GB2364058A - AXOR79, a G-protein coupled receptor - Google Patents

Abstract

A polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or a polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1, variants, and fragments thereof are claimed. The encoded protein is identified as a seven transmembrane or G-protein coupled receptor (AXOR79). No function for the sequences other than that of a receptor is disclosed, although the receptor has homology to a rat taste receptor. Antibodies, vectors and expression systems for the sequences are also claimed and assays, diagnostic kits etc are disclosed in the description.

Description

2364058 A SEVEN TRANSMEMBRANE RECEPTOR (AXOR 79)

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to newly identified polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides, to their use in diagnosis and in identifying compounds that may be agonists, antagonists that are potentially useful in therapy, and to production of such polypeptides and polynucleotides.

Background of the Invention

The drug discovery process is currently undergoing a fundamental revolution as it embraces "functional genomics", that is, high throughput genome or gene-based biology This approach as a means to identify genes and gene products as therapeutic targets is rapidly superseding earlier approaches based on "positional cloning" A phenotype, that is a biological function or genetic disease, would be identified and this would then be tracked back to the responsible gene, based on its genetic map position.

Functional genomics relies heavily on high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies and the various tools of bioinformatics to identify gene sequences of potential interest from the many molecular biology databases now available There is a continuing need to identify and characterize further genes and their related polypeptides/proteins, as targets for drug discovery.

It is well established that many medically significant biological processes are mediated by proteins participating in signal transduction pathways that involve G- proteins and/or second messengers, e g, c AMP (Lefkowitz, Nature, 1991, 351:353-354) Herein these proteins are referred to as proteins participating in pathways with G-proteins or PPG proteins Some examples of these proteins include the GPC receptors, such as those for adrenergic agents and dopamine (Kobilka, B K, et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci, USA, 1987, 84:46-50; Kobilka, B K, et al, Science, 1987, 238:650-656; Bunzow, J R, et al, Nature, 1988, 336:783-787), G-proteins themselves, effector proteins, e g, phospholipase C, adenyl cyclase, and phosphodiesterase, and actuator proteins, e g, protein kinase A and protein kinase C (Simon, M I, et al, Science, 1991, 252:802-8).

For example, in one form of signal transduction, the effect of hormone binding is activation of the enzyme, adenylate cyclase, inside the cell Enzyme activation by hormones is dependent on the presence of the nucleotide GTP GTP also influences hormone binding A G- protein connects the hormone receptor to adenylate cyclase G-protein was shown to exchange GTP for bound GDP when activated by a hormone receptor The OTP-carrying form then binds to activated adenylate cyclase.

Hydrolysis of GTP to GDP, catalyzed by the G-protein itself, returns the G-protein to its basal, inactive form Thus, the G-protein serves a dual role, as an intermediate that relays the signal from receptor to effector, and as a clock that controls the duration of the signal.

The membrane protein gene superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors has been characterized as having seven putative transmembrane domains The domains are believed to represent transmembrane ae-helices connected by extracellular or cytoplasmic loops G-protein coupled receptors include a wide range of biologically active receptors, such as hormone, viral, growth factor and neuroreceptors.

G-protein coupled receptors (otherwise known as 7 TM receptors) have been characterized as including these seven conserved hydrophobic stretches of about 20 to 30 amino acids, connecting at least eight divergent hydrophilic loops The G-protein family of coupled receptors includes dopamine receptors which bind to neuroleptic drugs used for treating psychotic and neurological disorders.

Other examples of members of this family include, but are not limited to, calcitonin, adrenergic, - endothelin, c AMP, adenosine, muscarinic, acetylcholine, serotonin, histamine, thrombin, kinin, follicle stimulating hormone, opsins, endothelial differentiation gene-1, rhodopsins, odorant, and cytomegalovirus receptors.

Most G-protein coupled receptors have single conserved cysteine residues in each of the first two extracellular loops which form disulfide bonds that are believed to stabilize functional protein structure The 7 transmembrane regions are designated as TM 1, TM 2, TM 3, TM 4, TM 5, TM 6, and TM 7 TM 3 has been implicated in signal transduction.

Phosphorylation and lipidation (palmitylation or faresylation) of cysteine residues can influence signal transduction of some G-protein coupled receptors Most G-protein coupled receptors contain potential phosphorylation sites within the thirdcytoplasmic loop and/or the carboxy terminus For several G-protein coupled receptors, such as the P-adrenoreceptor, phosphorylation by protein kinase A and/or specific receptor kinases mediates receptor desensitization.

For some receptors, the ligand binding sites of G-protein coupled receptors are believed to comprise hydrophilic sockets formed by several G-protein coupled receptortransmembrane domains, said socket being surrounded by hydrophobic residues of the G-protein coupled receptors The hydrophilic side of each G-protein coupled receptortransmembrane helix is postulated to face inward and form polar ligand binding site TM 3 has been implicated in several G- protein coupled receptors as having a ligand binding site, such as the TM 3 aspartate residue TM 5 serines, a TM 6 asparagine and TM 6 or TM 7 phenylalanines or tyrosines are also implicated in ligand binding.

G-protein coupled receptors can be intracellularly coupled by heterotrimeric G-proteins to various intracellular enzymes, ion channels and transporters (see,Johnson et al, Endoc Rev, 1989, 10:317- 331) Different G-protein a-subunits preferentially stimulate particulareffectors to modulate various biological functions in a cell Phosphorylation of cytoplasmic residues of G-protein coupled receptors has been identified as an important mechanism for the regulation of G- protein coupling of some G- protein coupled receptors G-protein coupled receptors are found in numerous sites within a mammalian host Over the past 15 years, nearly 350 therapeutic agents targeting 7 transmembrane ( 7 TM) receptors have been successfully introduced onto the market.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to AXOR 79, in particular AXOR 79 polypeptides and AXOR 79 polynucleotides, recombinant materials and methods for their production Such polypeptides and polynucleotides are of interest in relation to methods of treatment of certain diseases, including, but not limited to, infections such as bacterial, fungal, protozoan and viral infections, particularly infections caused by HIV-1 or HIV-2; pain; cancers; diabetes, obesity; anorexia; bulimia; asthma; Parkinson's disease; acute heart failure; hypotension; hypertension; urinary retention; osteoporosis; angina pectoris; myocardial infarction; stroke; ulcers; asthma; allergies; benignprostatic hypertrophy; migraine; vomiting; psychotic and neurological disorders, including anxiety, schizophrenia, manic depression, depression, delirium, dementia, and severe mental retardation; anddyskinesias, such as Huntington's disease or Gilles dela Tourett's syndrome, hereinafter referred to as "diseases of the invention" In a further aspect, the invention relates to methods for identifying agonists and antagonists (e g, inhibitors) using the materials provided by the invention, and treating conditions associated with AXOR 79 imbalance with the identified compounds In a still further aspect, the invention relates to diagnostic assays for detecting diseases associated with inappropriate AXOR 79 activity or levels.

Description of the Invention

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to AXOR 79 polypeptides Such polypeptides include:

(a) an isolated polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) an isolated polypeptide comprising a polypeptide sequence having at least 95 %, 96 %, 97 %, 98 %, or 99 % identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (c) an isolated polypeptide comprising the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (d) an isolated polypeptide having at least 95 %, 96 %, 97 %, 98 %, or 99 % identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (e) the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and (f) an isolated polypeptide having or comprising a polypeptide sequence that has an Identity Index of 0 95, 0 96, 0 97, 0 98, or 0 99 compared to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and (g) fragments and variants of such polypeptides in (a) to (f).

Polypeptides of the present invention are believed to be members oftheseven transmembrane receptors ( 7-TM) family of polypeptides They are therefore of interest because 7 TM receptors, more than any other gene family, are the targets of pharmaceutical intervention.

The biological properties of the AXOR 79 are hereinafter referred to as "biological activity of AXOR 79 " or "AXOR 79 activity" Preferably, a polypeptide of the present invention exhibits at least one biological activity of AXOR 79 Polypeptides of the present invention also include variants of the aforementioned polypeptides, including all allelic forms and splice variants Such polypeptides vary from the reference polypeptide by insertions, deletions, and substitutions that may be conservative or non-conservative, or any combination thereof Particularly preferred variants are those in which several, for instance from 50 to 30, from 30 to 20, from 20 to 10, from 10 to 5, from 5 to 3, from 3 to 2, from 2 to 1 or 1 amino acids are inserted, substituted, or deleted, in any combination.

Preferred fragments of polypeptides of the present invention include an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 30, 50 or 100 contiguous amino acids from the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, or an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 30, 50 or 100 contiguous amino acids truncated or deleted from the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 Preferred fragments are biologically active fragments that mediate the biological activity of AXOR 79, including those with a similar activity or an improved activity, or with a decreased undesirable activity Also preferred are those fragments that are antigenic or immunogenic in an animal, especially in a human.

Fragments of the polypeptides of the invention may be employed for producing the corresponding full-length polypeptide by peptide synthesis; therefore, these variants may be employed as intermediates for producing the full-length polypeptides of the invention The polypeptides of the present invention may be in the form of the "mature" protein or may be a part of a larger protein such as a precursor or a fusion protein It is often advantageous to include an additional amino acid sequence that contains secretory or leader sequences, pro-sequences, sequences that aid in purification, for instance multiple histidine residues, or an additional sequence for stability during recombinant production.

Polypeptides of the present invention can be prepared in any suitable manner, for instance by isolation form naturally occurring sources, from genetically engineered host cells comprising expression systems (vide infra) or by chemical synthesis, using for instance automated peptide synthesizers, or a combination of such methods Means for preparing such polypeptides are well understood in the art.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to AXOR 79 polynucleotides Such polynucleotides include:

(a) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence having at least 95 %, 96 %, 97 %, 98 %, or 99 % identity to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; -.

(b) an isolated polynucleotide comprising the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1; (c) an isolated polynucleotide having at least 95 %, 96 %, 97 %, 98 %, or 99 % identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1; (d) the isolated polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1; (e) an isolated polynucleotide comprising apolynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide sequence having at least 95 %, 96 %, 97 %, 98 %, or 99 % identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (f) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; (g) an isolated polynucleotide having a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide sequence having at least 95 %, 96 %, 97 %, 98 %, or 99 % identity to thepolypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (h) an isolated polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; (i) an isolated polynucleotide having or comprising a polynucleotide sequence that has an Identity Index of 0 95, 0 96, 0 97, 0 98, or 0 99 compared to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; () an isolated polynucleotide having or comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide sequence that has an Identity Index of 0 95, 0 96, 0 97, 0 98, or 0 99 compared to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and polynucleotides that are fragments and variants of the above mentioned polynucleotides or that are complementary to above mentioned polynucleotides, over the entire length thereof.

c Preferred fragments ofpolynucleotides of the present invention include an isolated polynucleotide comprising an nucleotide sequence having at least 15, 30, 50 or 100 contiguous nucleotides from the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or an isolated polynucleotide comprising an sequence having at least 30, 50 or 100 contiguous nucleotides truncated or deleted from the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.

Preferred variants ofpolynucleotides of the present invention include splice variants, allelic variants, and polymorphisms, including polynucleotides having one or more single nucleotide polymorphisms (SN Ps).

Polynucleotides of the present invention also includepolynucleotides encoding polypeptide variants that comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 and in which several, for instance from 50 to 30, from 30 to 20, from 20 to 10, from 10 to 5, from 5 to 3, from 3 to 2, from 2 to 1 or 1 amino acid residues are substituted, deleted or added, in any combination.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides polynucleotides that are RNA transcripts of the DNA sequences of the present invention Accordingly, there is provided an RNA polynucleotide that:

(a) comprises an RNA transcript of the DNA sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; (b) is the RNA transcript of the DNA sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; (c) comprises an RNA transcript of the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; or (d) is the RNA transcript of the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and RNA polynucleotides that are complementary thereto.

The polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 shows homology with rat putative taste receptor TR 2 (Cell 96: 541-551 ( 1999); Gen Bank accession number: AF 127390) The polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 is a c DNA sequence that encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 The polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 may be identical to the polypeptide encoding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or it may be a sequence other than SEQ ID NO: 1, which, as a result of the redundancy (degeneracy) of the genetic code, also encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 The polypeptide of the SEQ ID NO:2 is related to other proteins of the seven transmembrane receptors family, having homology and/or structural similarity withrat putative taste receptor TR 1 (Cell 96: 541-551 ( 1999); Gen Bank accession number: AF 127389).

Preferred polypeptides and polynucleotides of the present invention are expected to have, inter alia, similar biological functions/properties to their homologous polypeptides andpolynucleotides.

Furthermore, preferred polypeptides and polynucleotides of the present invention have at least one AXOR 79 activity.

Polynucleotides of the present invention may be obtained using standard cloning and screening techniques from a c DNA library derived from m RNA in cells of human brain, placenta and testis, (see for instance, Sambrook et al, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N Y ( 1989)) Polynucleotides of the invention can also be obtained from natural sources such as genomic DNA libraries or can be synthesized using well known and commercially available techniques.

When polynucleotides of the present invention are used for the recombinant production of polypeptides of the present invention, the polynucleotide may include the coding sequence for the mature polypeptide, by itself, or the coding sequence for the mature polypeptide in reading frame'with other coding sequences, such as those encoding a leader or secretory sequence, a pre-, or pro or prepro protein sequence, or other fusion peptide portions For example, a marker sequence that facilitates purification of the fused polypeptide can be encoded In certain preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the marker sequence is ahexa-histidine peptide, as provided in thep QE vector (Qiagen, Inc) and described in Gentz et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA ( 1989) 86:821-824, or is an HA tag The polynucleotide may also contain non-coding 5 ' and 3 ' sequences, such as transcribed, non-translated sequences, splicing and polyadenylation signals, ribosome binding sites and sequences that stabilize m RNA.

Polynucleotides that are identical, or have sufficient identity to apolynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, may be used as hybridization probes for c DNA and genomic DNA or as primers for a nucleic acid amplification reaction (for instance, PCR) Such probes and primers may be used to isolate full-length c DN As and genomic clones encoding polypeptides of the present invention and to isolate c DNA and genomic clones of other genes (including genes encoding paralogs from human sources and orthologs and paralogs from species other than human) that have a high sequence similarity to SEQ ID NO: 1, typically at least 95 % identity Preferred probes and primers will generally comprise at least 15 nucleotides, preferably, at least 30 nucleotides and may have at least 50, if not at least 100 nucleotides Particularly preferred probes will have between 30 and 50 nucleotides.

Particularly preferred primers will have between 20 and 25 nucleotides.

A polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of the present invention, includinghomologs from species other than human, may be obtained by a process comprising the steps of screening a library under stringent hybridization conditions with a labeled probe having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof, preferably of at least 15 nucleotides; and isolating full-lengthc DNA and genomic clones containing said polynucleotide sequence Such hybridization techniques are well known to the skilled artisan Preferred stringent hybridization conditions include overnight incubation at 420 C in a solution comprising: 50 % formamide, 5 x SSC ( 150 m M Na CI, 15 m M trisodium citrate), 50 m M sodium phosphate (p H 7 6), 5 x Denhardt's solution, 10 % dextran sulfate, and 20 microgram/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA; followed by washing the filters in O lx SSC at about 65 PC Thus the present invention also includes isolated polynucleotides, preferably with a nucleotide sequence of at least 100, obtained by screening a library under stringent hybridization conditions with a labeled probe having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof, preferably of at least 15 nucleotides.

The skilled artisan will appreciate that, in many cases, an isolated c DNA sequence will be incomplete, in that the region coding for the polypeptide does not extend all the way through to the 5 ' terminus This is a consequence of reverse transcriptase, an enzyme with inherently low "processivity" (a measure of the ability of the enzyme to remain attached to the template during the polymerization reaction), failing to complete a DNA copy of the m RNA template during first strand c DNA synthesis.

There are several methods available and well known to those skilled in the art to obtain full- length c DN As, or extend short c DN As, for example those based on the method of Rapid Amplification of c DNA ends (RACE) (see, for example, Frohman et al, Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 85, 8998-9002, 1988) Recent modifications of the technique, exemplified by the Marathon (trade mark) technology (Clontech Laboratories Inc) for example, have significantly simplified the search for longer c DN As In the Marathon (trade mark) technology, c DN As have been prepared from m RNA extracted from a chosen tissue and an 'adaptor' sequence ligated onto each end Nucleic acid amplification (PCR) is then carried out to amplify the "missing" 5 ' end of the c DNA using a combination of gene specific and adaptor specific oligonucleotide primers The PCR reaction is then repeated using 'nested' primers, that is, primers designed to anneal within the amplified product (typically an adapter specific primer that anneals further 3 ' in the adaptor sequence and a gene specific primer that anneals further 5 ' in the known gene sequence) The products of this reaction can then be analyzed by DNA sequencing and a full-length c DNA constructed either by joining the product directly to the existing c DNA to give a complete sequence, or carrying out a separate full- length PCR using the new sequence information for the design of the 5 ' primer.

Recombinant polypeptides of the present invention may be prepared by processes well known in the art from genetically engineered host cells comprising expression systems Accordingly, ina further aspect, the present invention relates to expression systems comprising apolynucleotide or polynucleotides of the present invention, to host cells which are genetically engineered with such expression systems and to the production of polypeptides of the invention by recombinant techniques.

Cell-free translation systems can also be employed to produce such proteins using RN As derived from the DNA constructs of the present invention.

For recombinant production, host cells can be genetically engineered to incorporate expression systems or portions thereof for polynucleotides of the present invention Polynucleotides may be introduced into host cells by methods described in many standard laboratory manuals, such as Davis et a L, Basic Methods in Molecular Biology ( 1986) and Sambrook et al (ibid) Preferred methods of introducing polynucleotides into host cells include, for instance, calcium phosphatetransfection, DEAE-dextran mediated transfection, transvection, micro-injection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation, transduction, scrape loading, ballistic introduction or infection.

Representative examples of appropriate hosts include bacterial cells, such as Streptococci, Staphylococci, E coli, Streptomyces and Bacillus subtilis cells; fungal cells, such as yeast cells and Aspergillus cells; insect cells such as Drosophila 52 and Spodoptera Sf 9 cells; animal cells such as CHO, COS, He La, C 127, 3 T 3, BHK, HEK 293 and Bowes melanoma cells; and plant cells.

A great variety of expression systems can be used, for instance, chromosomal, episomal and virus-derived systems, e g, vectors derived from bacterial plasmids, from bacteriophage, from transposons, from yeast episomes, from insertion elements, from yeast chromosomal elements, from viruses such as baculoviruses, papova viruses, such as SV 40, vaccinia viruses, adenoviruses, fowl pox viruses, pseudorabies viruses and retroviruses, and vectors derived from combinations thereof, such as those derived from plasmid and bacteriophage genetic elements, such as cosmids and phagemids The expression systems may contain control regions that regulate as well as engender expression.

Generally, any system or vector that is able to maintain, propagate or express apolynucleotide to produce a polypeptide in a host may be used The appropriate polynucleotide sequence may be inserted into an expression system by any of a variety of well-known and routine techniques, such as, for example, those set forth in Sambrook et al, (ibid) Appropriate secretion signals may be incorporated into the desired polypeptide to allow secretion of the translated protein into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, the periplasmic space or the extracellular environment These signals may be endogenous to the polypeptide or they may be heterologous signals.

If a polypeptide of the present invention is to be expressed for use in screening assays, it is generally preferred that the polypeptide be produced at the surface of the cell In this event, the cells may be harvested prior to use in the screening assay If the polypeptide is secreted into the medium, the medium can be recovered in order to recover and purify the polypeptide If produced intracellularly, the cells must first be lysed before the polypeptide is recovered.

Polypeptides of the present invention can be recovered and purified from recombinant cell cultures by well-known methods including ammonium sulfate or ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and lectin chromatography Most preferably, high performance liquid chromatography is employed for purification Well known techniques for refolding proteins may be employed to regenerate active conformation when the polypeptide is denatured during intracellular synthesis, isolation and/or purification.

Polynucleotides of the present invention may be used as diagnostic reagents, through detecting mutations in the associated gene Detection of a mutated form of the gene characterized by the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1 in the c DNA or genomic sequence and which is associated with a dysfunction will provide a diagnostic tool that can add to, or define, a diagnosis of a disease, or susceptibility to a disease, which results from under-expression, over- expression or altered spatial or temporal expression of the gene Individuals carrying mutations in the gene may be detected at the DNA level by a variety of techniques well known in the art.

Nucleic acids for diagnosis may be obtained from a subject's cells, such as from blood, urine, saliva, tissue biopsy or autopsy material Thegenomic DNA may be used directly for detection or it may be amplified enzymatically by using PCR, preferably RT-PCR, or other amplification techniques prior to analysis RNA or c DNA may also be used in similar fashion Deletions and insertions can be detected by a change in size of the amplified product in comparison to the normal genotype Point mutations can be identified by hybridizing amplified DNA to labeled AXOR 79 nucleotide sequences.

Perfectly matched sequences can be distinguished from mismatched duplexes by R Nase digestion or by differences in melting temperatures DNA sequence difference may also be detected by alterations in the electrophoretic mobility of DNA fragments in gels, with or without denaturing agents, or by direct DNA sequencing (see, for instance, Myers et al, Science ( 1985) 230:1242) Sequence changes at specific locations may also be revealed by nuclease protection assays, such as R Nase and 51 protection or the chemical cleavage method (see Cottonet al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA ( 1985) 85:

4397-4401).

An array of oligonucleotides probes comprising AXOR 79 polynucleotide sequence or fragments thereof can be constructed to conduct efficient screening of e g, genetic mutations Such arrays are preferably high density arrays or grids Array technology methods are well known and have general applicability and can be used to address a variety of questions in molecular genetics including gene expression, genetic linkage, and genetic variability, see, for example, M Chee et al, Science, 274, 610-613 ( 1996) and other references cited therein.

Detection of abnormally decreased or increased levels of polypeptide orm RNA expression may also be used for diagnosing or determining susceptibility of a subject toa disease of the invention.

Decreased or increased expression can be measured at the RNA level using any of the methods well known in the art for the quantitation ofpolynucleotides, such as, for example, nucleic acid amplification, for instance PCR, RT-PCR, R Nase protection, Northern blotting and other hybridization methods Assay techniques that can be used to determine levels of a protein, such as a polypeptide of the present invention, in a sample derived from a host arewell-known to those of skill in the art Such assay methods include radio-immunoassays, competitive- binding assays, Western Blot analysis and ELISA assays.

Thus in another aspect, the present invention relates to a diagnostic kit comprising:

(a) a polynucleotide of the present invention, preferably the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a fragment or an RNA transcript thereof; (b) a nucleotide sequence complementary to that of (a); (c) a polypeptide of the present invention, preferably the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 or a fragment thereof; or (d) an antibody to a polypeptide of the present invention, preferably to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.

It will be appreciated that in any such kit, (a), (b), (c) or (d) may comprise a substantial component Such a kit will be of use in diagnosing a disease or susceptibility to a disease, particularly diseases of the invention, amongst others.

The polynucleotide sequences of the present invention are valuable for chromosome localization studies The sequence is specifically targeted to, and can hybridize with, a particular location on an individual human chromosome The mapping of relevant sequences to chromosomes according to the present invention is an important first step in correlating those sequences with gene associated disease Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data Such data are found in, for example, V McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man (available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library) The relationship between genes and diseases that have been mapped to the same chromosomal region are then identified through linkage analysis (coinheritance of physically adjacent genes) Precise human chromosomal localizations for a genomic sequence (gene fragment etc) can be determined using Radiation Hybrid (RH) Mapping (Walter, M Spillett, D, Thomas, P, Weissenbach, J, and Goodfellow, P, ( 1994) A method for constructing radiation hybrid maps of whole genomes, Nature Genetics 7, 22-28) A number of RH panels are available from Research Genetics (Huntsville, AL, USA) e g the Gene Bridge 4 RH panel (Hum Mol Genet 1996 Mar; 5 ( 3):339-46 A radiation hybrid map of the human genome Gyapay G, Schmitt K, Fizames C, Jones H, Vega-Czarny N, Spillett D, Muselet D, Prud'Homme JF, Dib C, Auffray C, Morissette J, Weissenbach J, Goodfellow PN) To determine the chromosomal location of a gene using this panel, 93 PC Rs are performed using primers designed from the gene of interest on RH DN As Each of these DN As contains random human genomic fragments maintained in a hamster background (human / hamster hybrid cell lines) These PC Rs result in 93 scores indicating the presence or absence of the PCR product of the gene of interest These scores are compared with scores created using PCR products from genomic sequences of known location This comparison is conducted at http://www genome wi mit edu/.

The polynucleotide sequences of the present invention are also valuable tools for tissue expression studies Such studies allow the determination of expression patterns ofpolynucleotides of the present invention which may give an indication as to the expression patterns of the encoded polypeptides in tissues, by detecting them RN As that encode them The techniques used are well known in the art and include in situ hybridization techniques to clones arrayed on a grid, such asc DNA microarray hybridization (Schena et al, Science, 270, 467-470, 1995 and Shalon et al, Genome Res, 6, 639-645, 1996) and nucleotide amplification techniques such as PCR A preferred method uses the TAQMAN (Trade mark) technology available from Perkin Elmer Results from these studies can provide an indication of the normal function of the polypeptide in the organism In addition, comparative studies of the normal expression pattern ofm RN As with that of m RN As encoded by an alternative form of the same gene (for example, one having an alteration in polypeptide coding potential or a regulatory mutation) can provide valuable insights into the role of the polypeptides of the present invention, or that of inappropriate expression thereof in disease Such inappropriate expression may be of a temporal, spatial or simply quantitative nature.

A further aspect of the present invention relates to antibodies The polypeptides of the invention or their fragments, or cells expressing them, can be used as immunogens to produce antibodies that are immunospecific for polypeptides of the present invention The term "immunospecific" means that the antibodies have substantially greater affinity for the polypeptides of the invention than their affinity for other related polypeptides in the prior art.

Antibodies generated against polypeptides of the present invention may be obtained by administering the polypeptides or epitope-bearing fragments, or cells to an animal, preferably a non- human animal, using routine protocols For preparation of monoclonal antibodies, anytechnique which provides antibodies produced by continuous cell line cultures can be used Examples include the hybridoma technique (Kohler, G and Milstein, C, Nature ( 1975) 256:495-497), the trioma technique, the human B-cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al, Immunology Today ( 1983) 4:72) and the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al, Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, 77-96, Alan R Liss, Inc, 1985).

Techniques for the production of single chain antibodies, such as those described in U S.

Patent No 4,946,778, can also be adapted to produce single chain antibodies to polypeptides of this invention Also, transgenic mice, or other organisms, including other mammals, may be used to express humanized antibodies.

The above-described antibodies may be employed to isolate or to identify clones expressing the polypeptide or to purify the polypeptides by affinity chromatography Antibodies against polypeptides of the present invention may also be employed to treat diseases of the invention, amongst others.

Polypeptides and polynucleotides of the present invention may also be used as vaccines.

Accordingly, in a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for inducing an immunological response in a mammal that comprises inoculating the mammal with a polypeptide of the present invention, adequate to produce antibody and/or T cell immune response, including, for example, cytokine-producing T cells or cytotoxic T cells, to protect said animal from disease whether that disease is already established within the individual or not An immunological response in a mammal may also be induced by a method comprises delivering a polypeptide of the present invention via a vector directing expression of the polynucleotide and coding for the polypeptide in vivo in order to induce such an immunological response to produce antibody to protect said animal from diseases of the invention One way of administering the vector is by accelerating it into the desired cells as a coating on particles or otherwise Such nucleic acid vector may comprise DNA, RNA, a modified nucleic acid, or a DNA/RNA hybrid For use a vaccine, a polypeptide or a nucleic acid vector will be normally provided as a vaccine formulation (composition) The formulation may further comprise a suitable carrier Since a polypeptide may be broken down in the stomach, it is preferably administered parenterally (for instance, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, or intra-dermal injection) Formulations suitable for parenteral administration include aqueous and non-aqueous sterile injection solutions that may contain anti-oxidants, buffers, bacteriostats and solutes that render the formulation instonic with the blood of the recipient; and aqueous and non- aqueous sterile suspensions that may include suspending agents or thickening agents The formulations may be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose containers, for example, sealed ampoules and vials and may be stored in a freeze-dried condition requiring only the addition of the sterile liquid carrier immediately prior to use The vaccine formulation may also include adjuvant systems for enhancing the immunogenicity of the formulation, such as oil-in water systems and other systems known in the art The dosage will depend on the specific activity of the vaccine and can be readily determined by routine experimentation.

Polypeptides of the present invention have one or more biological functions that are of relevance in one or more disease states, in particular the diseases of the inventionhereinbefore mentioned It is therefore useful to identify compounds that stimulate or inhibit the function or level of the polypeptide Accordingly, in a further aspect, the present invention provides for a method of screening compounds to identify those that stimulate or inhibit the function or level of the polypeptide.

Such methods identify agonists or antagonists that may be employed for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes for such diseases of the invention as hereinbefore mentioned Compounds may be identified from a variety of sources, for example, cells, cell-free preparations, chemical libraries, collections of chemical compounds, and natural product mixtures Suchagonists or antagonists so-identified may be natural or modified substrates, ligands, receptors, enzymes, etc, as the case may be, of the polypeptide; a structural or functional mimetic thereof (see Coligan et al, Current Protocols in Immunology 1 ( 2):Chapter 5 ( 1991)) or a small molecule Such small molecules preferably have a molecular weight below 2,000 daltons, more preferably between 300 and 1,000 daltons, and most preferably between 400 and 700 daltons It is preferred that these small molecules are organic molecules.

The screening method may simply measure the binding of a candidate compound to the polypeptide, or to cells or membranes bearing the polypeptide, or a fusion protein thereof, by means of a label directly or indirectly associated with the candidate compound Alternatively, the screening method may involve measuring or detecting (qualitatively or quantitatively) the competitive binding of a candidate compound to the polypeptide against a labeled competitor (e g.

agonist or antagonist) Further, these screening methods may test whether the candidate compound results in a signal generated by activation or inhibition of the polypeptide, using detection systems appropriate to the cells bearing the polypeptide Inhibitors of activation are generally assayed in the presence of a known agonist and the effect on activation by the agonist by the presence of the candidate compound is observed Further, the screening methods may simply comprise the steps of mixing a candidate compound with a solution containing a polypeptide of the present invention, to form a mixture, measuring a AXOR 79 activity in the mixture, and comparing the AXOR 79 activity of the mixture to a control mixture which contains no candidate compound.

Polypeptides of the present invention may be employed in conventional low capacity screening methods and also in high-throughput screening (HTS) formats Such HTS formats include not only the well-established use of 96 and, more recently, 384- well micotiter plates but also emerging methods such as the nanowell method described by Schullek et al, Anal Biochem, 246, 20-29, ( 1997).

Fusion proteins, such as those made from Fc portion and AXOR 79 polypeptide, as hereinbefore described, can also be used for high-throughput screening assays to identify antagonists for the polypeptide of the present invention (see D Bennett et al, J Mol Recognition, 8:52-58 ( 1995); and K Johanson et al, J Biol Chem, 270 ( 16):9459-9471 ( 1995)).

One screening technique includes the use of cells which express receptors of this invention (for example, transfected CHO cells) in a system which measures extracellular p H or intracellular calcium changes caused by receptor activation In this technique, compounds may be contacted with cells expressing a receptor polypeptide of the present invention A second messenger response, e g, signal transduction, p H changes, or changes in calcium level, is then measured to determine whether the potential compound activates or inhibits the receptor.

Another method involves screening for receptor inhibitors by determining inhibition or stimulation of receptor-mediated c AMP and/or adenylate cyclase accumulation Such a method involves transfecting a eukaryotic cell with the receptor of this invention to express the receptor on the cell surface The cell is then exposed to potential antagonists in the presence of the receptor of this invention The amount of c AMP accumulation is then measured If the potential antagonist binds the receptor, and thus inhibits receptor binding, the levels of receptor- mediatedc AMP, or adenylate cyclase, activity will be reduced or increased Another method for detectingagonists or antagonists for the receptor of the present invention is the yeast based technology as described in U S Patent No.

5,482,835.

The polynucleotides, polypeptides and antibodies to the polypeptide of the present invention may also be used to configure screening methods for detecting the effect of added compounds on the production of m RNA and polypeptide in cells For example, an ELISA assay may be constructed for measuring secreted or cell associated levels of polypeptideusing monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies by standard methods known in the art This can be used to discover agents that may inhibit or enhance the production of polypeptide (also called antagonist or agonist, respectively) from suitably manipulated cells or tissues.

A polypeptide of the present invention may be used to identify membrane bound or soluble receptors, if any, through standard receptor binding techniques known in the art These include, but are not limited to, ligand binding and crosslinking assays in which the polypeptide islabeled with a radioactive isotope (for instance, 125 I), chemically modified (for instance, biotinylated), or fused to a peptide sequence suitable for detection or purification, and incubated with a source of the putative receptor (cells, cell membranes, cell supernatants, tissue extracts, bodily fluids) Other methods include biophysical techniques such as surface plasmon resonance and spectroscopy These screening methods may also be used to identify agonists and antagonists of the polypeptide that compete with the binding of the polypeptide to its receptors, if any Standard methods for conducting such assays are well understood in the art.

Examples of antagonists of polypeptides of the present invention include antibodies or, in some cases, oligonucleotides or proteins that are closely related to the ligands, substrates, receptors, enzymes, etc, as the case may be, of the polypeptide, e g, a fragment of the ligands, substrates, receptors, enzymes, etc; or a small molecule that bind to the polypeptide of the present invention but do not elicit a response, so that the activity of the polypeptide is prevented.

Screening methods may also involve the use of transgenic technology and AXOR 79 gene.

The art of constructing transgenic animals is well established For example, the AXOR 79 gene may be introduced through microinjection into the male pronucleus of fertilized oocytes, retroviral transfer into pre or post-implantation embryos, or injection of genetically modified, such as by electroporation, embryonic stem cells into host blastocysts Particularly useful transgenic animals are so-called "knock-in" animals in which an animal gene is replaced by the human equivalent within the genome of that animal Knock-in transgenic animals are useful in the drug discovery process, for target validation, where the compound is specific for the human target Other useful transgenic animals are so-called "knock-out" animals in which the expression of the animal ortholog of a polypeptide of the present invention and encoded by an endogenous DNA sequence in a cell is partially or completely annulled The gene knock-out may be targeted to specific cells or tissues, may occur only in certain cells or tissues as a consequence of the limitations of the technology, or may occur in all, or substantially all, cells in the animal Transgenic animal technology also offers a whole animal expression-cloning system in which introduced genes are expressed to give large amounts of polypeptides of the present invention Screening kits for use in the above described methods form a further aspect of the present invention Such screening kits comprise:

(a) a polypeptide of the present invention; (b) a recombinant cell expressing a polypeptide of the present invention; (c) a cell membrane expressing a polypeptide of the present invention; or (d) an antibody to a polypeptide of the present invention; which polypeptide is preferably that of SEQ ID NO:2.

It will be appreciated that in any such kit, (a), (b), (c) or (d) may comprise a substantial component.

Glossary The following definitions are provided to facilitate understanding of certain terms used frequently hereinbefore.

"Antibodies" as used herein includes polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, chimeric, single chain, and humanized antibodies, as well as Fab fragments, including the products of an Fab or other immunoglobulin expression library.

"Isolated" means altered "by the hand of man" from its natural state, i e, if it occurs in nature, it has been changed or removed from its original environment, or both For example, apolynucleotide or a polypeptide naturally present in a living organism is not "isolated, " but the samepolynucleotide or polypeptide separated from the coexisting materials of its natural state is "isolated", as the term is employed herein Moreover, a polynucleotide or polypeptide that is introduced into an organism by transformation, genetic manipulation or by any other recombinant method is "isolated" even if it is still present in said organism, which organism may be living or non- living.

"Polynucleotide" generally refers to any polyribonucleotide (RNA) or polydeoxribonucleotide (DNA), which may be unmodified or modified RNA or DNA.

"Polynucleotides" include, without limitation, single and double-stranded DNA, DNA that is a mixture of single and double-stranded regions, single and double-stranded RNA, and RNA that is mixture of single and double-stranded regions, hybrid molecules comprising DNA and RNA that may be single-stranded or, more typically, double-stranded or a mixture of single and double- stranded regions In addition, "polynucleotide" refers to triple-stranded regions comprising RNA or DNA or both RNA and DNA The term "polynucleotide" also includes DN As or RN As containing one or more modified bases and DN As or RN As with backbones modified for stability or for other reasons "Modified" bases include, for example, tritylated bases and unusual bases such as inosine.

A variety of modifications may be made to DNA and RNA; thus, "polynucleotide" embraces chemically, enzymatically or metabolically modified forms of polynucleotides as typically found in nature, as well as the chemical forms of DNA and RNA characteristic of viruses and cells.

"Polynucleotide" also embraces relatively short polynucleotides, often referred to as oligonucleotides.

"Polypeptide" refers to any polypeptide comprising two or more amino acids joined to each other by peptide bonds or modified peptide bonds, i e, peptide isosteres "Polypeptide" refers to both short chains, commonly referred to as peptides, oligopeptides or oligomers, and to longer chains, generally referred to as proteins Polypeptides may contain amino acids other than the 20 gene-encoded amino acids "Polypeptides" include amino acid sequences modified either by natural processes, such as post-translational processing, or by chemical modification techniques that are well known in the art Such modifications are well described in basic texts and in more detailed monographs, as well as in a voluminous research literature Modifications may occur anywhere in a polypeptide, including the peptide backbone, the amino acid side-chains and the amino or carboxyl termini It will be appreciated that the same type of modification may be present to the same or varying degrees at several sites in a given polypeptide Also, a given polypeptide may contain many types of modifications Polypeptides may be branched as a result of ubiquitination, and they may be cyclic, with or without branching Cyclic, branched and branched cyclic polypeptides may result from post-translation natural processes or may be made by synthetic methods Modifications include acetylation, acylation, ADP-ribosylation, amidation, biotinylation, covalent attachment of flavin, covalent attachment of a heme moiety, covalent attachment of a nucleotide or nucleotide derivative, covalent attachment of a lipid or lipid derivative, covalent attachment of phosphotidylinositol, cross-linking, cyclization, disulfide bond formation, demethylation, formation of covalent cross-links, formation of cystine, formation of pyroglutamate, formylation, gamma- carboxylation, glycosylation, G Pl anchor formation, hydroxylation, iodination, methylation, myristoylation, oxidation, proteolytic processing, phosphorylation, prenylation, racemization, selenoylation, sulfation, transfer-RNA mediated addition of amino acids to proteins such as arginylation, and ubiquitination (see, for instance, Proteins Structure and Molecular Properties, 2nd Ed, T E Creighton, W H Freeman and Company, New York, 1993; Wold, F, Post- translational Protein Modifications: Perspectives and Prospects, 1-12, in Post-translational Covalent Modification of Proteins, B C Johnson, Ed, Academic Press, New York, 1983; Seifter et al, "Analysis for protein modifications and nonprotein cofactors", Meth Enzymol, 182, 626-646, 1990, and Rattan et al, "Protein Synthesis: Post-translational Modifications and Aging", Ann NY Acad Sci, 663, 48-62, 1992).

"Fragment" of a polypeptide sequence refers to a polypeptide sequence that is shorter than the reference sequence but that retains essentially the same biological function or activity as the reference polypeptide "Fragment" of a polynucleotide sequence refers to a polynucleotide sequence that is shorter than the reference sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.

"Variant" refers to a polynucleotide or polypeptide that differs from a reference polynucleotide or polypeptide, but retains the essential properties thereof A typical variant ofia polynucleotide differs in nucleotide sequence from the reference polynucleotide Changes in the nucleotide sequence of the variant may or may not alter the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide encoded by the reference polynucleotide Nucleotide changes may result in amino acid substitutions, additions, deletions, fusions and truncations in the polypeptide encoded by the reference sequence, as discussed below A typical variant of a polypeptide differs in amino acid sequence from the reference polypeptide Generally, alterations are limited so that the sequences of the reference polypeptide and the variant are closely similar overall and, in many regions, identical.

A variant and reference polypeptide may differ in amino acid sequence by one or more substitutions, insertions, deletions in any combination A substituted or inserted amino acid residue may or may not be one encoded by the genetic code Typical conservative substitutions include Gly, Ala; Val, Ile, Leu; Asp, Glu; Asn, Gin; Ser, Thr; Lys, Arg; and Phe and Tyr A variant of a polynucleotide or polypeptide may be naturally occurring such as an allele, or it may be a variant that is not known to occur naturally Non-naturally occurring variants of polynucleotides and polypeptides may be made by mutagenesis techniques or by direct synthesis Also included as variants are polypeptides having one or more post-translational modifications, for instance glycosylation, phosphorylation, methylation, ADP ribosylation and the like Embodiments include methylation of the N-terminal amino acid, phosphorylations of serines and threonines and modification of C-terminal glycines.

"Allele" refers to one of two or more alternative forms of a gene occurring at a given locus in the genome.

"Polymorphism" refers to a variation in nucleotide sequence (and encoded polypeptide sequence, if relevant) at a given position in the genome within a population.

"Single Nucleotide Polymorphism" (SNP) refers to the occurrence of nucleotide variability at a single nucleotide position in the genome, within a population An SNP may occur within a gene or within intergenic regions of the genome SN Ps can be assayed using Allele Specific Amplification (ASA) For the process at least 3 primers are required A common primer is used in reverse complement to the polymorphism being assayed This common primer can be between 50 and 1500 bps from the polymorphic base The other two (or more) primers are identical to each other except that the final 3 ' base wobbles to match one of the two (or more) alleles that make up the polymorphism Two (or more) PCR reactions are then conducted on sample DNA, each using the common primer and one of the Allele Specific Primers.

"Splice Variant" as used herein refers to c DNA molecules produced from RNA molecules initially transcribed from the same genomic DNA sequence but which have undergone alternative RNA splicing Alternative RNA splicing occurs when a primary RNA transcript undergoes splicing, generally for the removal of introns, which results in the production of more than one m RNA molecule each of that may encode different amino acid sequences The term splice variant also refers to the proteins encoded by the above c DNA molecules.

"Identity" reflects a relationship between two or more polypeptide sequences or two or more polynucleotide sequences, determined by comparing the sequences In general, identity refers to an exact nucleotide to nucleotide or amino acid to amino acid correspondence of the two polynucleotide or two polypeptide sequences, respectively, over the length of the sequences being compared.

"% Identity" For sequences where there is not an exact correspondence, a "% identity" may be determined In general, the two sequences to be compared are aligned to give a maximum correlation between the sequences This may include inserting "gaps" in either one or both sequences, to enhance the degree of alignment A % identity may be determined over the whole length of each of the sequences being compared (so-called global alignment), that is particularly suitable for sequences of the same or very similar length, or over shorter, defined lengths (so-called local alignment), that is more suitable for sequences of unequal length.

"Similarity" is a further, more sophisticated measure of the relationship between two polypeptide sequences In general, "similarity" means a comparison between the amino acids of two polypeptide chains, on a residue by residue basis, taking into account not only exact correspondences between a between pairs of residues, one from each of the sequences being compared (as for identity) but also, where there is not an exact correspondence, whether, on an evolutionary basis, one residue is a likely substitute for the other This likelihood has an associated "score" from which the "% similarity" of the two sequences can then be determined.

Methods for comparing the identity and similarity of two or more sequences are well known in the art Thus for instance, programs available in the Wisconsin Sequence Analysis Package, version 9 1 (Devereux J et al, Nucleic Acids Res, 12, 387-395, 1984, available from Genetics Computer Group, Madison, Wisconsin, USA), for example the programs BESTFIT and GAP, may be used to determine the % identity between two polynucleotides and the % identity and the % similarity between two polypeptide sequencesBESTFIT uses the "local homology" algorithm of Smith and Waterman (J Mol Biol, 147,195-197, 1981, Advances in Applied Mathematics, 2, 482- 489, 1981) and finds the best single region of similarity between two sequences BESTFIT is more suited to comparing two polynucleotide or two polypeptide sequences that are dissimilar in lengh, the program assuming that the shorter sequence represents a portion of the longer In comparison, GAP aligns two sequences, finding a "maximum similarity", according to the algorithm of Neddleman and Wunsch (J Mol Biol, 48, 443-453, 1970) GAP is more suited to comparing sequences that are approximately the same length and an alignment is expected over the entire length Preferably, the parameters "Gap Weight" and "Length Weight" used in each program are 50 and 3, for polynucleotide sequences and 12 and 4 for polypeptide sequences, respectively.

Preferably, % identities and similarities are determined when the two sequences being compared are optimally aligned.

Other programs for determining identity and/or similarity between sequences are also known in the art, for instance the BLAST family of programs (Altschul S F et al, J Mol Biol, 215, 403-410, 1990, Altschul S F et al, Nucleic Acids Res, 25:389-3402, 1997, available from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Bethesda, Maryland, USA and accessible through the home page of the NCBI at www ncbi nlm nih gov) and FASTA (Pearson W R, Methods in Enzymology, 183, 63-99, 1990; Pearson W R and Lipman D J, Proc Nat Acad Sci USA, 85, 2444-2448,1988, available as part of the Wisconsin Sequence Analysis Package).

Preferably, the BLOSUM 62 amino acid substitution matrix (Henikoff S and Henikoff J G, Proc Nat Acad Sci USA, 89, 10915-10919, 1992) is used in polypeptide sequence comparisons including where nucleotide sequences are first translated into amino acid sequences before comparison.

Preferably, the program BESTFIT is used to determine the % identity of a query polynucleotide or a polypeptide sequence with respect to a reference polynucleotide or a polypeptide sequence, the query and the reference sequence being optimally aligned and the parameters of the program set at the default value, as hereinbefore described.

"Identity Index" is a measure of sequence relatedness which may be used to compare a candidate sequence (polynucleotide or polypeptide) and a reference sequence Thus, for instance, a candidate polynucleotide sequence having, for example, an Identity Index of 0 95 compared to a reference polynucleotide sequence is identical to the reference sequence except that the candidate polynucleotide sequence may include on average up to five differences per each 100 nucleotides of the reference sequence Such differences are selected from the group consisting of at least one nucleotide deletion, substitution, including transition and transversion, or insertion These differences may occur at the 5 ' or 3 ' terminal positions of the reference polynucleotide sequence or anywhere between these terminal positions, interspersed either individually among the nucleotides in the reference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within the reference sequence In other words, to obtain a polynucleotide sequence having an Identity Index of 0 95 compared to a reference polynucleotide sequence, an average of up to 5 in every 100 of the nucleotides of the in the reference sequence may be deleted, substituted or inserted, or any combination thereof, as hereinbefore described The same applies mutatis mutandis for other values of the Identity Index, for instance 0 96, 0 97, 0 98 and 0 99.

Similarly, for a polypeptide, a candidate polypeptide sequence having, for example, an Identity Index of 0 95 compared to a reference polypeptide sequence is identical to the reference sequence except that the polypeptide sequence may include an average of up to five differences per each 100 amino acids of the reference sequence Such differences are selected from the group consisting of at least one amino acid deletion, substitution, including conservative and non- conservative substitution, or insertion These differences may occur at the amino or carboxy- terminal positions of the reference polypeptide sequence or anywhere between these terminal positions, interspersed either individually among the amino acids in the reference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within the reference sequence In other words, to obtain a polypeptide sequence having an Identity Index of 0 95 compared to a reference polypeptide sequence, an average of up to 5 in every 100 of the amino acids in the reference sequence may be deleted, substituted or inserted, or any combination thereof, as hereinbefore described The same applies mutatis mutandis for other values of the Identity Index, for instance 0 96, 0 97, 0 98 and 0 99.

The relationship between the number of nucleotide or amino acid differences and the Identity Index may be expressed in the following equation:

na Xa (xa I), in which:

na is the number of nucleotide or amino acid differences, Xa is the total number of nucleotides or amino acids in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO:2, respectively, I is the Identity Index, is the symbol for the multiplication operator, and in which any non-integer product of xa and I is rounded down to the nearest integer prior to subtracting it from xa.

"Homolog" is a generic term used in the art to indicate a polynucleotide or polypeptide& sequence possessing a high degree of sequence relatedness to a reference sequence Such relatedness may be quantified by determining the degree of identity and/or similarity between the two sequences as hereinbefore defined Falling within this generic term are the terms "ortholog", and "paralog" "Ortholog" refers to a polynucleotide or polypeptide that is the functional equivalent of the polynucleotide or polypeptide in another species "Paralog" refers to a polynucleotide or polypeptide that within the same species which is functionally similar.

"Fusion protein" refers to a protein encoded by two, often unrelated, fused genes or fragments thereof In one example, EP-A-0 464 533-A discloses fusion proteins comprising various portions of constant region of immunoglobulin molecules together with another human protein or part thereof In many cases, employing an immunoglobulin Fc region as a part of a fusion protein is advantageous for use in therapy and diagnosis resulting in, for example, improved pharmacokinetic properties lsee, e g, EP-A 0232 262 l On the other hand, for some uses it would be desirable to be able to delete the Fc part after the fusion protein has been expressed, detected and purified.

All publications and references, including but not limited to patents and patent applications, cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each individual publication or reference were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference herein as being fully set forth Any patent application to which this application claims priority is also incorporated by reference herein in its entirety in the manner described above for publications and references.

Examples

Example 1: Mammalian Cell Expression The receptors of the present invention are expressed in either human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells or adherent dhfr CHO cells To maximize receptor expression, typically all 5 ' and 3 ' untranslated regions (UT Rs) are removed from the receptor c DNA prior to insertion into a p CDN or p CDNA 3 vector The cells are transfected with individual receptor c DN As by lipofectin and selected in the presence of 400 mg/ml G 418 After 3 weeks of selection, individual clones are picked and expanded for further analysis HEK 293 or CHO cells transfected with the vector alone serve as negative controls To isolate cell lines stably expressing the individual receptors, about 24 clones are typically selected and analyzed by Northern blot analysis Receptor m RN As are generally detectable in about 50 % of the G 418-resistant clones analyzed.

Example 2 Ligand bank for binding and functional assays.

A bank of over 600 putative receptor ligands has been assembled for screening The bank comprises: transmitters, hormones and chemokines known to act via a human seven transmembrane ( 7 TM) receptor; naturally occurring compounds which may be putative agonists for a human 7 TM receptor, non-mammalian, biologically active peptides for which a mammalian counterpart has not yet been identified; and compounds not found in nature, but which activate 7 TM receptors with unknown natural ligands This bank is used to initially screen the receptor for known ligands, using both functional (i e calcium, c AMP, microphysiometer, oocyte electrophysiology, etc, see below) as well as binding assays.

Example 3: Ligand Binding Assays Ligand binding assays provide a direct method for ascertaining receptor pharmacology and are adaptable to a high throughput format The purified ligand for a receptor is radiolabeled to high specific activity ( 50-2000 Ci/mmol) for binding studies A determination is then made that the process of radiolabeling does not diminish the activity of theligand towards its receptor Assay conditions for buffers, ions, p H and other modulators such as nucleotides are optimized to establish a workable signal to noise ratio for both membrane and whole cell receptor sources For these assays, specific receptor binding is defined as total associated radioactivity minus the radioactivity measured in the presence of an excess of unlabeled competing ligand Where possible, more than one competing ligand is used to define residual nonspecific binding.

Example 4: Functional Assay in Xenopus Oocytes Capped RNA transcripts from linearized plasmid templates encoding the receptorc DN As of the invention are synthesized in vitro with RN Apolymerases in accordance with standard procedures.

In vitro transcripts are suspended in water at a final concentration of 0 2 mg/ml Ovarian lobes are removed from adult female toads, Stage V defolliculated oocytes are obtained, and RNA transcripts ( 10 ng/oocyte) are injected in a 50 nl bolus using a microinjection apparatus Two electrode voltage clamps are used to measure the currents from individual Xenopus oocytes in response to agonist exposure Recordings are made in Ca 2 + free Barth's medium at room temperature The Xenopus system can be used to screen known ligands and tissue/cell extracts for activating ligands.

Example 5: Microphysiometric Assays Activation of a wide variety of secondary messenger systems results in extrusion of small amounts of acid from a cell The acid formed is largely as a result of the increased metabolic activity required to fuel the intracellular signaling process The p H changes in the media surrounding the cell are very small but are detectable by the CYTOSENSO Rmicrophysiometer (Molecular Devices Ltd, Menlo Park, CA) The CYTOSENSOR is thus capable of detecting the activation of a receptor which is coupled to an energy utilizing intracellular signaling pathway such as the G-protein coupled receptor of the present invention.

Example 6: Extract/Cell Supernatant Screening A large number of mammalian receptors exist for which there remains, as yet, nocognate activating ligand (agonist) Thus, active ligands for these receptors may not be included within the ligand banks as identified to date Accordingly, the 7 TM receptor of the invention is also functionally screened (using calcium, c AMP, microphysiometer, oocyte electrophysiology, etc, functional screens) against tissue extracts to identify natural ligands Extracts that produce positive functional responses can be sequentially subfractionated until an activating ligand is isolated identified.

Example 7: Calcium and c AMP Functional Assays Seven-transmembrane receptors which are expressed in HEK 293 cells have been shown to be coupled functionally to activation of PLC and calcium mobilization and/orc AMP stimulation or inhibition Basal calcium levels in the HEK 293 cells in receptortransfected or vector control cells were observed to be in the normal, 100 n M to 200 n M, range HEK 293 cells expressing recombinant receptors are loaded with fura 2 and in a single day > 150 selected ligands or tissue/cell extracts are evaluated for agonist induced calcium mobilization Similarly, HEK 293 cells expressing recombinant receptors are evaluated for the stimulation or inhibition ofc AMP production using standard c AMP quantitation assays Agonists presenting a calcium transient orc AMP fluctuation are tested in vector control cells to determine if the response is unique to thetransfected cells expressing receptor.

SEQUENCE INFORMATION SEQ ID NO:1 ATGCTGGGCCCTGCTGTCCTGGGCCTCAGCCTCTGGGCTCTCCTGCACCCT GGGACGGGGGCCCCATTGTGCCTGTCACAGCAACTTAGGATGAAGGGGGACTACGTGCTG GGGGGGCTGTTCCCCCTGGGCGAGGCCGAGGAGGCTGGCCTCCGCAGCCGGACACGGCCC AGCAGCCCTGTGTGCACCAGGTTCTCCTCAAACGGCCTGCTCTGGGCACTGGCCATGAAA ATGGCCGTGGAGGAGATCAACAACAAGTCGGATCTGCTGCCCGGGCTGCGCCTGGGCTAC GACCTCTTTGATACGTGCTCGGAGCCTGTGGTGGCCATGAAGCCCAGCCTCATGTTCCTG GCCAAGGCAGGCAGCCGCGACATCGCCGCCTACTGCAACTACACGCAGTACCAGCCCCGT GTGCTGGCTGTCATCGGGCCCCACTCGTCAGAGCTCGCCATGGTCACCGGCAAGTTCTTC AGCTTCTTCCTCATGCCCCAGGTCAGCTACGGTGCTAGCATGGAGCTGCTGAGCGCCCGG GAGACCTTCCCCTCCTTCTTCCGCACCGTGCCCAGCGACCGTGTGCAGCTGACGGCCGCC GCGGAGCTGCTGCAGGAGTTCGGCTGGAACTGGGTGGCCGCCCTGGGCAGCGACGACGAG TACGGCCGGCAGGGCCTGAGCATCTTCTCGGCCCTGGCCGCGGCACGCGGCATCTGCATC GCGCACGAGGGCCTGGTGCCGCTGCCCCGTGCCGATGACTCGCGGCTGGGGAAGGTGCAG GACGTCCTGCACCAGGTGAACCAGAGCAGCGTGCAGGTGGTGCTGCTGTTCGCCTCCGTG CACGCCGCCCACGCCCTCTTCAACTACAGCATCAGCAGCAGCTCTCGCCCAAGGTGTGG GTGGCCAGCGAGGCCTGGCTGACCTCTGACCTGGTCATGGGGCTGCCCGGCATGGCCCAG ATGGGCACGGTGCTTGGCTTCCTCCAGAGGGGTGCCCAGCTGCACGAGTTCCCCCAGTAC GTGAAGACGCACCTGGCCCTGGCCACCGACCCGGCCTTCTGCTCTGCCCTGGGCGAGAGG GAGCAGGGTCTGGAGGAGGACGTGGTGGGCCAGCGCTGCCCGCAGTGTGACTGCATCACG CTGCAGAACGTGAGCGCAGGGCTAAATCACCACCAGACGTTCTCTGTCTACGCAGCTGTG TATAGCGTGGCCCAGGCCCTGCACAACACTCTTCAGTGCAACGCCTCAGGCTGCCCCGCG CAGGACCCCGTGAAGCCCTGGCAGCTCCTGGAGAACATGTACAACCTGACCTTCCACGTG GGCGGGCTGCCGCTGCGGTTCGACAGCAGCGGAAACGTGGACATGGAGTACGACCTGAAG CTGTGGGTGTGGCAGGGCTCAGTGCCCAGGCTCCACGACGTGGGCAGGTTCAACGGCAGC CTCAGGACAGAGCGCCTGAAGATCCGCTGGCACACGTCTGACAACCAGAAGCCCGTGTCC CGGTGCTCGCGGCAGTGCCAGGAGGGCCAGGTGCGCCGGGTCAAGGGGTTCCACTCCTGC TGCTACGACTGTGTGGACTGCGAGGCGGGCAGCTACCGGCAAAACCCAGACGACATCGCC TGCACCTTTTGTGGCCAGGATGAGTGGTCCCCGGAGCGAAGCACACGCTGCTTCCGCCGC AGGTCTCGGTTCCTGGCATGGCGAGCCGGCTGTGCGCTGCTGCTCCTGCTGCTGAGC CTGGCGCTGGGCCTTGTGCTGGCTGCTTTGGGGCTGTTCGTTCACCATCGGGACAGCCCA CTGGTTCAGGCCTCGGGGGGGCCCCTGGCCTGCTTTGGCCTGGTGTGCCTGGGCCTGGTC TGCCTCAGCGTCCTCCTGTTCCCTGGCCAGCCCAGCCCTGCCCGATGCCTGGCCCAGCAG CCCTTGTCCCACCTCCCGCTCACGGGCTGCCTGAGCACACTCTTCCTGCAGGCGGCCGAG ATCTTCGTGGAGTCAGAACTGCCTCTGAGCTGGGCAGACCGGCTGAGTGGCTGCCTGCGG GGGCCCTGGGCCTGGCTGGTGGTGCTGCTGGCCATGCTGGTGGAGGTCGCACTGTGCACC TGGTACCTGGTGGCCTTCCCGCCGGAGGTGGTGACGGACTGGCACATGCTGCCCACGGAG GCGCTGGTGCACTGCCGCACACGCTCCTGGGTCAGCTTCGGCCTAGCGCACGCCACCAAT GCCACGCTGGCCTTTCTCTGCTTCCTGGGCACTTTCCTGGTGCGGAGCCAGCCGGGCCGC TACAACCGTGCCCGTGGCCTCACCTTTGCCATGCTGGCCTACTTCATCACCTGGGTCTCC TTTGTGCCCCTCCTGGCCAATGTGCAGGTGGTCCTCAGGCCCGCCGTGCAGATGGGCGCC CTCCTGCTCTGTGTCCTGGGCATCCTGGCTGCCTTCCACCTGCCCAGGTGTTACCTGCTC ATGCGGCAGCCAGGGCTCAACACCCCCGAGTTCTTCCTGGGAGGGGGCCCTGGGGATGCC CAAGGCCAGAATGACGGGAACACAGGAAATCAGGGGAAACATGAGTGA SEQ ID NO:2 MLGPAVLGLSLWALLHPGTGAPLCLSQQLRMKGDYVLGGLFPLGEAEEAGLRSRTRPSSP VCTRFSSNGLLWALAMKMAVEEINNKSDLLPGLRLGYDLFDTCSEPVVAMKPSLMFLAKA GSRDIAAYCNYTQYQPRVLAVIGPHSSELAMVTGKFFSFFLMPQVSYGASMELLSARETF PSFFRTVPSDRVQLTAAAELLQEFGWNWVAALGSDDEYGRQGLSIFSALAAARGICIAHE GLVPLPRADDSRLGKVQDVLHQVNQSSVQVVLLFASVHAAHALFNYSISSRLSPKVWVAS EAWLTSDLVMGLPGMAQMGTVLGFLQRGAQLHEFPQYVKTHLALATDPAFCSALGEREQG LEEDVVGQRCPQCDCITLQNVSAGLNHHQTFSVYAAVYSVAQALHNTLQCNASGCPAQDP VKPWQLLENMYNLTFHVGGLPLRFDSSGNVDMEYDLKLWVWQGSVPRLDVGRFNGSLRT ERLKIRWHTSDNQKPVSRCSRQCQEGQVRRVKGFHSCCYDCVDCEAGSYRQNPDDIACTF CGQDEWSPERSTRCFRRRSRFLAWGEPAVLLLLLLLSLALGLVLAALGLFVHHRDSPLVQ ASGGPLACFGLVCLGLVCLSVLLFPGQPSPARCLAQQPLSHLPLTGCLSTLFLQAAEIFV ESELPLSWADRLSGCLRGPWAWLVVLLAMLVEVALCTWYLVAFPPEVVTDWHMLPTEALV HCRTRSWVSFGLAHATNATLAFLCFLGTFLVRSQPGRYNRARGLTFAMLAYFITWVSFVP LLANVQVVLRPAVQMGALLLCVLGILAAFHLPRCYLLMRQPGLNTPEFFLGGGPGDAQGQ NDGNTGNQGKHE

Claims (9)

What is claimed is:

1 An isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an isolated polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) an isolated polypeptide comprising a polypeptide sequence having at least 95 % identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (c) an isolated polypeptide comprising the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (d) an isolated polypeptide having at least 95 % identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (e) the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and (f) fragments and variants of such polypeptides in (a) to (e)

2 An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence having at least 95 % identity to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) an isolated polynucleotide comprising the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1; (c) an isolated polynucleotide having at least 95 % identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1; (d) the isolated polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1; (e) an isolated polynucleotide comprising apolynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide sequence having at least 95 %/ identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;

(f) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; (g) an isolated polynucleotide having a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide sequence having at least 95 % identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (h) an isolated polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; (i) an isolated polynucleotide with a nucleotide sequence of at least 100 nucleotidesobtained by screening a library under stringent hybridization conditions with a labeled probe having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof having at least 15 nucleotides; and (j) a polynucleotide which is the RNA equivalent of apolynucleotide of(a) to (i); or a polynucleotide sequence complementary to said isolatedpolynucleotide and polynucleotides that are variants and fragments of the above mentioned polynucleotides or that are complementary to above mentioned polynucleotides, over the entire length thereof.

3 An antibody immunospecific for the polypeptide of claim 1.

4 An antibody as claimed in claim 3 which is a polyclonal antibody.

An expression vector comprising a polynucleotide capable of producing a polypeptide of claim 1 when said expression vector is present in a compatible host cell.

6 A process for producing a recombinant host cell which comprises the step of introducing an expression vector comprising a polynucleotide capable of producing a polypeptide of claim 1 into a cell such that the host cell, under appropriate culture conditions, produces said polypeptide.

7 A recombinant host cell produced by the process of claim 6.

8 A membrane of a recombinant host cell of claim 7 expressing said polypeptide.

9 A process for producing a polypeptide which comprises culturing a host cell of claim 7 under conditions sufficient for the production of said polypeptide and recovering said polypeptide from the culture.

SEQUENCE LISTING < 110 > Smith Kline Beecham Corporation Smith Kline Beecham plc < 120 > SEVEN TRANSMEMBRANE RECEPTOR (AXOR 79) < 130 > GP-70693 GB < 140 > To Be Assigned < 141 > < 150 > 09/566,161 < 151 > 2000-05-05 < 160 > 2 < 170 > Fast SEQ for Windows Version 3 0 < 210 > 1 < 211 > 2559 < 212 > DNA < 213 > HOMO SAPIENS < 400 > 1 atgctgggcc ctgctgtcct gggcctcagc ctctgggctc tcctgcaccc tgggacgggg 60 gccccattgt gcctgtcaca gcaacttagg atgaaggggg actacgtgct gggggggctg 120 ttccccctgg gcgaggccga ggaggctggc ctccgcagcc ggacacggcc cagcagccct 180 gtgtgcacca ggttctcctc aaacggcctg ctctgggcac tggccatgaa aatggccgtg 240 gaggagatca acaacaagtc ggatctgctg cccgggctgc gcctgggcta cgacctcttt 300 gatacgtgct cggagcctgt ggtggccatg aagcccagcc tcatgttcct ggccaaggca 360 ggcagccgcg acatcgccgc ctactgcaac tacacgcagt accagccccg tgtgctggct 420 gtcatcgggc cccactcgtc agagctcgcc atggtcaccg gcaagttctt cagcttcttc 480 ctcatgcccc aggtcagcta cggtgctagc atggagctgc tgagcgcccg ggagaccttc 540 ccctccttct tccgcaccgt gcccagcgac cgtgtgcagc tgacggccgc cgcggagctg 600 ctgcaggagt tcggctggaa ctgggtggcc gccctgggca gcgacgacga gtacggccgg 660 cagggcctga gcatcttctc ggccctggcc gcggcacgcg gcatctgcat cgcgcacgag 720 ggcctggtgc cgctgccccg tgccgatgac tcgcggctgg ggaaggtgca ggacgtcctg 780 caccaggtga accagagcag cgtgcaggtg gtgctgctgt tcgcctccgt gcacgccgcc 840 cacgccctct tcaactacag catcagcagc aggctctcgc ccaaggtgtg ggtggccagc 900 gaggcctggc tgacctctga cctggtcatg gggctgcccg gcatggccca gatgggcacg 960 gtgcttggct tcctccagag gggtgcccag ctgcacgagt tcccccagta cgtgaagacg 1020 cacctggccc tggccaccga cccggccttc tgctctgccc tgggcgagag ggagcagggt 1080 ctggaggagg acgtggtggg ccagcgctgc ccgcagtgtg actgcatcac gctgcagaac 1140 gtgagcgcag ggctaaatca ccaccagacg ttctctgtct acgcagctgt gtatagcgtg 1200 gcccaggccc tgcacaacac tcttcagtgc aacgcctcag gctgccccgc gcaggacccc 1260 gtgaagccct ggcagctcct ggagaacatg tacaacctga ccttccacgt gggcgggctg 1320 ccgctgcggt tcgacagcag cggaaacgtg gacatggagt acgacctgaa gctgtgggtg 1380 tggcagggct cagtgcccag gctccacgac gtgggcaggt tcaacggcag cctcaggaca 1440 gagcgcctga agatccgctg gcacacgtct gacaaccaga agcccgtgtc ccggtgctcg 1500 cggcagtgcc aggagggcca ggtgcgccgg gtcaaggggt tccactcctg ctgctacgac 1560 tgtgtggact gcgaggcggg cagctaccgg caaaacccag acgacatcgc ctgcaccttt 1620 tgtggccagg atgagtggtc cccggagcga agcacacgct gcttccgccg caggtctcgg 1680 ttcctggcat ggggcgagcc ggctgtgctg ctgctgctcc tgctgctgag cctggcgctg 1740 ggccttgtgc tggctgcttt ggggctgttc gttcaccatc gggacagccc actggttcag 1800 gcctcggggg ggcccctggc ctgctttggc ctggtgtgcc tgggcctggt ctgcctcagc 1860 gtcctcctgt tccctggcca gcccagccct gcccgatgcc tggcccagca gcccttgtcc 1920 cacctcccgc tcacgggctg cctgagcaca ctcttcctgc aggcggccga gatcttcgtg 1980 gagtcagaac tgcctctgag ctgggcagac cggctgagtg gctgcctgcg ggggccctgg 2040 gcctggctgg tggtgctgct ggccatgctg gtggaggtcg cactgtgcac ctggtacctg 2100 gtggccttcc cgccggaggt ggtgacggac tggcacatgc tgcccacgga ggcgctggtg 2160 cactgccgca cacgctcctg ggtcagcttc ggcctagcgc acgccaccaa tgccacgctg 2220 gcctttctct gcttcctggg cactttcctg gtgcggagcc agccgggccg ctacaaccgt 2280 gcccgtggcc tcacctttgc catgctggcc tacttcatca cctgggtctc ctttgtgccc 2340 ctcctggcca atgtgcaggt ggtcctcagg cccgccgtgc agatgggcgc cctcctgctc 2400 tgtgtcctgg gcatcctggc tgccttccac ctgcccaggt gttacctgct catgcggcag 2460 ccagggctca acacccccga gttcttcctg ggagggggcc ctggggatgc ccaaggccag 2520 aatgacggga acacaggaaa tcaggggaaa catgagtga 2559 < 210 > 2 < 211 > 852 < 212 > PRT < 213 > HOMO SAPIENS < 400 > 2 Met Leu Gly Pro Ala Val Leu Gly Leu Ser Leu Trp Ala Leu Leu His 1 5 10 15 Pro Gly Thr Gly Ala Pro Leu Cys Leu Ser Gin Gin Leu Arg Met Lys 25 30 Gly Asp Tyr Val Leu Gly Gly Leu Phe Pro Leu Gly Glu Ala Glu Glu 40 45 Ala Gly Leu Arg Ser Arg Thr Arg Pro Ser Ser Pro Val Cys Thr Arg 55 ' 60 Phe Ser Ser Asn Gly Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ala Met Lys Met Ala Val 70 75 80 Glu Glu Ile Asn Asn Lys Ser Asp Leu Leu Pro Gly Leu Arg Leu Gly 90 95 Tyr Asp Leu Phe Asp Thr Cys Ser Glu Pro Val Val Ala Met Lys Pro 105 110 Ser Leu Met Phe Leu Ala Lys Ala Gly Ser Arg Asp Ile Ala Ala Tyr 120 125 Cys Asn Tyr Thr Gln Tyr Gin Pro Arg Val Leu Ala Val Ile Gly Pro 135 140 His Ser Ser Glu'Leu Ala Met Val Thr Gly Lys Phe Phe Ser Phe Phe 150 155 160 Leu Met Pro Gin Val Ser Tyr Gly Ala Ser Met Glu Leu Leu Ser Ala 170 175 Arg Glu Thr Phe Pro Ser Phe Phe Arg Thr Val Pro Ser Asp Arg Val 185 190 Gin Leu Thr Ala Ala Ala Glu Leu Leu Gin Glu Phe Gly Trp Asn Trp 200 205 Val Ala Ala Leu Gly Ser Asp Asp Glu Tyr Gly Arg Gin Gly Leu Ser 210 215 220 Ile Phe Ser Ala Leu Ala Ala Ala Arg Gly Ile Cys Ile Ala His Glu 225 230 235 240 Gly Leu Val Pro Leu Pro Arg Ala Asp Asp Ser Arg Leu Gly Lys Val 245 250 255 Gin Asp Val Leu His Gin Val Asn Gin Ser Ser Val Gin Val Val Leu 260 265 270 Leu Phe Ala Ser Val His Ala Ala His Ala Leu Phe Asn Tyr Ser Ile 275 280 285 Ser Ser Arg Leu Ser Pro Lys Val Trp Val Ala Ser Glu Ala Trp Leu 290 295 300 Thr Ser Asp Leu Val Met Gly Leu Pro Gly Met Ala Gin Met Gly Thr 305 310 315 320 Val Leu Gly Phe Leu Gln Arg Gly Ala Gin Leu His Glu Phe Pro Gin 325 330 335 Tyr Val Lys Thr His Leu Ala Leu Ala Thr Asp Pro Ala Phe Cys Ser 340 345 350 Ala Leu Gly Glu Arg Glu Gin Gly Leu Glu Glu Asp Val Val Gly Gin 355 360 365 Arg Cys Pro Gin Cys Asp Cys Ile Thr Leu Gin Asn Val Ser Ala Gly 370 375 380 Leu Asn His His Gin Thr Phe Ser Val Tyr Ala Ala Val Tyr Ser Val 385 390 395 400 Ala Gin Ala Leu His Asn Thr Leu Gin Cys Asn Ala Ser Gly Cys Pro 405 410 415 Ala Gin Asp Pro Val Lys Pro Trp Gin Leu Leu Glu Asn Met Tyr Asn 420 425 430 Leu Thr Phe His Val Gly Gly Leu Pro Leu Arg Phe Asp Ser Ser Gly 435 440 445 Asn Val Asp Met Glu Tyr Asp Leu Lys Leu Trp Val Trp Gin Gly Ser 450 455 460 Val Pro Arg Leu His Asp Val Gly Arg Phe Asn Gly Ser Leu Arg Thr 465 470 475 480 Glu Arg Leu Lys Ile Arg Trp His Thr Ser Asp Asn Gin Lys Pro Val 485 490 495 Ser Arg Cys Ser Arg Gin Cys Gin Glu Gly Gin Val Arg Arg Val Lys 500 505 510 Gly Phe His Ser Cys Cys Tyr Asp Cys Val Asp Cys Glu Ala Gly Ser 515 520 525 Tyr Arg Gin Asn Pro Asp Asp Ile Ala Cys Thr Phe Cys Gly Gin Asp 530 535 540 Glu Trp Ser Pro Glu Arg Ser Thr Arg Cys Phe Arg Arg Arg Ser Arg 545 550 555 560 Phe Leu Ala Trp Gly Glu Pro Ala Val Leu Leu Leu Leu Leu Leu Leu 565 570 575 Ser Leu Ala Leu Gly Leu Val Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Leu Phe Val His 580 585 590 His Arg Asp Ser Pro Leu Val Gin Ala Ser Gly Gly Pro Leu Ala Cys 595 600 605 Phe Gly Leu Val Cys Leu Gly Leu Val Cys Leu Ser Val Leu Leu Phe 610 615 620 Pro Gly Gin Pro Ser Pro Ala Arg Cys Leu Ala Gin Gin Pro Leu Ser 625 630 635 640 His Leu Pro Leu Thr Gly Cys Leu Ser Thr Leu Phe Leu Gin Ala Ala 645 650 655 Glu Ile Phe Val Glu Ser Glu Leu Pro Leu Ser Trp Ala Asp Arg Leu 660 665 670 Ser Gly Cys Leu Arg Gly Pro Trp Ala Trp Leu Val Val Leu Leu Ala 675 680 685 Met Leu Val Glu Val Ala Leu Cys Thr Trp Tyr Leu Val Ala Phe Pro 690 695 700 Pro Glu Val Val Thr Asp Trp His Met Leu Pro Thr Glu Ala Leu Val 705 710 715 720 His Cys Arg Thr Arg Ser Trp Val Ser Phe Gly Leu Ala His Ala Thr 725 730 735 Asn Ala Thr Leu Ala Phe Leu Cys Phe Leu Gly Thr Phe Leu Val Arg 740 745 750 Ser Gln Pro Gly Arg Tyr Asn Arg Ala Arg Gly Leu Thr Phe Ala Met 755 760 765 Leu Ala Tyr Phe Ile Thr Trp Val Ser Phe Val Pro Leu Leu Ala Asn 770 775 780 Val Gln Val Val Leu Arg Pro Ala Val Gln Met Gly Ala Leu Leu Leu 785 790 795 800 Cys Val Leu Gly Ile Leu Ala Ala Phe His Leu Pro Arg Cys Tyr Leu 805 810 815 Leu Met Arg Gln Pro Gly Leu Asn Thr Pro Glu Phe Phe Leu Gly Gly 820 825 830 Gly Pro Gly Asp Ala Gln Gly Gln Asn Asp Gly Asn Thr Gly Asn Gin 835 840 845 Gly Lys His Glu 850