped to particular chromosomal sites.

47 Organisms that have enhanced, reduced, or modified expression of the gene(s) corresponding to the polynucleotide sequences disclosed herein are provided. The desired change in gene expression can be achieved through the use of antisense polynucleotides or ribozymes that bind and/or cleave the mRNA transcribed from the gene (Albert and Morris, 1994, Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 15(7): 250-254; Lavarosky et al, 1997, Biochem. Mol. Med. 62(1): 11-22; and Hampel, 1998, Prog. Nucleic Acid Res. Mol. Biol. 58: 1- 39; all of which are incorporated by reference herein). Transgenic animals that have multiple copies of the gene(s) corresponding to the polynucleotide sequences disclosed herein, preferably produced by transformation of cells with genetic constructs that are stably maintained within the transformed cells and their progeny, are provided. Transgenic animals that have modified genetic control regions that increase or reduce gene expression levels, or that change temporal or spatial patterns of gene expression, are also provided (see European Patent No. 0 649464 Bl, incorporated by reference herein). In addition, organisms are provided in which the gene(s) corresponding to the polynucleotide sequences disclosed herein have been partially or completely inactivated, through insertion of extraneous sequences into the corresponding gene(s) or through deletion of all or part of the corresponding gene(s). Partial or complete gene inactivation can be accomplished through insertion, preferably followed by imprecise excision, of transposable elements (Plasterk, 1992, Bioessays 14(9): 629-633; Zwaal et al, 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90(16): 7431-7435; Clark et al, 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91(2): 719-722; all of which are incorporated by reference herein), or through homologous recombination, preferably detected by positive/negative genetic selection strategies (Mansour et al, 1988, Nature 336: 348-352; U.S. Patent Nos.5,464,764; 5,487,992; 5,627,059; 5,631,153; 5,614, 396; 5,616,491; and 5,679,523; all of which are incorporated by reference herein). These organisms with altered gene expression are preferably eukaryotes and more preferably are mammals. Such organisms are useful for the development of non-human models for the study of disorders involving the corresponding gene(s), and for the development of assay systems for the identification of molecules that interact with the protein product(s) of the corresponding gene(s). Where the protein of the present invention is membrane-bound (e.g., is a receptor), the present invention also provides for soluble forms of such protein. In such forms, part or all of the intracellular and transmembrane domains of the protein are deleted such that the protein is fully secreted from the cell in which it is expressed. The intracellular and transmembrane domains of proteins of the invention can be identified in accordance with

48 known techniques for determination of such domains from sequence information. For example, the TopPredll computer program can be used to predict the location of transmembrane domains in an amino add sequence, domains which are described by the location of the center of the transmsmbrane domain, with at least ten transmembrane amino acids on each side of the reported central residue(s).

Proteins and protein fragments of the present invention include proteins with amino acid sequence lengths that are at least 25%(more preferably at least 50%, and most preferably at least 75%) of the length of a disdosed protein and have at least 60% sequence identity (more preferably, at least 75% identity; most preferably at least 90% or 95% identity) with that disdosed protein, where sequence identity is determined by comparing the amino acid sequences of the proteins when aligned so as to maximize overlap and identity while minimizing sequence gaps. Also included in the present invention are proteins and protein fragments that contain a segment preferably comprising 8 or more (more preferably 20 or more, most preferably 30 or more) contiguous amino acids that shares at least 75% sequence identity (more preferably, at least 85% identity; most preferably at least 95% identity) with any such segment of any of the disclosed proteins.

In particular, sequence identity may be determined using WU-BLAST

(Washington University BLAST) version 2.0 software, which builds upon WU-BLAST version 1.4, which in turn is based on the public domain NCBI-BLAST version 1.4 (Altschul and Gish, 1996, Local alignment statistics, Doolittle ed., Methods in Enzymology

266: 460-480; Altschul et al, 1990, Basic local alignment search tool, Journal of Molecular Biology 215: 403-410; Gish and States, 1993, Identification of protein coding regions by database similarity search, Nature Genetics 3: 266-272; Karlin and Altschul, 1993, Applications and statistics for multiple high-scoring segments in molecular sequences, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90: 5873-5877; all of which are incorporated by reference herein). WU-BLAST version 2.0 executable programs for several UNIX platforms can be downloaded from ftp://blast.wustl.edu/blast/executables. The complete suite of search programs (BLASTP, BLASTN, BLASTX, TBLASTN, and TBLASTX) is provided at that site, in addition to several support programs. WU-BLAST 2.0 is copyrighted a d may not be sold or redistributed in any form or manner without the express written consent of the author; but the posted executables may otherwise be freely used for commercial, nonprofit, or academic purposes. In all search programs in the suite

49 - BLASTP, BLASTN, BLASTX, TBLASTN and TBLASTX - the gapped alignment routines are integral to the database search itself, and thus yield much better sensitivity and selectivity while producing the more easily interpreted output. Gapping can optionally be turned off in all of these programs, if desired. The default penalty (Q) for a gap of length one is Q=9 for proteins and BLASTP, and Q=10 for BLASTN, but may be changed to any integer value including zero, one through eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve through twenty, twenty-one through fifty, fifty-one through one hundred, etc. The default per-residue penalty for extending a gap (R) is R=2 for proteins and BLASTP, and R=10 for BLASTN, but may be changed to any integer value including zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve through twenty, twenty-one through fifty, fifty-one through one hundred, etc. Any combination of values for Q and R can be used in order to align sequences so as to maximize overlap and identity while minimizing sequence gaps. The default amino acid comparison matrix is BLOSUM62, but other amino add comparison matrices such as PAM can be utilized. Species homologues of the disdosed polynucleotides and proteins are also provided by the present invention. As used herein, a "species homologue" is a protein or polynucleotide with a different species of origin from that of a given protein or polynucleotide, but with significant sequence similarity to the given protein or polynucleotide. Preferably, polynucleotide species homologues have at least 60% sequence identity (more preferably, at least 75% identity; most preferably at least 90% identity) with the given polynucleotide, and protein species homologues have at least 30% sequence identity (more preferably, at least 45% identity; most preferably at least 60% identity) with the given protein, where sequence identity is determined by comparing the nucleotide sequences of the polynucleotides or the amino acid sequences of the proteins when aligned so as to maximize overlap and identity while minimizing sequence gaps. Species homologues may be isolated and identified by making suitable probes or primers from the sequences provided herein and screening a suitable nucleic acid source from the desired species. Preferably, species homologues are those isolated from mammalian spedes. Most preferably, species homologues are those isolated from certain mammalian species such as, for example, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, Pongo pygmaeus, Hylobates concolor, Macaca mulatta, Papio papio, Papio hamadryas, Cercopithecus aethiops, Cebus capucinus, Aotus trivirgatus, Sanguinus oedipus, Microcebus murinus, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus,

50 Cricetulus griseus, Felis catus, Mustek vison, Canisfamiliaris, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Bos taurus, Ovis aries, Sus scrofa, and Equus caballus, for which genetic maps have been created allowing the identification of syntenic relationships between the genomic organization of genes in one spedes and the genomic organization of the related genes in another species (O'Brien and Seuanez, 1988, Ann. Rev. Genet. 22: 323-351; O'Brien et al, 1993, Nature Genetics 3:103-112; Johansson et al, 1995, Genomics 25: 682-690; Lyons et al, 1997, Nature Genetics 15: 47-56; O'Brien et al, 1997, Trends in Genetics 13(10): 393-399; Carver and Stubbs, 1997, Genome Research 7:1123-1137; all of which are incorporated by reference herein).

The invention also encompasses allelic variants of the disclosed polynucleotides or proteins; that is, naturally-occurring alternative forms of the isolated polynucleotides which also encode proteins which are identical or have significantly similar sequences to those encoded by the disclosed polynucleotides. Preferably, allelic variants have at least 60% sequence identity (more preferably, at least 75% identity; most preferably at least 90% identity) with the given polynucleotide, where sequence identity is determined by comparing the nucleotide sequences of the polynucleotides when aligned so as to maximize overlap and identity while minimizing sequence gaps. Allelic variants may be isolated and identified by making suitable probes or primers from the sequences provided herein and screening a suitable nucleic acid source from individuals of the appropriate species.

The invention also includes polynucleotides with sequences complementary to those of the polynucleotides disclosed herein.

The present invention also includes polynucleotides that hybridize under reduced stringency conditions, more preferably stringent conditions, and most preferably highly stringent conditions, to polynucleotides described herein. Examples of stringency conditions are shown in the table below: highly stringent conditions are those that are at least as stringent as, for example, conditions A-F; stringent conditions are at least as stringent as, for example, conditions G-L; and reduced stringency conditions are at least as stringent as, for example, conditions M-R.

51 Stringency Polynucleotide Hybrid Hybridization Temperature and Wash Condition Hybrid Length Buffer* Temperature (bp)* and Buffer*

A DNA.DNA ≥ 50 65°C, lxSSC -or- 65°C, 0.3xSSC

42°C; lxSSC, 50% formamide

B DNA:DNA <50 T_B ^», lxSSC V, lxSSC

C DNA:RNA ≥ 50 67°C, lxSSC -or- 67°C; 0.3xSSC

45 °C, lxSSC, 50% formamide

D DNA.RNA <50 i r_{) /} lXOo -- T_D*, lxSSC

E R A.RNA ≥ 50 70°C, lxSSC -or- 70°C, 0.3xSSC

50°C, lxSSC, 50% formamide

F RNA:RNA <50 T_F ^»; lxSSC V, lxSSC

G DNA:DNA ≥ 50 65°C, 4xSSC -or- 65°C, lxSSC

42 °C, 4xSSC, 50% formamide

H DNA.DNA <50 T_H*, 4xSSC T_H*, 4xSSC

I DNA.RNA ≥ 50 67°C, 4xSSC -or- 67°C, lxSSC

45°C, 4xSSC, 50% formamide

J DNA:RNA <50 T,*; 4xSSC T,*; 4xSSC

K RNArRNA ≥ 50 70°C; 4xSSC -or- 67°C, lxSSC

50°C, 4xSSC, 50% formamide

L RNA:RNA <50 T_L ^», 2xSSC T_L *, 2xSSC

M DNA:DNA ≥ 50 50°C, 4xSSC -or- 50°C, 2xSSC

40 °C; 6xSSC, 50% formamide

N DNA:DNA <50 T_N ^»; 6xSSC T_N ^», 6xSSC

O DNA:RNA ≥ 50 55°C, 4xSSC -or- 55°C; 2xSSC

42 °C, 6xSSC, 50% formamide

P DNA RNA <50 T_p ^»; 6xSSC T_P*; 6xSSC

Q RNA:RNA ≥ 50 60°C, 4xSSC -or- 60°C, 2xSSC

45 °C, 6xSSC, 50% formamide

R RNA:RNA <50 T_R*, 4xSSC , 4xSSC

* The hybrid length is that antiαpated for the hybridized regιon(s) of the hybridizing polynucleotides When hybridizing a polynucleotide to a target polynucleotide of unknown sequence, the hybrid length is assumed to be that of the hybridizing polynucleotide. When polynucleotides of known sequence are hybridized, the hybnd length can be determmed by aligning the sequences of the polynucleotides and identifying the region or regions of optimal sequence complementarity

⁺ SSPE (lxSSPE is 0.15M NaCl, lOmM NaHjPC and 1.25mM EDTA, pH 74) can be substituted for SSC (lxSSC is 0.15M NaCl and 15mM sodium citrate) in the hybndization and wash buffers; washes are performed for 15 minutes after hybridization is complete.

*T_B - T_R. The hybndization temperature for hybnds antiαpated to be less than 50 base pairs m length should be 5-10°C less than the melting temperature (T_m) of the hybrid, where T_m is determined accordmg to the following equations For hybnds less than 18 base pairs in length, T_m(°C) = 2(# of A + T bases) + 4(# of G + C bases). For hybnds between 18 and 49 base pairs m length, T_m(°C) = 81.5 + 16.6(log_]0[Na⁺]) + 041(%G+C) - (600/N), where N is the number of bases in the hybnd, and [Na⁺] is the concentration of sodium ions m the hybndization buffer ([Na⁺] for lxSSC = 0.165 M)

52 Additional examples of stringency conditions for polynucleotide hybridization are provided in Sambrook, J., E.F. Fritsch, and T. Maniatis, 1989, Molecular Cloning: A

Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, chapters 9 and 11, and Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, 1995, F.M. Ausubel et al., eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., sections 2.10 and 6.3-6.4, incorporated herein by reference.

Preferably, each such hybridizing polynucleotide has a length that is at least 25%(more preferably at least 50%, and most preferably at least 75%) of the length of the polynucleotide of the present invention to which it hybridizes, and has at least 60% sequence identity (more preferably, at least 75% identity; most preferably at least 90% or 95% identity) with the polynucleotide of the present invention to which it hybridizes, where sequence identity is determined by comparing the sequences of the hybridizing polynucleotides when aligned so as to maximize overlap and identity while minimizing sequence gaps.

The isolated polynucleotide of the invention may be operably linked to an expression control sequence such as the pMT2 or pED expression vectors disclosed in Kaufman et al, Nucleic Acids Res. 19, 4485-4490 (1991), in order to produce the protein recombinantly. Many suitable expression control sequences are known in the art. General methods of expressing recombinant proteins are also known and are exemplified in R. Kaufman, Methods in Enzymology 185, 537-566 (1990). As defined herein "operably linked" means that the isolated polynucleotide of the invention and an expression control sequence are situated within a vector or cell in such a way that the protein is expressed by a host cell which has been transformed (transfected) with the ligated polynucleotide /expression control sequence.

A number of types of cells may act as suitable host cells for expression of the protein. Mammalian host cells indude, for example, monkey COS cells, Chinese Hamster

Ovary (CHO) cells, human kidney 293 cells, human epidermal A431 cells, human Colo205 cells, 3T3 cells, CV-1 cells, other transformed primate cell lines, normal diploid cells, cell strains derived from i vitro culture of primary tissue, primary explants, HeLa cells, mouse L cells, BHK, HL-60, U937, HaK or Jurkat ceUs. Alternatively, it may be possible to produce the protein in lower eukaryotes such as yeast or in prokaryotes such as bacteria. Potentially suitable yeast strains include Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Kluyveromyces strains, Candida, or any yeast strain capable of expressing heterologous proteins. Potentially suitable bacterial strains include Escherichia coli. Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium, or any bacterial

53 strain capable of expressing heterologous proteins. If the protein is made in yeast or bacteria, it may be necessary to modify the protein produced therein, for example by phosphorylation or glycosylation of the appropriate sites, in order to obtain the functional protein. Such covalent attachments may be accomplished using known chemical or enzymatic methods.

The protein may also be produced by operably linking the isolated polynucleotide of the invention to suitable control sequences in one or more insect expression vectors, and employing an insect expression system. Materials and methods for baculovirus/insect cell expression systems are commercially available in kit form from, e.g., Invitrogen, San Diego, California, U.S.A. (the MaxBac® kit), and such methods are well known in the art, as described in Summers and Smith, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 1555 (1987), incorporated herein by reference. As used herein, an insect cell capable of expressing a polynucleotide of the present invention is "transformed." The protein of the invention may be prepared by culturing transformed host cells under culture conditions suitable to express the recombinant protein. The resulting expressed protein may then be purified from such culture (i.e., from culture medium or cell extracts) using known purification processes, such as gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. The purification of the protein may also include an affinity column containing agents which will bind to the protein; one or more column steps over such affinity resins as concanavalin A-agarose, heparin-toyopearl® or Cibacrom blue 3GA Sepharose®; one or more steps involving hydrophobic interaction chromatography using such resins as phenyl ether, butyl ether, or propyl ether; or immunoaffinity chromatography. Alternatively, the protein of the invention may also be expressed in a form which will facilitate purification. For example, it may be expressed as a fusion protein, such as those of maltose binding protein (MBP), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) or thioredoxin (TRX). Kits for expression and purification of such fusion proteins are commercially available from New England BioLabs (Beverly, MA), Pharmacia (Piscataway, NJ) and Invitrogen Corporation (Carlsbad, CA), respectively. The protein can also be tagged with an epitope and subsequently purified by using a specific antibody directed to such epitope. One such epitope ("Flag") is commercially available from the Eastman Kodak Company (New Haven, CT).

54 Finally, one or more reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP- HPLC) steps employing hydrophobic RP-HPLC media, e.g., silica gel having pendant methyl or other aliphatic groups, can be employed to further purify the protein. Some or all of the foregoing purification steps, in various combinations, can also be employed to provide a substantially homogeneous isolated recombinant protein. The protein thus purified is substantially free of other mammalian proteins and is defined in accordance with the present invention as an "isolated protein."

The protein of the invention may also be expressed as a product of transgenic animals, e.g., as a component of the milk of transgenic cows, goats, pigs, or sheep which are characterized by somatic or germ cells containing a nucleotide sequence encoding the protein.

The protein may also be produced by known conventional chemical synthesis. Methods for constructing the proteins of the present invention by synthetic means are known to those skilled in the art. The synthetically-constructed protein sequences, by virtue of sharing primary, secondary or tertiary structural and /or conformational characteristics with proteins may possess biological properties in common therewith, including protein activity. Thus, they may be employed as biologically active or immunological substitutes for natural, purified proteins in screening of therapeutic compounds and in immunological processes for the development of antibodies. The proteins provided herein also include proteins characterized by amino acid sequences similar to those of purified proteins but into which modification are naturally provided or deliberately engineered. For example, modifications in the peptide or DNA sequences can be made by those skilled in the art using known techniques. Modifications of interest in the protein sequences may include the alteration, substitution, replacement, insertion or deletion of a selected amino acid residue in the coding sequence. For example, one or more of the cysteine residues may be deleted or replaced with another amino acid to alter the conformation of the molecule. Techniques for such alteration, substitution, replacement, insertion or deletion are well known to those skilled in the art (see, e.g., U.S. Patent No.4,518,584). Preferably, such alteration, substitution, replacement, insertion or deletion retains the desired activity of the protein.

Other fragments and derivatives of the sequences of proteins which would be expected to retain protein activity in whole or in part and may thus be useful for screening or other immunological methodologies may also be easily made by those skilled in the art

55 given the disdosures herein. Such modifications are believed to be encompassed by the present invention.

USES AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

The polynudeotides and proteins of the present invention are expected to exhibit one or more of the uses or biological activities (including those associated with assays cited herein) identified below. Uses or activities described for proteins of the present invention may be provided by administration or use of such proteins or by administration or use of polynucleotides encoding such proteins (such as, for example, in gene therapies or vectors suitable for introduction of DNA).

Research Uses and Utilities

The polynucleotides provided by the present invention can be used by the research community for various purposes. The polynucleotides can be used to express recombinant protein for analysis, characterization or therapeutic use; as markers for tissues in which the corresponding protein is preferentially expressed (either constitutively or at a particular stage of tissue differentiation or development or in disease states); as molecular weight markers on Southern gels; as chromosome markers or tags (when labeled) to identify chromosomes or to map related gene positions; to compare with endogenous DNA sequences in patients to identify potential genetic disorders; as probes to hybridize and thus discover novel, related DNA sequences; as a source of information to derive PCR primers for genetic fingerprinting; as a probe to "subtract-out" known sequences in the process of discovering other novel polynucleotides; for selecting and making oligomers for attachment to a "gene chip" or other support, including for examination of expression patterns; to raise anti-protein antibodies using DNA immunization techniques; and as an antigen to raise anti-DNA antibodies or elicit another immune response. Where the polynudeotide encodes a protein which binds or potentially binds to another protein (such as, for example, in a receptor-ligand interaction), the polynucleotide can also be used in interaction trap assays (such as, for example, those described in Gyuris et al, 1993, Cell 75: 791-803 and in Rossi et al, 1997, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94: 8405-8410, all of which are incorporated by reference herein) to identify polynucleotides encoding the other protein with which binding occurs or to identify inhibitors of the binding interaction.

56 The proteins provided by the present invention can similarly be used in assay to determine biological activity, including in a panel of multiple proteins for high- throughput screening; to raise antibodies or to elidt another immune response; as a reagent (including the labeled reagent) in assays designed to quantitatively determine levels of the protein (or its receptor) in biological fluids; as markers for tissues in which the corresponding protein is preferentially expressed (either constitutively or at a particular stage of tissue differentiation or development or in a disease state); and, of course, to isolate correlative receptors or ligands. Where the protein binds or potentially binds to another protein (such as, for example, in a receptor-ligand interaction), the protein can be used to identify the other protein with which binding occurs or to identify inhibitors of the binding interaction. Proteins involved in these binding interactions can also be used to screen for peptide or small molecule inhibitors or agonists of the binding interaction.

Any or all of these research utilities are capable of being developed into reagent grade or kit format for commercialization as research products.

Methods for performing the uses listed above are well known to those skilled in the art. References disclosing such methods include without limitation "Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual", 2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Sambrook, J., E.F. Fritsch and T. Maniatis eds., 1989, and "Methods in Enzymology: Guide to Molecular Cloning Techniques", Academic Press, Berger, S.L. and A.R. Kimmel eds., 1987.

Nutritional Uses

Polynucleotides and proteins of the present invention can also be used as nutritional sources or supplements. Such uses include without limitation use as a protein or amino acid supplement, use as a carbon source, use as a nitrogen source and use as a source of carbohydrate. In such cases the protein or polynucleotide of the invention can be added to the feed of a particular organism or can be administered as a separate solid or liquid preparation, such as in the form of powder, pills, solutions, suspensions or capsules. In the case of microorganisms, the protein or polynucleotide of the invention can be added to the medium in or on which the microorganism is cultured.

Cytokine and Cell Proliferation /Differentiation Activity

A protein of the present invention may exhibit cytokine, cell proliferation (either inducing or inhibiting) or cell differentiation (either inducing or inhibiting) activity or may

57 induce production of other cytokines in certain cell populations. Many protein factors discovered to date, including all known cytokines, have exhibited activity in one or more factor-dependent cell proliferation assays, and hence the assays serve as a convenient confirmation of cytokine activity. The activity of a protein of the present invention is evidenced by any one of a number of routine factor dependent cell proliferation assays for cell lines including, without limitation, 32D, DA2, DA1G, T10, B9, B9/11, BaF3, MC9/G, M+ (preB M+), 2E8, RB5, DAI, 123, T1165, HT2, CTLL2, TF-1, Mo7e and CMK.

The activity of a protein of the invention may, among other means, be measured by the following methods:

Assays for T-cell or thymocyte proliferation include without limitation those described in: Current Protocols in Immunology, Ed by J. E. Coligan, A.M. Kruisbeek, D.H. Margulies, E.M. Shevach, W Strober, Pub. Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley- Interscience (Chapter 3, In Vitro assays for Mouse Lymphocyte Function 3.1-3.19; Chapter 7, Immtmologic studies in Humans); Takai et al, J. Immunol. 137:3494-3500, 1986; Bertagnolli et al., J. Immunol. 145:1706-1712, 1990; Bertagnolli et al., Cellular Immunology 133:327-341, 1991; Bertagnolli, et al., J. Immunol. 149:3778-3783, 1992; Bowman et al., J. Immunol. 152: 1756-1761, 1994.

Assays for cytokine production and /or proliferation of spleen cells, lymph node cells or thymocytes include, without limitation, those described in: Polyclonal T cell stimulation, Kruisbeek, A.M. and Shevach, E.M. In Current Protocols in Immunology. J.E.e.a. Coligan eds. Vol 1 pp. 3.12.1-3.12.14, John Wiley and Sons, Toronto. 1994; and Measurement of mouse and human Interferon γ, Schreiber, R.D. In Current Protocols in Immunology. J.E.e.a. Coligan eds. Vol 1 pp. 6.8.1-6.8.8, John Wiley and Sons, Toronto. 1994. Assays for proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic and lymphopoietic cells include, without limitation, those described in: Measurement of Human and Murine Interleukin 2 and Interleukin 4, Bottomly, K., Davis, L.S. and Lipsky, P.E. In Current Protocols in Immunology. J.E.e.a. Coligan eds. Vol 1 pp. 6.3.1-6.3.12, John Wiley and Sons, Toronto. 1991; deVries et al., J. Exp. Med. 173:1205-1211, 1991; Moreau et al., Nature 336:690-692, 1988; Greenberger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:2931-2938, 1983;

Measurement of mouse and human interleukin 6 - Nordan, R. In Current Protocols in Immunology. J.E.e.a. Coligan eds. Vol 1 pp.6.6.1-6.6.5, John Wiley and Sons, Toronto. 1991; Smith et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83:1857-1861, 1986; Measurement of human Interleukin 11 - Bennett, F., Giannotti, J., Clark, S.C. and Turner, K. J. In Current Protocols

58 in Immunology. J.E.e.a. Coligan eds. Vol 1 pp. 6.15.1 John Wiley and Sons, Toronto. 1991; Measurement of mouse and human Interleukin 9 - Ciarletta, A., Giannotti, J., Clark, S.C. and Turner, K.J. In Current Protocols in Immunology. J.E.e.a. Coligan eds. Vol 1 pp. 6.13.1, John Wiley and Sons, Toronto. 1991. Assays for T-cell clone responses to antigens (which will identify, among others, proteins that affect APC-T cell interactions as well as direct T-cell effects by measuring proliferation and cytokine production) include, without limitation, those described in: Current Protocols in Immunology, Ed by J. E. Coligan, A.M. Kruisbeek, D.H. Margulies, E.M. Shevach, W Strober, Pub. Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley-Interscience (Chapter 3, In Vitro assays for Mouse Lymphocyte Function; Chapter 6, Cytokines and their cellular receptors; Chapter 7, Immunologic studies in Humans); Weinberger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:6091-6095, 1980; Weinberger et al., Eur. J. Immun. 11:405-411, 1981; Takai et al., J. Immunol. 137:3494-3500, 1986; Takai et al., J. Immunol. 140:508-512, 1988.

Immune Stimulating or Suppressing Activity

A protein of the present invention may also exhibit immune stimulating or immune suppressing activity, including without limitation the activities for which assays are described herein. A protein may be useful in the treatment of various immune deficiencies and disorders (including severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)), e.g., in regulating (up or down) growth and proliferation of T and /or B lymphocytes, as well as effecting the cytolytic activity of NK cells and other cell populations. These immune deficiencies may be genetic or be caused by viral (e.g., HIV) as well as bacterial or fungal infections, or may result from autoimmune disorders. More specifically, infectious diseases causes by viral, bacterial, fungal or other infection may be treatable using a protein of the present invention, including infections by HTV, hepatitis viruses, herpesviruses, mycobacteria, Leishmania spp., malaria spp. and various fungal infections such as candidiasis. Of course, in this regard, a protein of the present invention may also be useful where a boost to the immune system generally may be desirable, i.e., in the treatment of cancer.

Autoimmune disorders which may be treated using a protein of the present invention include, for example, connective tissue disease, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune pulmonary inflammation, Guillain-Barre syndrome, autoimmune thyroiditis, insulin dependent diabetes mellitis,

59 myasthenia gravis, graft-versus-host disease and autoimmune inflammatory eye disease. Such a protein of the present invention may also to be useful in the treatment of allergic reactions and conditions, such as asthma (particularly allergic asthma) or other respiratory problems. Other conditions, in which immune suppression is desired (including, for example, organ transplantation), may also be treatable using a protein of the present invention.

Using the proteins of the invention it may also be possible to regulate immune responses in a number of ways. Down regulation may be in the form of inhibiting or blocking an immtme response already in progress or may involve preventing the induction of an immtme response. The functions of activated T cells may be inhibited by suppressing T cell responses or by inducing specific tolerance in T cells, or both. Immunosuppression of T cell responses is generally an active, non-antigen-specific, process which requires continuous exposure of the T cells to the suppressive agent. Tolerance, which involves inducing non-responsiveness or anergy in T cells, is distinguishable from immunosuppression in that it is generally antigen-specific and persists after exposure to the tolerizing agent has ceased. Operationally, tolerance can be demonstrated by the lack of a T cell response upon reexposure to specific antigen in the absence of the tolerizing agent.

Down regulating or preventing one or more antigen functions (including without limitation B lymphocyte antigen functions (such as , for example, B7)), e.g., preventing high level lymphokine synthesis by activated T cells, will be useful in situations of tissue, skin and organ transplantation and in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). For example, blockage of T cell function should result in reduced tissue destruction in tissue transplantation. Typically, in tissue transplants, rejection of the transplant is initiated through its recognition as foreign by T cells, followed by an immune reaction that destroys the transplant. The administration of a molecule which inhibits or blocks interaction of a B7 lymphocyte antigen with its natural ligand(s) on immune cells (such as a soluble, monomeric form of a peptide having B7-2 activity alone or in conjunction with a monomeric form of a peptide having an activity of another B lymphocyte antigen {e.g., B7- 1, B7-3) or blocking antibody), prior to transplantation can lead to the binding of the molecule to the natural ligand(s) on the immune cells without transmitting the corresponding costimulatory signal. Blocking B lymphocyte antigen function in this matter prevents cytokine synthesis by immtme cells, such as T cells, and thus acts as an immunosuppressant. Moreover, the lack of costimulation may also be sufficient to

60 anergize the T cells, thereby inducing tolerance in a subject. Induction of long-term tolerance by B lymphocyte antigen-blocking reagents may avoid the necessity of repeated administration of these blocking reagents. To achieve sufficient immunosuppression or tolerance in a subject, it may also be necessary to block the function of a combination of B lymphocyte antigens.

The efficacy of particular blocking reagents in preventing organ transplant rejection or GVHD can be assessed using animal models that are predictive of efficacy in humans. Examples of appropriate systems which can be used include allogeneic cardiac grafts in rats and xenogeneic pancreatic islet cell grafts in mice, both of which have been used to examine the immimosuppressive effects of CTLA4Ig fusion proteins in vivo as described in Lenschow et al, Science 257:789-792 (1992) and Turka et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 89:11102-11105 (1992). In addition, murine models of GVHD (see Paul ed., Fundamental Immunology, Raven Press, New York, 1989, pp. 846-847) can be used to determine the effect of blocking B lymphocyte antigen function in vivo on the development of that disease.

Blocking antigen function may also be therapeutically useful for treating autoimmune diseases. Many autoimmune disorders are the result of inappropriate activation of T cells that are reactive against self tissue and which promote the production of cytokines and autoantibodies involved in the pathology of the diseases. Preventing the activation of autoreactive T cells may reduce or eliminate disease symptoms. Administration of reagents which block costimulation of T cells by disrupting receptoπligand interactions of B lymphocyte antigens can be used to inhibit T cell activation and prevent production of autoantibodies or T cell-derived cytokines which may be involved in the disease process. Additionally, blocking reagents may induce antigen-specific tolerance of autoreactive T cells which could lead to long-term relief from the disease. The efficacy of blocking reagents in preventing or alleviating autoimmune disorders can be determined using a number of well-characterized animal models of human autoimmune diseases. Examples include murine experimental autoimmune encephalitis, systemic lupus erythmatosis in MRL/lprfipr mice or NZB hybrid mice, murine autoimmtme collagen arthritis, diabetes mellitus in NOD mice and BB rats, and murine experimental myasthenia gravis (see Paul ed., Fundamental Immunology, Raven Press, New York, 1989, pp. 840-856).

Upregulation of an antigen function (preferably a B lymphocyte antigen function), as a means of up regulating immune responses, may also be useful in therapy.

61 Upregulation of immune responses may be in the form of enhancing an existing immune response or eliciting an initial immune response. For example, enhancing an immune response through stimulating B lymphocyte antigen function may be useful in cases of viral infection. In addition, systemic viral diseases such as influenza, the common cold, and encephalitis might be alleviated by the administration of stimulatory forms of B lymphocyte antigens systemically.

Alternatively, anti-viral immtme responses may be enhanced in an infected patient by removing T cells from the patient, costimulating the T cells in vitro with viral antigen- pulsed APCs either expressing a peptide of the present invention or together with a stimulatory form of a soluble peptide of the present invention and reintroducing the in vitro activated T cells into the patient. Another method of enhancing anti-viral immune responses would be to isolate infected cells from a patient, transfect them with a nucleic acid encoding a protein of the present invention as described herein such that the cells express all or a portion of the protein on their surface, and reintroduce the transfected cells into the patient. The infected cells would now be capable of delivering a costimulatory signal to, and thereby activate, T cells in vivo.

In another application, up regulation or enhancement of antigen function (preferably B lymphocyte antigen function) may be useful in the induction of tumor immunity. Tumor cells (e.g., sarcoma, melanoma, lymphoma, leukemia, neuroblastoma, carcinoma) transfected with a nucleic acid encoding at least one peptide of the present invention can be administered to a subject to overcome tumor-specific tolerance in the subject. If desired, the tumor cell can be transfected to express a combination of peptides. For example, tumor cells obtained from a patient can be transfected ex vivo with an expression vector directing the expression of a peptide having B7-2-like activity alone, or in conjunction with a peptide having B7-l-like activity and/or B7-3-like activity. The transfected tumor cells are returned to the patient to result in expression of the peptides on the surface of the transfected cell. Alternatively, gene therapy techniques can be used to target a tumor cell for transfection in vivo.

The presence of the peptide of the present invention having the activity of a B lymphocyte antigen(s) on the surface of the tumor cell provides the necessary costimulation signal to T cells to induce a T cell mediated immune response against the transfected tumor cells. In addition, tumor cells which lack MHC class I or MHC class π molecules, or which fail to reexpress sufficient amounts of MHC class I or MHC class II molecules, can be transfected with nucleic acid encoding all or a portion of (e.g., a

62 cytoplasmic-domain truncated portion) of an MHC class I a chain protein and β₂ microglobulin protein or an MHC class II a chain protein and an MHC class II β chain protein to thereby express MHC class I or MHC class II proteins on the cell surface. Expression of the appropriate dass I or class π MHC in conjunction with a peptide having the activity of a B lymphocyte antigen (e.g., B7-1, B7-2, B7-3) induces a T cell mediated immune response against the transfected tumor cell. Optionally, a gene encoding an antisense construct which blocks expression of an MHC class II associated protein, such as the invariant chain, can also be cotransfected with a DNA encoding a peptide having the activity of a B lymphocyte antigen to promote presentation of tumor associated antigens and induce tumor specific immunity. Thus, the induction of a T cell mediated immune response in a human subject may be sufficient to overcome tumor-specific tolerance in the subject.

The activity of a protein of the invention may, among other means, be measured by the following methods: Suitable assays for thymocyte or splenocyte cytotoxicity include, without limitation, those described in: Current Protocols in Immunology, Ed by J. E. Coligan, A.M. Kruisbeek, D.H. Margulies, E.M. Shevach, W Strober, Pub. Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley-Interscience (Chapter 3, In Vitro assays for Mouse Lymphocyte Function 3.1- 3.19; Chapter 7, Immunologic studies in Humans); Herrmann et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:2488-2492, 1981; Herrmann et al., J. Immunol. 128:1968-1974, 1982; Handa et al.,

J. Immunol. 135:1564-1572, 1985; Takai et al., J. Immunol. 137:3494-3500, 1986; Takai et al., J. Immunol. 140:508-512, 1988; Herrmann et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:2488-2492, 1981; Herrmann et al., J. Immunol. 128:1968-1974, 1982; Handa et al., J. Immunol. 135:1564-1572, 1985; Takai et al., J. Immunol. 137:3494-3500, 1986; Bowmanet al, J. Virology 61:1992-1998; Takai et al., J. Immunol. 140:508-512, 1988; BertagnoUi et al., Cellular Immunology 133:327-341, 1991; Brown et al., J. Immunol. 153:3079-3092, 1994. Assays for T-cell-dependent immunoglobulin responses and isotype switching (which will identify, among others, proteins that modulate T-cell dependent antibody responses and that affect Thl /Th2 profiles) include, without limitation, those described in: Maliszewski, J. Immunol. 144:3028-3033, 1990; and Assays for B cell function: In vitro antibody production, Mond, J.J. and Brunswick, M. In Current Protocols in Immunology. J.E.e.a. Coligan eds. Vol 1 pp. 3.8.1-3.8.16, John Wiley and Sons, Toronto. 1994.

Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assays (which will identify, among others, proteins that generate predominantly Thl and CTL responses) indude, without limitation,

63 those described in: Current Protocols in Immunology, Ed by J. E. Coligan, A.M. Kruisbeek, D.H. Margulies, E.M. Shevach, W Strober, Pub. Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley- Interscience (Chapter 3, In Vitro assays for Mouse Lymphocyte Function 3.1-3.19; Chapter 7, Immunologic studies in Humans); Takai et al., J. Immunol. 137:3494-3500, 1986; Takai et al, J. Immunol. 140:508-512, 1988; Bertagnolli et al., J. Immunol. 149:3778-3783, 1992. Dendritic cell-dependent assays (which will identify, among others, proteins expressed by dendritic cells that activate naive T-cells) include, without limitation, those described in: Guery et al., J. Immunol. 134:536-544, 1995; Inaba et al., Journal of Experimental Medicine 173:549-559, 1991; Macatonia et al., Journal of Immunology 154:5071-5079, 1995; Porgador et al., Journal of Experimental Medicine 182:255-260, 1995; Nair et al., Journal of Virology 67:4062-4069, 1993; Huang et al., Science 264:961-965, 1994; Macatonia et al., Journal of Experimental Medicine 169:1255-1264, 1989; Bhardwaj et al., Journal of Clinical Investigation 94:797-807, 1994; and Inaba et al., Journal of Experimental Medicine 172:631-640, 1990. Assays for lymphocyte survival/apoptosis (which will identify, among others, proteins that prevent apoptosis after superantigen induction and proteins that regulate lymphocyte homeostasis) include, without limitation, those described in: Darzynkiewicz et al., Cytometiy 13:795-808, 1992; Gorczyca et al., Leukemia 7:659-670, 1993; Gorczyca et al, Cancer Research 53:1945-1951, 1993; Itoh et al., Cell 66:233-243, 1991; Zacharchuk, Journal of Immvmology 145:4037-4045, 1990; Zamai et al., Cytometiy 14:891-897, 1993; Gorczyca et al., International Journal of Oncology 1:639-648, 1992.

Assays for proteins that influence early steps of T-cell commitment and development include, without limitation, those described in: Antica et al., Blood 84:111-117, 1994; Fine et al., CeUular Immunology 155:111-122, 1994; Galy et al., Blood 85:2770-2778, 1995; Toki et al., Proc. Nat. Acad Sci. USA 88:7548-7551, 1991.

Hematopoiesis Regulating Activity

A protein of the present invention may be useful in regulation of hematopoiesis and, consequently, in the treatment of myeloid or lymphoid cell deficiencies. Even marginal biological activity in support of colony forming cells or of factor-dependent cell lines indicates involvement in regulating hematopoiesis, e.g. in supporting the growth and proliferation of erythroid progenitor cells alone or in combination with other cytokines, thereby indicating utility, for example, in treating various anemias or for use in conjunction with irradiation/chemotherapy to stimulate the production of erythroid

64 precursors and /or erythroid cells; in supporting the growth and proliferation of myeloid cells such as granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages (i.e., traditional CSF activity) useful, for example, in conjunction with chemotherapy to prevent or treat consequent myelo-suppression; in supporting the growth and proliferation of megakaryocytes and consequently of platelets thereby allowing prevention or treatment of various platelet disorders such as thrombocytopenia, and generally for use in place of or complimentary to platelet transfusions; and/or in supporting the growth and proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells which are capable of maturing to any and all of the abovementioned hematopoietic cells and therefore find therapeutic utility in various stem cell disorders (such as those usually treated with transplantation, including, without limitation, aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria), as well as in repopulating the stem cell compartment post irradiation/chemotherapy, either in-vivo or ex-vivo (i.e., in conjunction with bone marrow transplantation or with peripheral progenitor cell transplantation (homologous or heterologous)) as normal cells or genetically manipulated for gene therapy.

Suitable assays for proliferation and differentiation of various hematopoietic lines are cited above. Assays for embryonic stem cell differentiation (which will identify, among others, proteins that influence embryonic differentiation hematopoiesis) include, without limitation, those described in: Johansson et al. Cellular Biology 15:141-151, 1995; Keller et al., Molecular and Cellular Biology 13:473-486, 1993; McClanahan et al., Blood 81:2903-2915, 1993. Assays for stem cell survival and differentiation (which will identify, among others, proteins that regulate lympho-hematopoiesis) include, without limitation, those described in: Methylcellulose colony forming assays, Freshney, M.G. In Culture of Hematopoietic Cells. R.I. Freshney, et al. eds. Vol pp. 265-268, Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York, NY. 1994; Hirayama et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:5907-5911, 1992; Primitive hematopoietic colony forming cells with high proliferative potential, McNiece, LK. and

Briddell, R.A. In Culture of Hematopoietic Cells. R.I. Freshney, et al. eds. Vol pp. 23-39, Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York, NY. 1994; Neben et al., Experimental Hematology 22:353-359, 1994; Cobblestone area forming cell assay, Ploemacher, R.E. In Culture of Hematopoietic Cells. R.I. Freshney, et al. eds. Vol pp. 1-21, Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York, NY. 1994; Long

65 term bone marrow cultures in the presence of stromal cells, Spooncer, E., Dexter, M. and Allen, T. In Culture of Hematopoietic Cells. R.I. Freshney, et al. eds. Vol pp. 163-179, Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York, NY. 1994; Long term culture initiating cell assay, Sutherland, H.J. In Culture of Hematopoietic Cells. R.I. Freshney, et al. eds. Vol pp. 139-162, Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York, NY. 1994.

Tissue Growth Activity

A protein of the present invention also may have utility in compositions used for bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament and /or nerve tissue growth or regeneration, as well as for wound healing and tissue repair and replacement, and in the treatment of burns, incisions and ulcers.

A protein of the present invention, which induces cartilage and /or bone growth in circumstances where bone is not normally formed, has application in the healing of bone fractures and cartilage damage or defects in humans and other animals. Such a preparation employing a protein of the invention may have prophylactic use in closed as well as open fracture reduction and also in the improved fixation of artificial joints. De novo bone formation induced by an osteogenic agent contributes to the repair of congenital, trauma induced, or oncologic resection induced craniofacial defects, and also is useful in cosmetic plastic surgery. A protein of this invention may also be used in the treatment of periodontal disease, and in other tooth repair processes. Such agents may provide an environment to attract bone-forming cells, stimulate growth of bone-forming cells or induce differentiation of progenitors of bone-forming cells. A protein of the invention may also be useful in the treatment of osteoporosis or osteoarthritis, such as through stimulation of bone and /or cartilage repair or by blocking inflammation or processes of tissue destruction (collagenase activity, osteoclast activity, etc.) mediated by inflammatory processes.

Another category of tissue regeneration activity that may be attributable to the protein of the present invention is tendon/ligament formation. A protein of the present invention, which induces tendon/ligament-like tissue or other tissue formation in circumstances where such tissue is not normally formed, has application in the healing of tendon or ligament tears, deformities and other tendon or ligament defects in humans and other animals. Such a preparation employing a tendon/ligament-Uke tissue inducing protein may have prophylactic use in preventing damage to tendon or Ugament tissue, as

66 well as use in the improved fixation of tendon or Ugament to bone or other tissues, and in repairing defects to tendon or Ugament tissue. De novo tendon/ligament-Uke tissue formation induced by a composition of the present invention contributes to the repair of congenital, trauma induced, or other tendon or Ugament defeds of other origin, and is also useful in cosmetic plastic surgery for attachment or repair of tendons or Ugaments. The compositions of the present invention may provide an environment to attract tendon- or ligament-forming ceUs, stimulate growth of tendon- or ligament-forming ceUs, induce differentiation of progenitors of tendon- or Ugament-forming ceUs, or induce growth of tendon/Ugament cells or progenitors ex vivo for return in vivo to effect tissue repair. The compositions of the invention may also be useful in the treatment of tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other tendon or Ugament defects. The compositions may also indude an appropriate matrix and /or sequestering agent as a carrier as is well known in the art.

The protein of the present invention may also be useful for proUferation of neural cells and for regeneration of nerve and brain tissue, i.e. for the treatment of central and peripheral nervous system diseases and neuropathies, as weU as mechanical and traumatic disorders, which involve degeneration, death or trauma to neural cells or nerve tissue. More specificaUy, a protein may be used in the treatment of diseases of the peripheral nervous system, such as peripheral nerve injuries, peripheral neuropathy and locaUzed neuropathies, and central nervous system diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Shy-Drager syndrome. Further conditions which may be treated in accordance with the present invention include mechanical and traumatic disorders, such as spinal cord disorders, head trauma and cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke. Peripheral neuropathies resulting from chemotherapy or other medical therapies may also be treatable using a protein of the invention.

Proteins of the invention may also be useful to promote better or faster closure of non-healing wounds, including without limitation pressure ulcers, ulcers associated with vascular insufficiency, surgical and traumatic wounds, and the like. It is expected that a protein of the present invention may also exhibit activity for generation or regeneration of other tissues, such as organs (including, for example, pancreas, Uver, intestine, kidney, skin, endotheUum), muscle (smooth, skeletal or cardiac) and vascular (induding vascular endotheUum) tissue, or for promoting the growth of cells comprising such tissues. Part of the desired effects may be by inhibition or modulation

67 of fibrotic scarring to allow normal tissue to regenerate. A protein of the invention may also exhibit angiogenic activity.

A protein of the present invention may also be useful for gut protection or regeneration and treatment of lung or Uver fibrosis, reperfusion injury in various tissues, and conditions resulting from systemic cytokine damage.

A protein of the present invention may also be useful for promoting or inhibiting differentiation of tissues described above from precursor tissues or ceUs; or for inhibiting the growth of tissues described above.

Assays for tissue generation activity include, without limitation, those described in: International Patent PubUcation No. WO95/ 16035 (bone, cartilage, tendon); International Patent PubUcation No. WO95/05846 (nerve, neuronal); International Patent Publication No. WO91/07491 (skin, endotheUum ). Assays for wound healing activity include, without limitation, those described in:

Winter, Epidermal Wound HeaUng. pps. 71-112 (Maibach, HI and Rovee, DT, eds.), Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc., Chicago, as modified by Eaglstein and Mertz, J. Invest. Dermatol 71:382-84 (1978).

Activin /Inhibin Activity

A protein of the present invention may also exhibit activin- or inhibin-related activities. Inhibins are characterized by their abiUty to inhibit the release of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), while activins and are characterized by their ability to stimulate the release of folUde stimulating hormone (FSH). Thus, a protein of the present invention, alone or in heterodimers with a member of the inhibin α family, may be useful as a contraceptive based on the abiUty of inhibins to decrease fertiUty in female mammals and decrease spermatogenesis in male mammals. Administration of sufficient amounts of other inhibins can induce infertiUty in these mammals. Alternatively, the protein of the invention, as a homodimer or as a heterodimer with other protein subunits of the inhibin- β group, may be useful as a fertiUty inducing therapeutic, based upon the abiUty of activin molecules in stimulating FSH release from cells of the anterior pituitary. See, for example, United States Patent 4,798,885. A protein of the invention may also be useful for advancement of the onset of fertiUty in sexuaUy immature mammals, so as to increase the Ufetime reproductive performance of domestic animals such as cows, sheep and pigs.

68 The activity of a protein of the invention may, among other means, be measured by the following methods:

Assays for activin/inhibin activity indude, without limitation, those described in: Vale et al., Endocrinology 91:562-572, 1972; Ling et al., Nature 321:779-782, 1986; Vale et al., Nature 321:776-779, 1986; Mason et al., Nature 318:659-663, 1985; Forage et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:3091-3095, 1986.

Chemotactic/Chemokinetic Activity

A protein of the present invention may have chemotactic or chemokinetic activity (e.g., act as a chemokine) for mammalian cells, including, for example, monocytes, fibroblasts, neutrophils, T-cells, mast cells, eosinophils, epitheUal and /or endotheUal cells. Chemotactic and chemokinetic proteins can be used to mobilize or attract a desired ceU population to a desired site of action. Chemotactic or chemokinetic proteins provide particular advantages in treatment of wounds and other trauma to tissues, as well as in treatment of localized infections. For example, attraction of lymphocytes, monocytes or neutrophils to tumors or sites of infection may result in improved immune responses against the tumor or infecting agent.

A protein or peptide has chemotactic activity for a particular cell population if it can stimulate, directly or indirectly, the directed orientation or movement of such cell population. Preferably, the protein or peptide has the abiUty to directly stimulate directed movement of cells. Whether a particular protein has chemotactic activity for a population of ceUs can be readily determined by employing such protein or peptide in any known assay for cell chemotaxis.

Assays for chemotactic activity (which wiU identify proteins that induce or prevent chemotaxis) consist of assays that measure the abiUty of a protein to induce the migration of cells across a membrane as weU as the abiUty of a protein to induce the adhesion of one ceU population to another cell population. Suitable assays for movement and adhesion include, without limitation, those described in: Current Protocols in Immunology, Ed by

J.E. Coligan, A.M. Kruisbeek, D.H. MarguUes, E.M. Shevach, W.Strober, Pub. Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley-Interscience (Chapter 6.12, Measurement of alpha and beta Chemokines 6.12.1-6.12.28; Taub et al. J. Clin. Invest. 95:1370-1376, 1995; Lind et al.

69 APMIS 103:140-146, 1995; MuUer et al Eur. J. Immunol. 25: 1744-1748; Gruber et al. J. of Immunol. 152:5860-5867, 1994; Johnston et al. J. of Immunol. 153: 1762-1768, 1994.

Hemostatic and Thrombolytic Activity A protein of the invention may also exhibit hemostatic or thrombolytic activity.

As a result, such a protein is expected to be useful in treatment of various coagulation disorders (including hereditary disorders, such as hemophiUas) or to enhance coagulation and other hemostatic events in treating wounds resulting from trauma, surgery or other causes. A protein of the invention may also be useful for dissolving or inhibiting formation of thromboses and for treatment and prevention of conditions resulting therefrom (such as, for example, infarction of cardiac and central nervous system vessels (e.g., stroke).

The activity of a protein of the invention may, among other means, be measured by the following methods: Assay for hemostatic and thrombolytic activity include, without Umitation, those described in: Linet et al., J. Clin. Pharmacol. 26:131-140, 1986; Burdick et al., Thrombosis Res.45:413-419, 1987; Humphrey et al., Fibrinolysis 5:71-79 (1991); Schaub, Prostaglandins 35:467-474, 1988.

Receptor /Ligand Activity

A protein of the present invention may also demonstrate activity as receptors, receptor ligands or inhibitors or agonists of receptor/ligand interactions. Examples of such receptors and ligands include, without Umitation, cytokine receptors and their ligands, receptor kinases and their Ugands, receptor phosphatases and their ligands, receptors involved in ceU-ceU interactions and their Ugands (induding without Umitation, ceUular adhesion molecules (such as selectins, integrins and their ligands) and receptor/Ugand pairs involved in antigen presentation, antigen recognition and development of ceUular and humoral immtme responses). Receptors and Ugands are also useful for screening of potential peptide or small molecule inhibitors of the relevant receptor/Ugand interaction. A protein of the present invention (including, without

Umitation, fragments of receptors and Ugands) may themselves be useful as inhibitors of receptor/ligand interactions.

70 Suitable assays for receptor-ligand activity include without limitation those described in:Current Protocols in Immunology, Ed by J.E. CoUgan, A.M. Kruisbeek, D.H. Margulies, E.M. Shevach, W.Strober, Pub. Greene PubUshing Associates and Wiley-Interscience (Chapter 7.28, Measurement of CeUular Adhesion under static conditions 7.28.1-7.28.22), Takai et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:6864-6868, 1987; Bierer et al., J. Exp. Med. 168:1145-1156, 1988; Rosenstein et al., J. Exp. Med. 169:149-160 1989; Stoltenborg et al., J. Immunol. Methods 175:59-68, 1994; Stirt et al., CeU 80:661-670, 1995.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Proteins of the present invention may also exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. The anti-inflammatory activity may be achieved by providing a stimulus to ceUs involved in the inflammatory response, by inhibiting or promoting cell-ceU interactions (such as, for example, ceU adhesion), by inhibiting or promoting chemotaxis of cells involved in the inflammatory process, inhibiting or promoting cell extravasation, or by stimulating or suppressing production of other factors which more directly inhibit or promote an inflammatory response. Proteins exhibiting such activities can be used to treat inflammatory conditions including chronic or acute conditions), including without Umitation inflammation associated with infection (such as septic shock, sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)), ischemia-reperfusion injury, endotoxin lethaUty, arthritis, complement-mediated hyperacute rejection, nephritis, cytokine or chemokine-induced lung injury, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease or resulting from over production of cytokines such as TNF or IL-1. Proteins of the invention may also be useful to treat anaphylaxis and hypersensitivity to an antigenic substance or material.

Cadherin /Tumor Invasion Suppressor Activity

Cadherins are calcium-dependent adhesion molecules that appear to play major roles during development, particularly in defining specific ceU types. Loss or alteration of normal cadherin expression can lead to changes in cell adhesion properties linked to tumor growth and metastasis. Cadherin malfunction is also implicated in other human diseases, such as pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus (auto-immune bUstering skin diseases), Crohn's disease, and some developmental abnormaUties.

The cadherin superfamily includes weU over forty members, each with a distinct pattern of expression. All members of the superfamily have in common conserved

71 extraceUular repeats (cadherin domains), but structural differences are found in other parts of the molecule. The cadherin domains bind calcium to form their tertiary structure and thus calcium is required to mediate their adhesion. Only a few amino acids in the first cadherin domain provide the basis for homophilic adhesion; modification of this recognition site can change the specifiάty of a cadherin so that instead of recognizing only itself, the mutant molecule can now also bind to a different cadherin. In addition, some cadherins engage in heterophiUc adhesion with other cadherins.

E-cadherin, one member of the cadherin superfamily, is expressed in epitheUal ceU types. PathologicaUy, if E-cadherin expression is lost in a tumor, the malignant ceUs become invasive and the cancer metastasizes. Transfection of cancer ceU lines with polynucleotides expressing E-cadherin has reversed cancer-associated changes by returning altered ceU shapes to normal, restoring ceUs' adhesiveness to each other and to their substrate, decreasing the ceU growth rate, and drasticaUy reducing anchorage- independent ceU growth. Thus, reintroducing E-cadherin expression reverts carcinomas to a less advanced stage. It is likely that other cadherins have the same invasion suppressor role in carcinomas derived from other tissue types. Therefore, proteins of the present invention with cadherin activity, and polynucleotides of the present invention encoding such proteins, can be used to treat cancer. Introducing such proteins or polynudeotides into cancer ceUs can reduce or eliminate the cancerous changes observed in these cells by providing normal cadherin expression.

Cancer cells have also been shown to express cadherins of a different tissue type than their origin, thus aUowing these cells to invade and metastasize in a different tissue in the body. Proteins of the present invention with cadherin activity, and polynucleotides of the present invention encoding such proteins, can be substituted in these cells for the inappropriately expressed cadherins, restoring normal ceU adhesive properties and reducing or eUminating the tendency of the cells to metastasize.

AdditionaUy, proteins of the present invention with cadherin activity, and polynucleotides of the present invention encoding such proteins, can used to generate antibodies recognizing and binding to cadherins. Such antibodies can be used to block the adhesion of inappropriately expressed tumor-ceU cadherins, preventing the cells from forming a tumor elsewhere. Such an anti-cadherin antibody can also be used as a marker for the grade, pathological type, and prognosis of a cancer, i.e. the more progressed the cancer, the less cadherin expression there wiU be, and this decrease in cadherin expression can be detected by the use of a cadherin-binding antibody.

72 Fragments of proteins of the present invention with cadherin activity, preferably a polypeptide comprising a decapeptide of the cadherin recognition site, and polynucleotides of the present invention encoding such protein fragments, can also be used to block cadherin function by binding to cadherins and preventing them from binding in ways that produce undesirable effects. AdditionaUy, fragments of proteins of the present invention with cadherin activity, preferably truncated soluble cadherin fragments which have been found to be stable in the circulation of cancer patients, and polynucleotides encoding such protein fragments, can be used to disturb proper cell-ceU adhesion.

Assays for cadherin adhesive and invasive suppressor activity include, without limitation, those described in: Hortsch et al. J Biol Chem 270 (32): 18809-18817, 1995; Miyaki et al. Oncogene 11: 2547-2552, 1995; Ozawa et al. Cell 63: 1033-1038, 1990.

Tumor Inhibition Activity

In addition to the activities described above for immunological treatment or prevention of tumors, a protein of the invention may exhibit other anti-tumor activities. A protein may inhibit tumor growth directly or indirectly (such as, for example, via antibody-dependent ceU-mediated cytotoxidty (ADCC)). A protein may exhibit its tumor inhibitory activity by acting on tumor tissue or tumor precursor tissue, by inhibiting formation of tissues necessary to support tumor growth (such as, for example, by inhibiting angiogenesis), by causing production of other factors, agents or ceU types which inhibit tumor growth, or by suppressing, eliminating or inhibiting factors, agents or ceU types which promote tumor growth.

Other Activities A protein of the invention may also exhibit one or more of the f oUowing additional activities or effects: inhibiting the growth, infection or function of, or killing, infectious agents, induding, without Umitation, bacteria, viruses, fungi and other parasites; effecting (suppressing or enhancing) bodily characteristics, including, without Umitation, height, weight, hair color, eye color, skin, fat to lean ratio or other tissue pigmentation, or organ or body part size or shape (such as, for example, breast augmentation or diminution, change in bone form or shape); effecting biorhythms or caricadic cycles or rhythms; effecting the fertiUty of male or female subjects; effecting the metaboUsm, cataboUsm, anabolism, processing, utilization, storage or elimination of dietary fat, Upid, protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, cofactors or other nutritional factors or component(s);

73 effecting behavioral characteristics, including, without Umitation, appetite, libido, stress, cognition (including cognitive disorders), depression (induding depressive disorders) and violent behaviors; providing analgesic effects or other pain reducing effects; promoting differentiation and growth of embryonic stem ceUs in lineages other than hematopoietic lineages; hormonal or endocrine activity; in the case of enzymes, correcting deficiencies of the enzyme and treating deficiency-related diseases; treatment of hyperproliferative disorders (such as, for example, psoriasis); immunoglobulin-like activity (such as, for example, the abiUty to bind antigens or complement); and the abiUty to act as an antigen in a vaccine composition to raise an immune response against such protein or another material or entity which is cross-reactive with such protein.

ADMINISTRATION AND DOSING

A protein of the present invention (from whatever source derived, including without limitation from recombinant and non-recombinant sources) may be used in a pharmaceutical composition when combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Such a composition may also contain (in addition to protein and a carrier) dUuents, fiUers, salts, buffers, stabilizers, solubilizers, and other materials weU known in the art. The term "pharmaceutically acceptable" means a non-toxic material that does not interfere with the effectiveness of the biological activity of the active ingredient(s). The characteristics of the carrier will depend on the route of administration. The pharmaceutical composition of the invention may also contain cytokines, lymphokines, or other hematopoietic factors such as M-CSF, GM-CSF, TNF, IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-11, IL-12, IL-13, IL-14, IL-15, IFN, TNFO, TNF1, TNF2, G-CSF, Meg-CSF, thrombopoietin, stem ceU factor, and erythropoietin. The pharmaceutical composition may further contain other agents which either enhance the activity of the protein or compliment its activity or use in treatment. Such additional factors and /or agents may be included in the pharmaceutical composition to produce a synergistic effert with protein of the invention, or to minimize side effects. Conversely, protein of the present invention may be included in formulations of the particular cytokine, lymphokine, other hematopoietic factor, thrombolytic or anti-thrombotic factor, or anti-inflammatory agent to rninimize side effects of the cytokine, lymphokine, other hematopoietic factor, thrombolytic or anti-thrombotic factor, or anti-inflammatory agent.

74 A protein of the present invention may be active in multimers (e.g., heterodimers or homodimers) or complexes with itself or other proteins. As a result, pharmaceutical compositions of the invention may comprise a protein of the invention in such multimeric or complexed form. The pharmaceutical composition of the invention may be in the form of a complex of the protein(s) of present invention along with protein or peptide antigens. The protein and /or peptide antigen wiU deUver a stimulatory signal to both B and T lymphocytes. B lymphocytes wiU respond to antigen through their surface immunoglobulin receptor. T lymphocytes will respond to antigen through the T ceU receptor (TCR) foUowing presentation of the antigen by MHC proteins. MHC and structuraUy related proteins including those encoded by class I and class II MHC genes on host ceUs will serve to present the peptide antigen(s) to T lymphocytes. The antigen components could also be suppUed as purified MHC-peptide complexes alone or with co-stimulatory molecules that can directly signal T cells. Alternatively antibodies able to bind surface immunolgobulin and other molecules on B ceUs as weU as antibodies able to bind the TCR and other molecules on T ceUs can be combined with the pharmaceutical composition of the invention.

The pharmaceutical composition of the invention may be in the form of a Uposome in which protein of the present invention is combined, in addition to other pharmaceuticaUy acceptable carriers, with amphipathic agents such as lipids which exist in aggregated form as miceUes, insoluble monolayers, Uquid crystals, or lamellar layers in aqueous solution. Suitable Upids for Uposomal formulation indude, without Umitation, monoglycerides, diglycerides, sulfatides, lysoledthin, phospholipids, saponin, bile acids, and the like. Preparation of such Uposomal formulations is within the level of skill in the art, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No.4,235,871; U.S. Patent No. 4,501,728; U.S.

Patent No.4,837,028; and U.S. Patent No. 4,737,323, aU of which are incorporated herein by reference.

As used herein, the term "therapeuticaUy effective amount" means the total amount of each active component of the pharmaceutical composition or method that is sufficient to show a meaningful patient benefit, i.e., treatment, heaUng, prevention or ameUoration of the relevant medical condition, or an increase in rate of treatment, healing, prevention or ameUoration of such conditions. When appUed to an individual active ingredient, administered alone, the term refers to that ingredient alone. When applied to

75 a combination, the term refers to combined amounts of the active ingredients that result in the therapeutic effect, whether administered in combination, seriaUy or simultaneously. In practicing the method of treatment or use of the present invention, a therapeutically effective amount of protein of the present invention is administered to a mammal having a condition to be treated. Protein of the present invention may be administered in accordance with the method of the invention either alone or in combination with other therapies such as treatments employing cytokines, lymphokines or other hematopoietic factors. When co-administered with one or more cytokines, lymphokines or other hematopoietic fadors, protein of the present invention may be administered either simultaneously with the cytokine(s), lymphokine(s), other hematopoietic factor(s), thrombolytic or anti-thrombotic factors, or sequentially. If administered sequentially, the attending physician wiU decide on the appropriate sequence of administering protein of the present invention in combination with cytokine(s), lymphokine(s), other hematopoietic factor(s), thrombolytic or anti-thrombotic factors.

Administration of protein of the present invention used in the pharmaceutical composition or to practice the method of the present invention can be carried out in a variety of conventional ways, such as oral ingestion, inhalation, topical appUcation or cutaneous, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, parenteral or intravenous injection. Intravenous administration to the patient is preferred.

When a therapeuticaUy effective amount of protein of the present invention is administered oraUy, protein of the present invention wiU be in the form of a tablet, capsule, powder, solution or elixir. When administered in tablet form, the pharmaceutical composition of the invention may additionaUy contain a solid carrier such as a gelatin or an adjuvant. The tablet, capsule, and powder contain from about 5 to 95% protein of the present invention, and preferably from about 25 to 90% protein of the present invention. When administered in Uquid form, a Uquid carrier such as water, petroleum, oils of animal or plant origin such as peanut oU, mineral oU, soybean oil, or sesame oil, or synthetic oils may be added. The liquid form of the pharmaceutical composition may further contain physiological saline solution, dextrose or other saccharide solution, or glycols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol. When administered in Uquid form, the pharmaceutical composition contains from about 0.5 to 90% by weight of protein of the present invention, and preferably from about 1 to 50% protein of the present invention.

76 When a therapeuticaUy effective amount of protein of the present invention is administered by intravenous, cutaneous or subcutaneous injection, protein of the present invention wiU be in the form of a pyrogen-free, parenteraUy acceptable aqueous solution. The preparation of such parenterally acceptable protein solutions, having due regard to pH, isotonicity, stabiUty, and the like, is within the skill in the art. A preferred pharmaceutical composition for intravenous, cutaneous, or subcutaneous injection should contain, in addition to protein of the present invention, an isotonic vehide such as Sodium Chloride Injection, Ringer's Injection, Dextrose Injection, Dextrose and Sodium Chloride Injection, Lactated Ringer's Injection, or other vehicle as known in the art. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may also contain stabilizers, preservatives, buffers, antioxidants, or other additives known to those of skill in the art.

The amount of protein of the present invention in the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention wiU depend upon the nature and severity of the condition being treated, and on the nature of prior treatments which the patient has undergone. Ultimately, the attending physician will decide the amount of protein of the present invention with which to treat each individual patient. Initially, the attending physician will administer low doses of protein of the present invention and observe the patient's response. Larger doses of protein of the present invention may be administered until the optimal therapeutic effect is obtained for the patient, and at that point the dosage is not increased further. It is contemplated that the various pharmaceutical compositions used to practice the method of the present invention should contain about 0.01 μg to about 100 mg (preferably about O.lng to about 10 mg, more preferably about 0.1 μg to about 1 mg) of protein of the present invention per kg body weight.

The duration of intravenous therapy using the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention wiU vary, depending on the severity of the disease being treated and the condition and potential idiosyncratic response of each individual patient. It is contemplated that the duration of each appUcation of the protein of the present invention will be in the range of 12 to 24 hours of continuous intravenous administration. Ultimately the attending physidan wiU dedde on the appropriate duration of intravenous therapy using the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention.

Protein of the invention may also be used to immunize animals to obtain polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies which specificaUy react with the protein. Such antibodies may be obtained using either the entire protein or fragments thereof as an immunogen. The peptide immunogens additionaUy may contain a cysteine residue at the

77 carboxyl terminus, and are conjugated to a hapten such as keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Methods for synthesizing such peptides are known in the art, for example, as in R.P. Meπifield, J. Amer.Chem.Soc. 85, 2149-2154 (1963); J.L. Krstenansky, et al, FEBS Lett. 211, 10 (1987). Monoclonal antibodies binding to the protein of the invention may be useful diagnostic agents for the immunodetection of the protein. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies binding to the protein may also be useful therapeutics for both conditions associated with the protein and also in the treatment of some forms of cancer where abnormal expression of the protein is involved. In the case of cancerous ceUs or leukemic ceUs, neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the protein may be useful in detecting and preventing the metastatic spread of the cancerous cells, which may be mediated by the protein.

For compositions of the present invention which are useful for bone, cartilage, tendon or Ugament regeneration, the therapeutic method includes administering the composition topicaUy, systematicaUy, or locaUy as an implant or device. When administered, the therapeutic composition for use in this invention is, of course, in a pyrogen-free, physiologically acceptable form. Further, the composition may desirably be encapsulated or injected in a viscous form for delivery to the site of bone, cartilage or tissue damage. Topical administration may be suitable for wound healing and tissue repair. TherapeuticaUy useful agents other than a protein of the invention which may also optionaUy be included in the composition as described above, may alternatively or additionaUy, be administered simultaneously or sequentially with the composition in the methods of the invention. Preferably for bone and /or cartilage formation, the composition would include a matrix capable of deUvering the protein-containing composition to the site of bone and/or cartilage damage, providing a structure for the developing bone and cartilage and optimaUy capable of being resorbed into the body.

Such matrices may be formed of materials presently in use for other implanted medical applications.

The choice of matrix material is based on biocompatibiUty, biodegradabiUty, mechanical properties, cosmetic appearance and interface properties. The particular application of the compositions wiU define the appropriate formulation. Potential matrices for the compositions may be biodegradable and chemically defined caldum sulfate, tricalciumphosphate, hydroxyapatite, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid and polyanhydrides. Other potential materials are biodegradable and biologicaUy weU- defined, such as bone or dermal coUagen. Further matrices are comprised of pure proteins

78 or extraceUular matrix components. Other potential matrices are nonbiodegradable and chemically defined, such as sintered hydroxapatite, bioglass, aluminates, or other ceramics. Matrices may be comprised of combinations of any of the above mentioned types of material, such as polylactic acid and hydroxyapatite or coUagen and tricalciumphosphate. The bioceramics may be altered in composition, such as in caldum- aluminate-phosphate and processing to alter pore size, particle size, particle shape, and biodegradability.

Presently preferred is a 50:50 (mole weight) copolymer of lactic acid and glycolic acid in the form of porous particles having diameters ranging from 150 to 800 microns. In some appUcations, it wiU be useful to utilize a sequestering agent, such as carboxymethyl ceUulose or autologous blood clot, to prevent the protein compositions from disassociating from the matrix.

A preferred family of sequestering agents is ceUulosic materials such as alkylcelluloses (including hydroxyalkylceUuloses), including methylceUulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylceUulose, hydroxypropyl- methylceUulose, and carboxymethylceUulose, the most preferred being canonic salts of carboxymethylceUulose (CMC). Other preferred sequestering agents include hyaluronic acid, sodium alginate, poly(ethylene glycol), polyoxyethylene oxide, carboxyvinyl polymer and poly(vinyl alcohol). The amount of sequestering agent useful herein is 0.5-20 wt%, preferably 1-10 wt% based on total formulation weight, which represents the amount necessary to prevent desorbtion of the protein from the polymer matrix and to provide appropriate handling of the composition, yet not so much that the progenitor cells are prevented from infiltrating the matrix, thereby providing the protein the opportunity to assist the osteogenic activity of the progenitor ceUs. In further compositions, proteins of the invention may be combined with other agents benefidal to the treatment of the bone and/or cartilage defect, wound, or tissue in question. These agents include various growth factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factors (TGF-α and TGF-β), and insulin-like growth factor (IGF). The therapeutic compositions are also presently valuable for veterinary applications. Particularly domestic animals and thoroughbred horses, in addition to humans, are desired patients for such treatment with proteins of the present invention.

The dosage regimen of a protein-containing pharmaceutical composition to be used in tissue regeneration wiU be determined by the attending physician considering

79 various factors which modify the action of the proteins, e.g., amount of tissue weight desired to be formed, the site of damage, the condition of the damaged tissue, the size of a wound, type of damaged tissue (e.g., bone), the patient's age, sex, and diet, the severity of any infection, time of administration and other clinical factors. The dosage may vary with the type of matrix used in the reconstitution and with inclusion of other proteins in the pharmaceutical composition. For example, the addition of other known growth fadors, such as IGF I (insulin like growth fador I), to the final composition, may also effect the dosage. Progress can be monitored by periodic assessment of tissue/bone growth and /or repair, for example, X-rays, histomorphometric determinations and tetracycline labeling.

Polynucleotides of the present invention can also be used for gene therapy. Such polynucleotides can be introduced either in vivo or ex vivo into ceUs for expression in a mammaUan subject. Polynucleotides of the invention may also be administered by other known methods for introduction of nucleic add into a ceU or organism (induding, without Umitation, in the form of viral vectors or naked DNA).

Cells may also be cultured ex vivo in the presence of proteins of the present invention in order to proliferate or to produce a desired effect on or activity in such ceUs. Treated ceUs can then be introduced in vivo for therapeutic purposes.

Patent and literature references cited herein are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.

80

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynudeotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:l;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the fuU- length protein coding sequence of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynudeotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the mature protein coding sequence of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding the mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;

(i) a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; and

(k) a polynudeotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(i).

2. The polynucleotide of claim 1 wherein said polynucleotide is operably linked to at least one expression control sequence.

3. A host ceU transformed with the polynucleotide of claim 2.

4. The host ceU of claim 3, wherein said ceU is a mammalian cell.

81

5. A process for producing a protein encoded by the polynudeotide of claim , which process comprises:

(a) growing a culture of the host ceU of claim 3 in a suitable culture medium; and

(b) purifying said protein from the culture.

6. A protein produced according to the process of claim 5.

7. An isolated polynucleotide encoding the protein of claim 6.

8. The polynucleotide of claim 7, wherein the polynucleotide comprises the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647.

9. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;

(b) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 from amino acid 1 to amino acid 53;

(d) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantiaUy free from other mammaUan proteins.

10. The protein of claim 9, wherein said protein comprises the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.

11. The protein of claim 9, wherein said protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 from amino acid 1 to amino acid 53.

12. A composition comprising the protein of claim 9 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

82

13. A process for producing an isolated polynudeotide, wherein the process s selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence seleded from the group consisting of:

(ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(u) hybridizing said probe(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; and

(in) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(ba) SEQ ID NO:l, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:l; and

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone bn69_15 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (in) amplifying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(ui); wherein at least one isolated polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:l, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:l to a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:l , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:l;

83 (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nudeotide 1529 to nucleotide 1726, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1529 to nucleotide 1726, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1529 to nucleotide 1726; and

(x) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:l from nucleotide 1706 to nucleotide 1726.

14. An isolated polynudeotide produced according to the process of daim 13.

15. An isolated polynucleotide comprising the polynucleotide of claim 14.

16. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the fuU- length protein coding sequence of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynudeotide comprising the nudeotide sequence of the mature protein coding sequence of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding the mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cbll0_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

84 (h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4;

(i) a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:4;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an alleUc variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; and

(k) a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(i).

17. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4;

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cbllO_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammaUan proteins.

18. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:3, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:3; and

(ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone cbllO_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

85 (b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence seleded from the group consisting of:

(ba) SEQ ID NO:3, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:3; and

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone cbllO_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(u) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (in) amplifying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii); wherein at least one isolated polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:3 to a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:3 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:3; (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 334 to nucleotide 597, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 334 to nucleotide 597, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 334 to nucleotide 597; and

(x) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nucleotide 478 to nucleotide 597, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nudeotide 478 to nucleotide 597, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 from nudeotide 478 to nucleotide 597.

19. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5;

86 (b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 191 to nucleotide 1132;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 290 to nucleotide 1132;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the fuU- length protein coding sequence of done ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynudeotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the mature protein coding sequence of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding the mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited vmder accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6;

(i) a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:6;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; and

20. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6;

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammaUan proteins.

87

21. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process s selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:5, but excluding the poly(A) taU at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:5; and

(ab) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of done ch4_ll deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(in) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(u) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (in) ampUfying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(ui); wherein at least one isolated polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:5 to a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:5 , but excluding the poly(A) tafl at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:5;

88 (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nudeotide 191 to nucleotide 1132, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 191 to nucleotide 1132, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 191 to nucleotide 1132; and

(x) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nudeotide 290 to nucleotide 1132, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 290 to nucleotide 1132, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide 290 to nucleotide 1132.

22. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nucleotide 1898;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the fuU- length protein coding sequence of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(d) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8;

(f) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:8;

(g) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of (a)-(f) above; and

(h) a polynucleotide that hybridizes vmder stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides spedfied in (a)-(f).

89

23. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:8; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins.

24. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:7, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:7; and

(ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone cn621_8 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iu) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of done cn621_8 deposited vmder accession number ATCC 98647;

(u) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C;

90 (ui) ampUfying human DNA sequences; and

(iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(ni); wherein at least one isolated polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:7, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:7 to a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:7 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:7; and (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nucleotide 1898, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nucleotide 1898, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 732 to nudeotide 1898.

25. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 377 to nucleotide 592;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the fuU- length protein coding sequence of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynucleotide comprising the nudeotide sequence of the mature protein coding sequence of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding the mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10;

91 (i) a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:10;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; and

26. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:10;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:10; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins.

27. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:9, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:9; and

(ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

92 (i) preparing one or more polynucleotide primers that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone gy621_l deposited vmder accession number ATCC 98647;

(n) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (iu) ampUfying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(ui); wherein at least one isolated polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:9, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:9 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:9 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:9; (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 308 to nucleotide 592, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 308 to nucleotide 592, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nudeotide 308 to nudeotide 592; and

(x) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 377 to nucleotide 592, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nudeotide 377 to nudeotide 592, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 from nucleotide 377 to nudeotide 592.

28. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll;

93 (c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 325 to nucleotide 1881;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the fuU- length protein coding sequence of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynucleotide comprising the nudeotide sequence of the mature protein coding sequence of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding the mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; and

29. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12;

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins.

30. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

94 (i) preparing one or more polynudeotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nudeotide sequence seleded from the group consisting of:

(ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(ui) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(ba) SEQ ID NO:ll, but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:ll; and

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone hbl041_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(u) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (ui) amplifying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii); wherein at least one isolated polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:ll to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:ll , but excluding the poly(A) taU at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:ll; (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 124 to nucleotide 1881, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 124 to nucleotide 1881, to a nucleotide sequence

95 corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 124 to nucleotide 1881; and

(x) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nudeotide 325 to nucleotide 1881, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 325 to nucleotide 1881, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:ll from nucleotide 325 to nucleotide 1881.

31. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13 from nucleotide 163 to nucleotide 1431;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the fuU- length protein coding sequence of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(d) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14;

(f) a polynudeotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 14;

(h) a polynudeotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(f).

32. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:14; and

96 (c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammalian proteins.

33. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(ui) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(ba) SEQ ID NO:13, but excluding the poly(A) taU at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:13; and

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone mh703_l deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(ii) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as stringent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (ui) ampUfying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii); wherein at least one isolated polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

97 (v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:13, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:13 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:13 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:13; and

(w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:13 from nucleotide 163 to nucleotide 1431, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:13 from nucleotide 163 to nucleotide 1431, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:13 from nucleotide 163 to nucleotide 1431.

34. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:15;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 653 to nucleotide 934;

(f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the mature protein coding sequence of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding the mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino add sequence of SEQ ID NO:16;

(i) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:16;

98 (j) a polynucleotide which is an alleUc variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; and

35. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 16; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantially free from other mammaUan proteins.

36. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:15, but excluding the poly(A) taU at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:15; and

(ui) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

99 (ba) SEQ ID NO:15, but excluding the poly(A) taU at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:15; and

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone na461_19 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:15, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:15 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:15 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:15; (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nudeotide 653 to nudeotide 934, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 653 to nudeotide 934, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 653 to nucleotide 934; and

(x) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 878 to nucleotide 934, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 878 to nucleotide 934, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:15 from nucleotide 878 to nucleotide 934.

37. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:17;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 72 to nucleotide 1319;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nudeotide 1319;

100 (d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the fuU- length protein coding sequence of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynudeotide comprising the nudeotide sequence of the mature protein coding sequence of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding the mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an allelic variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; and

38. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18;

(b) fragments of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, each fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:18; and

(c) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantiaUy free from other mammalian proteins.

39. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

101 (i) preparing one or more polynucleotide probes that hybridize in 6X SSC at 65 degrees C to a nucleotide sequence seleded from the group consisting of:

(ab) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(iii) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

(bb) the nudeotide sequence of the cDNA insert of clone na492_2 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:17, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:17 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:17 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:17; (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 72 to nucleotide 1319, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nudeotide 72 to nucleotide 1319, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to

102 the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 72 to nucleotide 1319; and

(x) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nucleotide 1319, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nucleotide 1319, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 from nucleotide 1071 to nucleotide 1319.

40. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 2848 to nucleotide 3048;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the full- length protein coding sequence of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(e) a polynucleotide encoding the full-length protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(f) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of the mature protein coding sequence of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(g) a polynucleotide encoding the mature protein encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647;

(h) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20;

(i) a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a fragment of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 having biological activity, the fragment comprising eight consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:20;

(j) a polynucleotide which is an alleUc variant of a polynucleotide of

(a)-(g) above; and

103 (k) a polynudeotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to any one of the polynucleotides specified in (a)-(i).

41. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20;

(b) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20 from amino acid 5 to amino acid 62;

(d) the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert of clone na669_10 deposited under accession number ATCC 98647; the protein being substantiaUy free from other mammaUan proteins.

42. A process for producing an isolated polynucleotide, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a process comprising the steps of:

(aa) SEQ ID NO:19, but exduding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:19; and

(ui) isolating the DNA polynucleotides detected with the probe(s); and

(b) a process comprising the steps of:

104 (ba) SEQ ID NO:19, but excluding the poly(A) taU at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:19; and

(bb) the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of done na669_10 deposited vmder accession number ATCC 98647;

(u) hybridizing said primer(s) to human genomic DNA in conditions at least as strinjgent as 4X SSC at 65 degrees C; (ui) ampUfying human DNA sequences; and (iv) isolating the polynucleotide products of step (b)(iii); wherein at least one isolated polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(v) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:19, and extending contiguously from a nudeotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of SEQ ID NO:19 to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:19 , but excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of SEQ ID NO:19; (w) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nudeotide 2848 to nucleotide 3048, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 from nucleotide 2848 to nucleotide 3048, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 2848 to nucleotide 3048; and

(x) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048, and extending contiguously from a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 5' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048, to a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the 3' end of said sequence of SEQ ID NO:19 from nucleotide 3004 to nucleotide 3048.

105