WO1997046678A1 - Nucleic acids and polypeptides related to presenilin - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a PS1/429 nucleic acid, polypeptide, and derivatives thereof, comprising novel nucleotide and amino acid sequences. The invention also relates to methods of using such nucleic acids, polypeptides, or derivatives thereof, e.g., in therapeutics, diagnostics, and as research tools. Another aspect of the present invention involves antibodies to PS1/429, regulators of PS1/429 gene expression and activity, and methods of treating Alzheimer's disease. The invention especially relates to an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, with the proviso that the nucleic acid does not contain all or part of the coding sequence for a polypeptide having 467 amino acids as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 or SEQ ID NO:8. In addition, the invention includes an isolated nucleic acid comprising a PS1/429 unique nucleotide sequence and comprising nucleotides 206 and 207 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.

Description

- 1 -

NUCLEIC ACIDS AND POLYPEPTIDES RELATED TO PRESENILIN

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a progressive, debilitating deadly disease

of unknown etiology, that incapacitates an estimated 12% of the mature

population, first cognitively, and finally physically, over the course f

several years. Monetary costs attributed to this disease, for which there is

currently neither cure nor adequate treatment, are estimated in the range of

$100 billion per year in the US alone. The number of cases is expected to

rise with the increasing age of the population.

The majority of AD cases are late in onset (> 60 yr. of age), and

non-Mendelian, thus offering no simple genetic cause that can be traced

conventionally to a single pathogenic gene product. However, a significant

proportion (< 15%) of AD can be linked to certain genes in a classical

autosomal dominant fashion. Other than a characteristically earlier onset

( < 60 yr. of age), which forms the basis of their designation as Early Onset

AD (EOAD), and the presence of a classical Mendelian inheritance pattern,

these rarer cases are indistinguishable from Late Onset AD (LOAD). Auto¬

somal dominance insures that causation lies within the mutated gene product

in these EOAD cases, and these genes have been sought and studied as the

only known causes of AD. The great majority of EOAD cases were linked to a site on chromo¬

some 14, and the concerted search for the causative gene at this site has

recently been successful (Sheπington et al., 1995). The growing number of

single point mutations (> 26) identified in different families, barely

outstrips the number of alternative names ("S182", "PS1", "AD3", "STM1",

"preseniUin-1") for this gene which, when mutated, causes Alzheimer's

disease.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a PS 1/429 nucleic acid, polypeptide,

and derivatives thereof, comprising novel nucleotide and amino acid sequences. The invention also relates to methods of using such nucleic

acids, polypeptides, or derivatives thereof, e.g., in therapeutics, diagnostics,

and as research tools. Another aspect of the present invention involves anti¬

bodies to PS1/429, regulators of PS1/429 gene expression and activity, and

methods of treating Alzheimer's disease.

Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present

invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better

understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying

drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar

parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the complete nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID N0:1) and

deduced amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:2) for a 429 amino acid polypep¬

tide encoded for by a human PS1 gene. See, Sherrington et al., Nature,

375:754-760, 1995. See, Sherrington et al. Nature, 375:754-760, 1995.

FIG. 2 shows the complete nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:3) and

deduced amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:4) for a 467 amino acid polypep¬

tide encoded for by a human PS1 gene. See, Sherrington et al. Nature,

375:754-760, 1995.

FIG. 3 shows the deduced amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) for a

467 amino acid polypeptide encoded for by a murine PS1 gene.

FIG. 4 shows a comparison between amino acids 1-19 of Fig. 1 (SEQ

ID NO:2) and COX3 Sauroleishmania (SEQ ID NO:5), NEC2 precursor

(SEQ ID NO:6), and murine 429/PS1 (SEQ ID NO:7). Amino acids are

represented by the standard one letter amino acid code. Boxed amino acids

indicates identical amino acids; underlined amino acids indicate similar

amino acids.

FIG. 5 shows 3' UTR of human PS1 (SEQ ID NO.:9) In accordance with the present invention, a novel transcript of a PS1

gene, coding for a 429 amino acid polypeptide, has been identified and

isolated from polyadenylated mRNA. This transcript, corresponding nucleic

acids, and polypeptides encoded therein, are termed PS 1/429. The polypep-

tide encoded by PS1/429 differs from the PS1/467 polypeptide previously

identified (See, e.g., Sherrington et al., Nature 375:754-760, 1995) in that

the N-terminal 57 amino acids of PS 1/467 is replaced by 19 alternative

amino acids in PS 1/429. A PS1 gene is generally defined as a gene on

chromosome 14q24.3 which, when mutant, results in Alzheimer's disease.

In accordance with the present invention, a nucleic acid can comprise,

e.g., the complete coding sequence for amino acid 1 to amino acid 429 as

set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2), a coding sequence for amino acids 1-19

in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2), a coding sequence which possesses the same

function as the polypeptide of Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2) and which shares

sequence similarity with it, and a unique PS 1/429 nucleotide sequence

spanning nucleotides 206/207 of the sequence set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID

NO:l), e.g., comprising nucleotides 198 to 215 as set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ

ID NO:l) or its antisense. A nucleic acid according to the present invention

also comprises the murine PS 1/429 nucleic acid and derivatives thereof,

e.g., Fig. 4 (SEQ ID NO:7). The present invention also relates to an

isolated nucleic acid coding for a polypeptide having 410 amino acids

comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence coding for amino acids 20-429 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2; (b) a nucleotide sequence coding without interruption

for amino acids 20-429 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2; or (c) a nucleotide

sequence which hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID

NO:l under stringent conditions.

A nucleic acid, especially PS 1/429, according to the present invention

can be obtained from a variety of different sources. It can be obtained from

DNA or RNA, such as polyadenylated mRNA, e.g., isolated from tissues, cells, or whole organism. The nucleic acid can be obtained directly from

DNA or RNA, or from a cDNA library. The nucleic acid can be obtained

from a particular cell-type, stage of development, genotype, or phenotype

(e.g., having Alzheimer's disease). A nucleic acid in accordance with the

present invention can also be obtained from an organism of a desired age.

For example, a nucleic acid can be obtained from the brain of a mouse or

human of a particular age, e.g., using 5'-ACCTCGTCCCTCAAATCT; and

5'-TCACATCGGAAACAAAACAG.

A nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a

polypeptide according to the present invention can include only coding

sequence of PS1/429; coding sequence of PS1/429 and additional coding

sequence (e.g., sequences coding for leader, secretory, targeting, enzymatic,

fluorescent or other diagnostic peptides), coding sequence of PS 1/429 and

non-coding sequences, e.g., untranslated sequences at either a 5' or 3' end,

or dispersed in the coding sequence, e.g., introns. A nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence coding without interruption for a PS 1/429

polypeptide means that the nucleotide sequence contains an amino acid

coding sequence for a PS1/429 polypeptide, with no non-coding nucleotides

interrupting or intervening in the coding sequence, e.g., absent intron(s) or

the noncoding sequence found in the S182 clone of Sherrington et al., 1995,

Nature, 375:754. Such a nucleotide sequence can also be described as

contiguous.

A nucleic acid according to the present invention also comprises an

expression control sequence operably linked to a nucleotide sequence coding

for a polypeptide comprising amino acids 1-19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:

2, SEQ ID NO:7, or a PS1/429 specific amino acid sequence selected from

the sequence of amino acid 1 to 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 and/or SEQ

ID NO:7. The phrase "expression control sequence" means a nucleic acid

sequence which regulates expression of a polypeptide coded for by a nucleic

acid to which it is operably linked. Expression can be regulated at the level

of the mRNA or polypeptide. Thus, the expression control sequence in¬

cludes mRNA-related elements and protein-related elements. Such elements

include promoters, enhancers (viral or cellular), ribosome binding

sequences, transcriptional terminators, etc. An expression control sequence

is operably linked to a nucleotide coding sequence when the expression con¬

trol sequence is positioned in such a manner to effect or achieve expression

of the coding sequence. For example, when a promoter is operably linked 5' to a coding sequence, expression of the coding sequence is driven by the

promoter.

A nucleic acid in accordance with the present invention can be

selected on the basis of nucleic acid hybridization. The ability of two

single-stranded nucleic acid preparations to hybridize together is a measure

of their nucleotide sequence complementarity, e.g., base-pairing between

nucleotides, such as A-T, G-C, etc. The invention thus also relates to

nucleic acids which hybridize to a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide

sequence as set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l), but preferably, which do not

contain all or part of a coding sequence for a polypeptide having 467 amino

acids as set forth in Fig. 2 (SEQ ID NO:4) or murine PS1/467, or STM2 as

disclosed in Levy-Lahad et al., Science, 269:970-973; 973-977, 1995, more

preferably which do not contain nucleotide sequences which are prepared by

PCR polymerase chain reaction using the oligonucleotide sequences

disclosed in Sherrington et al., i.e., (a) 5'-

TCACATCGGAAACAAAACAG, 5'-GAGTCACAGGGACAAAGAGC; (b)

5'-CACCTGAGCAATACTGTACG, 5'-TCATCTTGCTCCACCACCTG; (c) 5'-AGNAAGATGAGGAAGAAGATG, 5'-

CACACCATTGTTGAGGAGT; (d) 5'-TCACAGAAGATACCGAGACT,

5'-CCCAACCATAAGAAGAACAG; (e) 5'-

TCTGTACTTTTTAAGGGTTGT, 5^*-ACTTCAGAGTAATTCATCANCA;

(f) 5'-ATCTCCGGCAGGCATATCT-3\ 5^*- TGAAATCACAGCCAAGATGAG-3'; (g) 5'-

CACCCATTTACAAGTTTAGC, 5'-GATGAGACAAGTNCCNTGAA; (h)

S'-TGGAGACTGGAACACAAC, 5*-GTGTGGCCAGGGTAGAGAACT;

5'-GATTTAGTGGCTGTrTTGTG, 5*-ACCTCGTCCCTCAAATCT; and

does not contain: 0) 5'-CCATAGCCTGTTTCGTAGC; (k) 5'-

CCATAGCCTATTTCGTAGC; and more preferably which do not contain

the 3' UTR set forth in SEQ ID NO:9.

Hybridization conditions can be chosen to select nucleic acids which

have a desired amount of nucleotide complementarity with the nucleotide sequence set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l) or the corresponding murine

PS 1/429. A nucleic acid capable of hybridizing to such sequence, prefer¬

ably, possesses 50%, more preferably, 70% complementarity, between the

sequences. The present invention particularly relates to DNA sequences

which hybridize to the nucleotide sequence set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID

NO:l) or a DNA coding for murine PS 1/429 polypeptide as set forth in Fig.

4 (SEQ ID NO:7) under stringent conditions. As used here, "stringent

conditions" means any conditions in which hybridization will occur where

there is at least about 95%, preferably 97%, nucleotide complementarity

between the nucleic acids. A nucleotide sequence hybridizing to the

sequence of Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l) will have a complementary nucleic acid

strand, or act as a template for one in the presence of a polymerase (i.e., an

appropriate nucleic acid synthesizing enzyme), which has a corresponding amount of nucleotide identity or similarity to Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l). The

present invention includes both strands of nucleic acid, e.g., a sense strand

and an anti-sense strand. Thus, it is understood that a nucleic acid

comprising a nucleotide sequence hybridizing to the nucleotide sequence of

Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l) also represents a nucleic acid which possesses at least

about 95%, preferably 97% nucleotide sequence identity.

According to the present invention, a nucleic acid or polypeptide can

comprise one or more differences in the nucleotide or amino acid sequence

set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l and SEQ ID NO:2) or murine PS1/429.

Changes or modifications to the nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence can

be accomplished by any method available, including directed or random

mutagenesis.

A nucleic acid according to the invention can comprise nucleotides

which occur in a naturally-occurring PS1 gene e.g., naturally-occurring

polymorphisms, normal or mutant alleles (nucleotide or amino acid), muta¬ tions which are discovered in a natural population of mammals, such as

humans, monkeys, pigs, mice, rats, or rabbits. By the term naturally-

occurring, it is meant that the nucleic acid is obtained from a natural source,

e.g., animal tissue and cells, body fluids, tissue culture cells, forensic

samples. Numerous naturally-occurring mutations have been identified in

human presenilin genes, disclosed, e.g., in Table 1. A nucleic acid accord¬

ing to the present invention can contain such mutations at a corresponding position of the PS1/429 polypeptide. Table 1 shows examples of 22 muta¬

tions in the PSl gene. These mutations can be incorporated into the nucleic

acid or polypeptide at a corresponding position as indicated in Table 1. A

nucleic acid of the present invention can comprise one or more of such

mutations. Such a nucleic acid will hybridize to a nucleotide sequence as set

forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l). Other modifications to the sequence can

comprise mutations found in familial or genetic cases of disease, preferably

Alzheimer's disease. Nucleotide variations and genetic polymorphisms pre¬

sent in nucleic acid can be detected in accordance with various methods, e.g., U.S. Pat. 5,468,613; Conner et al., Proc. Nail. Acad. Sci. 80, 78

(1983); Angelini et al., Proc. Natl. Acad., 83, 4489 (1986); Myers et al.,

Science 230, 1242 (1985). A nucleic acid, as described above, can also be

selected by its ability to hybridize to a sequence as set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) or a murine PS1/429, where hybridization is more preferably

under stringent conditions, however less stringent conditions can also be

employed.

A nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide of the invention can

contain codons found in a naturally-occurring gene, transcript, or cDNA, for

example, e.g., as set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l), or it can contain

degenerate codons coding for the same amino acid sequences of SEQ ID

NO:l or SEQ ID NO:7. In addition, a nucleic acid or polypeptide of the present invention can

be obtained from non-mammalian organisms, including C. elegans (Levitan

and Greenwald, Nature, 377:351, 1995). Mutations to a PS1/429 gene can

be based on a normal homolog or a mutated homolog of a non-mammalian

organism.

Homologs from mammalian and non-mammalian organisms can be

obtained according to various methods. For example, hybridization with an

oligonucleotide (see below) selective for PS1/429 can be employed to select

such homologs, e.g., as described in Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning,

1989, Chapter 11. Such homologs have varying amounts of nucleotide and

amino acid sequence identity and similarity to PS 1/429. Non-mammalian

organisms include, e.g., vertebrates, invertebrates, zebra fish, chicken,

Drosophila, yeasts, C. elegans, roundworms, prokaryotes, plants,

Arabidopsis, viruses, etc.

Modifications to a PS 1/429 sequence, e.g., mutations, can also be

prepared based on homology searching from gene data banks, e.g.,

Genbank, EMBL. Sequence homology searching can be accomplished using

various methods, including algorithms described in the BLAST family of

computer programs, the Smith- Waterman algorithm, etc. For example,

conserved amino acids can be identified between various sequences, PSl,

PS2, etc.. A mutation(s) can then be introduced into a PS 1/429 sequence by

identifying conserved amino acids and modifying an amino acid in a conserved position. A mutated PS 1/429 gene can comprise conserved amino

acids, e.g., between corresponding regions of homologous nucleic acids,

especially amino acids 1-19 of Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2), the transmembrane

(see below), and loop domain (see below), e.g., between PSl and PS2; PSl

and SEL-12 (Levitan and Greenwald, Nature:377 ,351 1995); or PSl and

SPE-4, etc. Amino acids conserved between multiple sequences (e.g., PS2,

SEL-12, SPE-4, E5-1, PSl, ALG-1 to -6, etc.) can also be selected as the

basis for introducing mutations into PS1/429. For example, a mutated sequence can comprise conserved residues from any number of homologous

sequences as mentioned-above and/or determined from an appropriate

searching algorithm.

Mutations can be made in specific regions of nucleic acid coding for

the PS 1/429 polypeptide, e.g., in the membrane-spanning domain (see

below), such as replacing it, changing amino acid sequences within it, etc.,

to analyze a function of the polypeptide coded for by the nucleic acid.

A nucleic acid and corresponding polypeptide of the present invention

include sequences which differ from the nucleotide sequence of Fig. 1 (SEQ

ID NO:l) or murine PS1/429 but which are phenotypically silent. These

sequence modifications include, e.g., nucleotide substitution which do not

affect the amino acid sequence (e.g., different codons for the same amino

acid), replacing naturally-occurring amino acids with homologous or

conservative amino acids, e.g., (based on the size of the side chain and degree of polarization) small nonpolar: cysteine, proline, alanine, threonine;

small polar: serine, glycine, aspartate, asparagine; large polar: glutamate,

glutamine, lysine, arginine; intermediate polarity: tyrosine, histidine,

tryptophan; large nonpolar: phenylalanine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine,

valine. Such conservative substitutions also include those described by

Dayhoff in the Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure 5 (1978), and by

Argos in EMBO J.. fi, 779-785 (1989). A nucleic acid can therefore com¬

prise a nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide having an amino acid

sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, except where the amino acid at posi-

tion 44 is leucine, 77 is histidine, 101 is threonine, 105 is threonine, 108 is

valine, 108 is leucine, 125 is tyrosine, 125 is arginine, 193 is threonine, 208

is glutamine, 222 is valine, 225 is arginine, 226 is leucine, 229 is serine,

242 is alanine, 242 is glycine, 247 is valine, 248 is valine, 346 is alanine,

354 is valine, 372 is tyrosine, or a combination thereof; a nucleotide

sequence coding for a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set

forth in SEQ ID NO:2, except where one or more positions are substituted

by conservative amino acids, and/or is a biologically-active polypeptide; or a

nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence

as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, except having 5, 10, 15, or 20 substitutions,

e.g., wherein the substitutions are conservative amino acids. The invention

also relates to polypeptides coded for by such nucleic acids. In addition, it may be desired to change the codons in the sequence to optimize the sequence for expression in a desired host.

A nucleic acid according to the present invention can comprise, e.g.,

DNA, RNA, synthetic nucleic acid, peptide nucleic acid, modified nucleo-

tides, or mixtures. A DNA can be double- or single-stranded. Nucleotides

comprising a nucleic acid can be joined via various kncwn linkages, e.g.,

ester, sulfamate, sulfamide, phosphorothioate, phosphoramidate, methylphos-

phonate, carbamate, etc., depending on the desired purpose, e.g., resistance

to nucleases, such as RNase H, improved in vivo stability, etc. Various

modifications can be made to the nucleic acids, such as attaching detectable

markers (avidin, biotin, radioactive elements), moieties which improve

hybridization, detection, or stability. The nucleic acids can also be attached

to solid supports, e.g., nitrocellulose, nylon, agarose, diazotized cellulose,

latex solid microspheres, polyacrylamides, etc., according to a desired

method. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,470,967, 5,476,925, 5,478,893.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to oligonucleotides and

nucleic acid probes. Such oligonucleotides or nucleic acid probes can be

used, e.g., to detect, quantitate, or isolate a PS 1/429 nucleic acid in a test

sample. Detection can be desirable for a variety of different purposes,

including research, diagnostic, and forensic. For diagnostic purposes, it

may be desirable to identify the presence or quantity of a PS 1/429 nucleic

acid sequence in a sample, where the sample is obtained from tissue, cells, body fluids, etc. In a preferred method, the present invention relates to a

method of detecting a PS 1/429 nucleic acid comprising, contacting a target

nucleic acid in a test Sample with an oligonucleotide under conditions effec¬

tive to achieve hybridization between the target and oligonucleotide; and

detecting hybridization. An oligonucleotide in accordance with the invention

can also be used in synthetic nucleic acid amplification such as PCR, e.g.,

Saiki et al., 1988, Science, 241:53; U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202. Such an

oligonucleotide preferably contains nucleotides 206-207, or its antisense, of

Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l). Accordingly, a preferred antisense oligonucleotide

comprises GTTACT and a preferred sense oligonucleotide comprises

ATACAG. More preferred oligonucleotides comprise about 1-4 nucleotides

from one side of the 206/207 junction and about 10-20 nucleotides from the

other side, e.g., GTATTTCTATACAGT and TGCCGGGAGTTACTG. To

amplify a coding segment of PS 1/429 containing all or part of amino acids

1-19 by polymerase chain reaction, a pair of oligonucleotides 5'

TCACATCGGAAACAAAACAG and 5' ACCTGCCGGGAGTTACTGTAT

are preferred, annealing at about 50°C, preferably 53.4°C.

Another aspect of the present invention is a nucleotide sequence

which is unique to PS1/429. By a unique sequence to PS1/429, it is meant a

defined order of nucleotides which occurs in PS1/429, e.g., in the nucleotide

sequence of Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l), but rarely or infrequently in other

nucleic acids, especially not in an animal nucleic acid, preferably mammal, such as human, rat, mouse, etc, more preferably not in PS 1/467. Both

sense and antisense nucleotide sequences are included. A unique nucleic acid according to the -present invention comprises nucleotides 206-207 of

SEQ ID NO:l and its antisense. A nucleic acid comprising a unique

sequence of PS 1/429 can be used as a hybridization probe to identify the

presence of PS 1/429 in a sample comprising a mixture of nucleic acids. For

example, the antisense of nucleotides 198-215 as set forth in Fig. 1- (SEQ ID

NO:l), can be labeled according to various methods and used as a

hybridization probe to detect PS 1/429 in mRNA samples on a Northern blot.

Other hybridization probes can comprise nucleotides 198-215, or can be 1-4

nucleotides shorter at either or both ends, or can contain 1-4 additional

nucleotides at either or both ends. Hybridization can be performed under

stringent conditions to select nucleic acids having at least 95% identity (i.e.,

complementarity) to the probe, but less stringent conditions can also be

used. A unique PS 1/429 nucleotide sequence can also be fused in-frame, at

either its 5' or 3' end, to various nucleotide sequences as mentioned

throughout the patent, including coding sequences for other parts of

PS1/429, enzymes, GFP, etc, expression control sequences, etc.

Hybridization can be performed under different conditions, depending

on the desired selectivity, e.g., as described in Sambrook et al., Molecular

Cloning, 1989. For example, to specifically detect PS1/429, an oligonucleo¬

tide can be hybridized to a target nucleic acid under conditions in which the oligonucleotide only hybridizes to PS1/429, e.g., where the oligonucleotide

is 100% complementary to the target. Different conditions can be used if it

is desired to select tafget nucleic acids which have less than 100% nucleotide

complementarity, at least about, e.g., 99%, 97%, 95%, 90%, 70%, 67%

(See, e.g., Levy-Hahad et al.), etc. Since a mutation in a PSl gene can

cause diseases, e.g., Alzheimer's disease, an oligonucleotide according to

the present invention can be used diagnostically. For example, a patient

having symptoms of Alzheimer's disease such as age-dependent,

progressive, memory disorder, and other dysfunctions, can be diagnosed

with the disease by using an oligonucleotide according to the present

invention, in polymerase chain reaction followed by DNA sequencing to

identify whether the sequence is normal, in combination with other PSl

oligonucleotides, etc. In a preferred method, the present invention relates to

a method of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease comprising contacting a sample

comprising a target nucleic acid with an oligonucleotide under conditions

effective to permit hybridization between the target and oligonucleotide;

detecting hybrization, wherein the oligonucleotide comprises a sequence of

PS 1/429, preferably a unique sequence of PS 1/429; and determining the

nucleotide sequence of the target nucleic acid to which the oligonucleotide is

hybridized. See, e.g., Sorbi et al., Tanahashi et al., Sherrington et al. The

sequence can be determined according to various methods, including isolat- ing the target nucleic acid, or a cDNA thereof, and determining its sequence

according to a desired method.

Oligonucleotides according to the present invention can be of any

desired size, preferably 14-16 oligonucleotides in length, or more. Such

oligonucleotides can have non-naturally-occurring nucleotides, e.g., inosine.

In accordance with the present invention, the oligonucleotide can comprise a

kit, where the kit includes a desired buffer (e.g., phosphate, tris, etc.),

detection compositions, etc. The oligonucleotide can be labeled or

unlabeled, with radioactive or non-radioactive labels as known in the art.

Anti-sense nucleic acid can also be prepared from a nucleic acid

according to the present, preferably an anti-sense to a coding sequence of

Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l) or Fig. 4, more preferably an anti-sense to the

sequence comprising nucleotides 198-215 of Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:l or SEQ

ID NO:7). Antisense nucleic acid can be used in various ways, such as to

regulate expression of PSl, e.g., inhibit it, to detect its expression, or for in

situ hybridization.

The nucleic acid according to the present invention can be labelled

according to any desired method. The nucleic acid can be labeled using

radioactive tracers such as ^ΛP, ³⁵S, ^l2SI, ³H, or ¹⁴C, to mention only the most

commonly used tracers. The radioactive labelling can be carried out

according to any method such as, for example, terminal labeling at the 3' or

5' end using a radiolabeled nucleotide, polynucleotide kinase (with or without dephosphorylation with a phosphatase) or a ligase (depending on the

end to be labelled). A non-radioactive labeling can also be used, combining

a nucleic acid of the"present invention with residues having immunological

properties (antigens, haptens), a specific affinity for certain reagents

(ligands), properties enabling detectable enzyme reactions to be completed

(enzymes or coenzymes, enzyme substrates, or other substances involved in

an enzymatic reaction), or characteristic physical properties, such as

fluorescence or the emission or absoφtion of light at a desired wavelength,

etc.

A nucleic acid according to the present invention, including oligo¬

nucleotides, anti-sense nucleic acid, etc., can be used to detect expression of

PS 1/429 in whole organs, tissues, cells, etc., by various techniques, in¬

cluding Northern blot, PCR, in situ hybridization, etc. Such nucleic acids

can be particularly useful to detect disturbed expression, e.g., cell-specific

and/or subcellular alterations, of PSl or PS2, particularly, PS 1/429. The

levels of PS 1/429 can be determined alone or in combination with other

genes products, transcripts, etc. In particular, the amount (e.g., its

expression level) of PS1/429 can be compared (e.g., as a ratio) to the

amounts of other transcripts in the same or different sample, e.g, transcripts

of PSl or PS2 such as transcript corresponding to the 467 amino acid

polypeptide. A nucleic acid according to the present invention can be expressed in

a variety of different systems, in vitro and in vivo, according to the desired

purpose. For example, a nucleic acid can be inserted into an expression

vector, introduced into a desired host, and cultured under conditions effec-

tive to achieve expression of a polypeptide coded for the nucleic acid.

Effective conditions includes any culture conditions which are suitable for

achieving production of the polypeptide by the host cell, including effective

temperatures, pH, medias, additives to the media in which the host cell is

cultured (e.g., additives which amplify or induce expression such as

butyrate, or methotrexate if the coding nucleic acid is adjacent to a dhfr

gene), cyclohexamide, cell densities, culture dishes, etc. A nucleic acid can

be introduced into the cell by any effective method including, e.g., calcium

phosphate precipitation, electroporation, injection, DEAE-Dextran mediated

transfection, fusion with liposomes, and viral transfection. A cell into which

a nucleic acid of the present invention has been introduced is a transformed

host cell. The nucleic acid can be extrachromosomal or integrated into a

chromosome(s) of the host cell. It can be stable or transient. An expression

vector is selected for its compatibility with the host cell. Host cells include,

mammalian cells, e.g., COS-7, CHO, HeLa, LTK, insect cells, such as Sf9

and Drosophila, bacteria, such as E. coli, Streptococcus, bacillus, yeast,

fungal cells, plants, embryonic stem cells (e.g., mammalian, such as mouse

or human), neuronal cells (primary or immortalized), e.g., NT-2, NT-2N, PC-12, SY-5Y, neuroblastoma. See, also Methods in Enzymology, volume

185, ed., D.V. Goeddel. Expression control sequences are similarly

selected for host compatibility and a desired purpose, e.g., high copy

number, high amounts, induction, amplification, controlled expression.

Other sequences which can be employed include enhancers such as from

SV40, CMV, inducible promoters, neuronal specific elements, or sequences

which allow selective or specific cell expression, such as in neuronal cells,

glial cells, etc.

In addition to a PS 1/429 nucleic acid, another gene of interest can be

introduced into the same host for purposes of, e.g., modulating expression

PS1/429, elucidating PS1/429 function or that of the gene of interest. Genes

of interest include APP, E5-1, apoliprotein E, apoptosis genes such as ALG-

1 to -6 (Vito et al., 1995, Science, 271: 521), Bcl-2/Bax gene family, etc.

Such genes can be the normal gene, or a variation, e.g., a mutation,

chimera, polymorphism, etc.

A polypeptide according to the present invention preferably comprises

amino acid sequences 1-19, 1-429, or a PS 1/429 specific amino acid

sequence selected from amino acids 1-19 as set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID

NO:2), or Fig. 4 (SEQ ID NO:7). Polypeptides of the present invention

include polypeptides isolated from natural sources such as those discussed

above, and products of nucleic acid sequences as described above and

below. The invention also relates to an isolated polypeptide having 410 polypeptides and comprising amino acids 20-429 as set forth in SEQ ID

NO:2. The latter can occur as cleavage products of the polypeptide having

429 amino acids, e.g.~, by removal of the 19 amino acid sequence at the N-

terminus of a protein set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, a peptide formed by speci-

fie cleavage at the amino 19/20 junction or anywhere specifically within the

19 amino acid 5' to this junction. Such a protein can be the biologically-

active component of the 429 polypeptide precursor protein, e.g., when its

activity is mutated, Alzheimer's Disease occurs.

A PS 1/429 specific amino acid sequence selected from the sequence

of amino acid 1 to 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:7 means

a defined amino acid sequence which is found in the recited PSl sequence

but not in another gene amino acid sequence. A specific amino acid

sequence can be found routinely, e.g., by searching a gene database using

the BLAST set of computer programs. Such specific sequences include

(using one letter amino acid code): KERTSRG (amino acid 2-8 of SEQ ID

NO:2), RGFVF (amino acid 7-11 of SEQ ID NO:2), FCETV (amino acid

11-15 of SEQ ID NO:2), VFLYS (amino acid 15-19 of SEQ ID NO:2), etc.

A nucleotide sequence coding for a PS 1/429 specific amino acid sequence

can be useful to produce peptides as antigens to generate an immune

response specific for PS 1/429. Antibodies obtained by such immunization

can then be used a specific probe for the PS 1/429 protein. A polypeptide of the invention, e.g., having a polypeptide sequence

as shown in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2), can by analyzed by available methods

to identify structural and/or functional domains in the polypeptide. For

example, when the polypeptide coding sequence set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID

NO:2) is analyzed by hydrophobicity algorithms, a continuous coding

sequence comprising the following domains is identified: a 19-amino acid

peptide domain from amino acids 1-19; seven (7) membrane-spanning

domain at positions (82 to 100; 133 to 154; 164 to 183; 195 to 213; 221 to

238; 244 to 262; 408 to 428); and a loop domain at position 263-407. See,

Sherrington et al., Nature, 375:754-760. Various programs can be

employed to analyze structure of the polypeptide, including, EMBL Protein Predict; Rost and Sander, Proteins, 19:55-72, 1994; Kyte and Doolittle, J.

Mol. Bio.: 157:105, 1982.

A polypeptide of the present invention can also have 100% or less

amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID

NO:l. For the purposes of the following discussion: Sequence identity

means that the same nucleotide or amino acid which is found in the sequence

set forth in Fig 1. (SEQ ID NO:l and SEQ ID NO:2) is found at the corre¬

sponding position of the compared sequence(s). However, the compared

amino acid sequence can also have a conservative nucleotide or amino acid

substituted at the corresponding position. See below for examples of

conservative amino acid substitution. The sum of the identical and con- served residues divided by the total number of residues in the sequence over

which the PS 1/429 polypeptide is compared is equal to the percent sequence

similarity. For purposes of calculating sequence identity and similarity, the

compared sequences can be aligned and calculated according to any desired

method, algorithm, computer program, etc., including, e.g., FASTA,

BLASTA.

A PS 1/429 polypeptide according to the present invention can also

comprise amino acid sequence similarity and/or identity, when compared to

the amino acid sequence of Fig. 1 (SEQ H> NO:2), e.g., about 20%, 30%,

37%, 40%, preferably, 50, 53, 60, 65, more preferably, 67, 70, 78, 80, 90,

92, 96, 99, etc. For example, when compared to amino acids 1-19 of Fig.

1 (SEQ NO:l): a 17-amino acid (1-17) Sauroleishmania COX3 sequence is

about 41 % similar; a 10-amino acid Sauroleishmania COX3 (1-10) is about

70% similar; a 18-amino acid (1-18) of a murine NEC2 precursor is about

56% similar; a 15-amino acid (1-15) of a murine NEC2 precursor is about

67% similar; and a 19-amino acid domain of mouse PSl is about 78% simi¬

lar (15/19 amino acids) or 74% identical (14/19 amino acids). See, Fig. 4.

Thus, a polypeptide according to the present invention includes polypeptides

having the above-mentioned similarity. Also included are polypeptides

which have a consensus sequence(s), e.g., preferably between one or more

of COX3, NEC2, or PSl (murine, rat, etc.) as mentioned above. All or part of amino acids 1-19 in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2) and Fig. 4

(SEQ ID NO:7) and the corresponding murine sequence can be present in a

polypeptide according to the present invention. Such a polypeptide can also

comprise a modified 19 amino acid sequence, where such modifications in-

elude glycosylation, covalent modifications (e.g., of an R-group of an amino

acid), amino acid substitution, amino acid deletion, or amino acid addition.

Modifications to the 19 amino acid sequence can be accomplished according

to various methods, including recombinant, synthetic, chemical, etc.

A mutation to amino acids 1-19 can be selected to have a biological

function of the human, murine, etc. naturally-occurring amino acids 1-19.

For example, amino acids 1-19 as set forth in Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2) or Fig.

4 (SEQ ID NO:7) can contain a cellular trafficking function, preferably for

targeting to or from, or, retention in, an intra- or subcellular compartment,

such as mitochondria, cytoskeleton, nuclear, cell membrane, calveolae, etc.

For example, amino acids 1-19 can act as a signal peptide and be cleaved

during maturation. Amino acids 1-19 or a PS1/429 unique nucleotide

sequence, can therefore be modified and tested for retention of signal peptide

function. For example, a nucleotide sequence coding for amino acids 1-19

can be modified and joined to a coding sequence for a detectable marker

(e.g., an enzyme, a peptide recognized by an antibody, GFP, etc.). The

fusion gene can be introduced into a cell line and the transformed cell line

then examined for the cellular distribution of the fusion gene product to determine whether its function as a signal peptide has been eliminated or

retained. Thus, a nucleic acid coding for a derivative of amino acids 1-19

means a nucleic acid -which codes for a polypeptide which codes for the

biological activity, e.g., a signal sequence.

A polypeptide coding for a polypeptide of the present invention,

preferably amino acids 1-19, or a PS1/429 unique nucleotide sequence can

be combined with one or more structural domains, functional domains,

detectable domains, antigenic domains, and/or a desired polypeptides of

interest, in an arrangement which does not occur in nature, i.e., not

naturally-occurring, e.g., as in a normal PSl gene, a genomic fragment

prepared from the genome of a living organism, e.g., an animal, preferably

a mammal, such as human, mouse, or cell lines thereof. A polypeptide

comprising such features is a chimeric or fusion polypeptide. Such a

chimeric polypeptide can be prepared according to various methods, includ-

ing, chemical, synthetic, quasi-synthetic, and/or recombinant methods.

A chimeric nucleic acid coding for a chimeric polypeptide can contain the

various domains or desired polypeptides in a continuous or interrupted open

reading frame, e.g., containing introns, splice sites, enhancers, etc.

The chimeric nucleic acid can be produced according to various methods.

A domain or desired polypeptide can possess any desired property, includ¬

ing, a biological function such as catalytic, signalling, growth promoting,

cellular targeting, etc., a structural function such as hydrophobic, hydro- philic, membrane-spanning, etc., receptor-ligand functions, and/or detectable

functions, e.g., combined with enzyme, fluorescent polypeptide, green

fluorescent protein GEP (Chalfie et al., 1994, Science, 263:802; Cheng

et al., 1996, Nature Biotechnology, 14:606; Levy et al., 1996, Nature

Biotechnology, 14:610, etc. In addition, a PS1/429 nucleic acid, or a part

of it, can be used as selectable marker when introduced into a host cell. For

example, a nucleic acid coding for an amino acid sequence according to the

present invention can be fused in frame to a desired coding sequence and act

as a tag for purification, selection, or marking purposes. The region of

fusion encodes a cleavage site.

A polypeptide according to the present invention can be produced in

an expression system, e.g., in vivo, in vitro, cell-free, recombinant, cell

fusion, etc., according to the present invention. Modifications to the

polypeptide imparted by such system include, glycosylation, amino acid

substitution (e.g., by differing codon usage), polypeptide processing such as

digestion, cleavage, endopeptidase or exopeptidase activity, attachment of

chemical moieties, including Iipids, phosphates, etc. For example, some cell

lines can remove the terminal methionine from an expressed polypeptide.

A polypeptide according to the present invention can be recovered

from natural sources, transformed host cells (culture medium or cells)

according to the usual methods, including, ammonium sulfate or ethanol

precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography,

hydroxyapatite chromatography and lectin chromatography. It is preferred

to have low concentrations (approximately 0.1-5 mM) of calcium ion present

during purification (Price, et al., . Biol. Chem., 244:917 (1969)). Protein

refolding steps can be used, as necessary, in completing configuration of the

mature protein. Finally, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

can be employed for final purification steps.

A nucleic acid or polypeptide of the present invention can be used as

a size marker in nucleic acid or protein electrophoresis, chromatography, etc. For example, a Hael restriction digest of a cDNA coding for PS 1/429

yields 0.133 kb and 1.570 kb molecular weight band since the restriction site

is at nucleotide 134 of PS 1/429. Other defined restriction fragments can be

determined by scanning the sequence for restriction sites, calculating the

size, and performing the corresponding restriction digest.

The present invention also relates to antibodies which specifically

recognize a PS 1/429 polypeptide, and/or preferably antibodies which bind or

attach to amino acids 1-19 as set forth in Fig 1. (SEQ ID NO:2) or Fig. 4

(SEQ ID NO:7), or a derivative thereof. Antibodies, e.g., polyclonal,

monoclonal, recombinant, chimeric, can be prepared according to any

desired method. For example, for the production of monoclonal antibodies, a

polypeptide according to Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2), preferably comprising

amino acids 1-19, can be administered to mice or rabbit subcutaneously and/or intraperitoneally, with or without adjuvant, in an amount effective to

elicit an immune response. The antibodies can also be single chain or FAb.

A derivative or modified mentioned amino acid sequence of Fig. 1

(SEQ ID NO:2) or Fig. 4 (SEQ ID NO:7) can be selected for its ability to

elicit an in vivo or in vitro immunological response, e.g., cellular or

humoral. The immune response can be similar (in antibodies and their

affinity), differ in antibody type, or produce antibodies with higher affinity

for amino acids 1-19.

An antibody specific for such sequence means that an antibody recog-

nizes a defined sequence of amino acids within or including the amino acid

sequence of Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2) or Fig. 4 (SEQ ID NO:7). Thus, a spe¬

cific antibody will bind with higher affinity to an amino acid sequence, i.e.,

an epitope, found in Fig 1 (SEQ ID NO:2) than to a different epitope(s),

e.g., as detected and/or measured by an immunoblot assay. Thus, an anti-

body which is specific for an epitope having a peptide sequence within and

including Fig. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2) is useful to detect the presence of the

epitope in a sample, e.g., a sample of tissue containing PSl gene product,

distinguishing it from samples in which the epitope is absent.

In addition, ligands which bind to a polypeptide according to the

present invention, preferably amino acids 1-19, or a derivative thereof, can

also be prepared, e.g., using synthetic peptide libraries or aptamers (e.g.,

Pitrung et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854; Geysen et al., 1987, J. Immunol. - 30 - Methods, 102:259-274; Scott et al., 1990, Science, 249:386; Blackwell et

al., 1990, Science, 250:1104; Tuerk et al., 1990, Science, 249: 505).

Antibodies and other ligands which bind PS1/429 can be used in

various ways, including as therapeutic, diagnostic, and commercial research

tools, e.g, to quantitate the levels of PS 1/429 polypeptide in animals,

tissues, cells, etc., to identify the cellular localization and/or distribution of

PS1/429, to purify PS1/429 or a polypeptide comprising a part of Psl/429,

such as amino acids 1-19. Antibodies to PS1/429, or a derivative thereof,

can be used in Western blots, ELIZA, immunoprecipitation, RIA, etc. The

present invention relates to such assays, compositions and kits for

performing them, etc.

An antibody according to the present invention can be used to detect

PS 1/429 polypeptide or fragments thereof in various samples, including

tissue, body fluid, blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid. A method of the

present invention comprises contacting an antibody which binds to a peptide

of SEQ ID NO: 1 under conditions effective, as known in the art, to achieve

binding, detecting specific binding between the antibody and target, such as

polypeptide, aptamer, etc. By specific binding, it is meant that the antibody

attaches to a defined sequence of amino acids, e.g., within or including the

amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ED NO:7 or derivatives

thereof. The antibodies or derivatives thereof can also be used to inhibit

expression of PS 1/429 or a fragment thereof. The levels of PS 1/429 poly- peptide can be determined alone or in combination with other gene products.

In particular, the amount (e.g., its expression level) of PS 1/429 polypeptide

can be compared (e.g., as a ratio) to the amounts of other polypeptides in

the same or different sample, e.g., polypeptides of a PSl gene, such

PS 1/467 polypeptide, or polypeptides coded for by PS2.

An antibody can be used in combination with other antibodies, e.g.,

antibodies that recognize pathological markers of Alzheimer's Disease,

including paired helical filaments, micro-tubule associated protein 2

(MAP-2), tau, and ubiquitin (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos 5,385,915; 5,397,712; and

methods therein) or in combination with other diagnostics, e.g, an amyloid

peptide such as in U.S. Pat. No 5,434,050, haptoglobin in U.S. Pat. No.

5,429,947, etc. In general, reagents which are specific for PS1/429 can be

used in diagnostic and/or forensic studies according to any desired method,

e.g., as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,397,712; 5,434,050; 5,429,947.

The present invention also relates to a labelled PS 1/429 polypeptide,

prepared according to a desired method, e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.

5,434,050. A labelled polypeptide can be used, e.g., in binding assays,

such as to identify substances that bind or attach to PS 1/429, to track the

movement of PS1/429 in a cell, in an in vitro, in vivo, or in situ system,

etc.

A nucleic acid, polypeptide, antibody, etc., according to the present

invention can be isolated. The term "isolated" means that the material is in a form in which it is not found in its original environment, e.g., more con¬

centrated, more purified, separated from component, etc. An isolated

nucleic acid includes, ..e.g., a nucleic acid having the sequence of PS1/429

separated from the chromosomal DNA found in a living animal. This

nucleic acid can be part of a vector or other desired nucleic acid and still be

isolated in that it is not in a form which it is found in its natural

environment.

The present invention also relates to a non-human transgenic animal,

preferably a mammal, more preferably a mouse, comprising a PS 1/429

nucleic acid, especially a mutation (e.g., those in Table 1) which has been

introduced into the animal. Transgenic animals can be prepared according

to known methods, including, e.g., by pronuclear injection of recombinant

genes into pronuclei of 1-cell embryos, incorporating an artificial yeast

chromosome into embryonic stem cells, gene targeting methods, embryonic

stem cell methodology. See, e.g., U.S. Patent Nos. 4,736,866; 4,873,191;

4,873,316; 5,082,779; 5,304,489; 5,174,986; 5,175,384; 5,175,385;

5,221,778; Gordon et al., Proc. Nail. Acad. Sci. , 77:7380-7384 (1980);

Palmiter et al., Cell, 41:343-345 (1985); Palmiter et al., Ann. Rev. Genet. ,

20:465-499 (1986); Askew et al., Mol. Cell. Bio. , 13:4115-4124, 1993;

Games et al. Nature, 373:523-527, 1995; Valancius and Smithies, Mol.

Cell. Bio. , 11:1402-1408, 1991 ; Stacey et al., Mol. Cell. Bio. , 14:1009-

1016, 1994; Hasty et al., Nature, 350:243-246, 1995; Rubinstein et al., Nucl. Acid Res. , 21:2613-2617,1993. A nucleic acid according to the

present invention can be introduced into any non-human mammal, including

a mouse (Hogan et -_> 1986, in Manipulating the Mouse Embryo: A

Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor,

New York), pig (Hammer et al., Nature, 315:343-345, 1985), sheep

(Hammer et al., Nature, 315:343-345, 1985), cattle, rat, or primate. See

also, e.g., Church, 1987, Trends in Biotech. 5:13-19; Clark et al., 1987,

Trends in Biotech. 5:20-24; and DePamphilis et al., 1988, BioTechniques,

6:662-680. In addition, e.g., custom transgenic rat and mouse production is

commercially available. These transgenic animals are useful as an AD

model, e.g., to test drugs, or as food for a snake.

The present invention also relates to the treatment and prevention of

diseases, e.g., Alzheimer's disease, diseases associated with mitochondrial

cytopathology, apoptosis, or neurodegeneration. For example, the invention

relates to a method of treating Alzheimer's disease comprising administer¬

ing, to a subject in need of treatment, an amount of a compound effective to

treat the disease, where the compound is a regulator of PS 1/429 gene or

polypeptide expression, effecting, e.g., apoptosis, neuronal degeneration,

and/or mitochondrial degeneration. Treating the disease can mean, delaying

its onset, delaying the progression of the disease, improving or delaying

clinical and pathological signs of disease, e.g., memory, and/or other

complex deficits, neurodegeneration, and other symptoms observed in - 34 - patients. A regulator compound, or mixture of compounds, can be synthe¬

tic, naturally-occurring, or a combination. A regulator compound can

comprise amino acids, nucleotides, hydrocarbons, Iipids, polysaccharides,

etc. A regulator compound is preferably a regulator of PS1/429, e.g.,

inhibiting or increasing its mRNA, protein expression, or processing, e.g.,

cleavage, at the junction between amino acids 19 and 20. Expression can be

regulated using different agents, e.g., an anti-sense nucleic acid, atibozyme,

an aptamer, a synthetic compound, or a naturally-occurring compound.

Additionally, a polypeptide comprising PS 1/429 can be employed to target

an agent to a desired location in the cell (e.g., using amino acids 1-19) or

cells can be supplemented with PS 1/429, or derivatives thereof. To treat the

disease, the compound, or mixture, can be formulated into pharmaceutical

composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and other

excipients as apparent to the skilled worker. See, e.g. , Remington 's

Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eighteenth Edition, Mack Publishing Company,

1990. Such composition can additionally contain effective amounts of other

compounds, especially for treatment of Alzheimer's disease, including,

agents disclosed in U.S. Pat. 5,385,915.

Generally, the nucleic acids, polypeptides, antibodies, etc. of the

present invention can be used as described in, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,501 ,969;

5,506, 133; or 5,441,870. - 35 -

For other aspects of the nucleic acids, polypeptides, antibodies, etc.,

reference is made to standard textbooks of molecular biology, protein

science, and immunology. See, e.g., Davis et al. (1986), Basic Methods in

Molecular Biology, Elsevir Sciences Publishing, Inc., New York; Hames et

al. (1985), Nucleic Acid Hybridization, EL Press, Molecular Cloning,

Sambrook et al.; Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Edited by F.M.

Ausubel et al., John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Current Protocols in Human

Genetics, Edited by Nicholas C. Dracopoli et al., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.;

Current Protocols in Protein Science; Edited by John E. Coligan et al., John

Wiley & Sons, Inc.; Current Protocols in Immunology; Edited by John E.

Coligan et al., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

EXAMPLE

S182₄₂₉ was amplified from a human cortical cDNA library using high-fidelity PCR and oligonucleotide primers 5'-TCA CAT CGG AAA CAA AAC AG and 5'-ACC TCG TCC CTC AAA TCT. The cDNA library used as template in the reaction was constructed from post-mortem adult human cortex using the λ ZAP 17 vector (Stratagene). After a double- round of PCR amplification, electrophoretic separation and purification, the purified amplification product was ligated into the pCRD. vector and used to transform E.coli (TA cloning kit, Invitrogen). Clones with inserts were sequenced on both strands using an automated DNA sequencing system (Applied Biosystems).

High fidelity PCR was used (Expand PCR kit; Boehringer Mannheim): 2 μ\ of cDNA template (titer = 1 x 10¹⁰/ml), 30 pmol of each primer mentioned above, 0.75 μ\ of TAQ/PWO polymerase mix, 350 μM 97

- 36 - dNTPs in a 50 μl reaction volume for 10 cycles of 94°C for 10s, 53°C for 30s, and 68°C for 90s followed by 20 more cycles of increasing duration in 20s increments at the 68 °C extension step on a Gene Amp 9600 thermocycler (Per-άn* Elmer).

Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its fullest extent. The preceding preferred specific embodiments are, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever. The entire disclosure of all applications, patents and publications, cited above and in the figures are hereby incorporated by reference.

From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

PS-1 Mutations

References:

- 37i - SEQUENCE LISTING

(1) GENERAL INFORMATION:

(i) APPLICANT: DAVIS, JOHN N. CHISHOLM, JANE C. DRACHE, BETTINA

(ii) TITLE OF INVENTION: Novel Nucleic Acids and Polypeptides Related to Presenilin

(iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 28

(iv) CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS:

(A) ADDRESSEE: Bayer Corporation

(B) STREET: 400 Morgan Lane

(C) CITY: West Haven

(D) STATE: Connecticut

(E) COUNTRY: US

(F) ZIP: 06516-4175

(v) COMPUTER READABLE FORM:

(A) MEDIUM TYPE: Floppy disk

(B) COMPUTER: IBM PC compatible

(C) OPERATING SYSTEM: PC-DOS/MS-DOS

(D) SOFTWARE: Patentln Release #1.0, Version #1.30

(vii) PRIOR APPLICATION DATA:

(A) APPLICATION NUMBER: US 08/659,296

(B) FILING DATE: 06-JUN-1996

(vii) PRIOR APPLICATION DATA:

(A) APPLICATION NUMBER: US 08/683,315 (B) FILING DATE: 18-JUL-1996

(viii) ATTORNEY/AGENT INFORMATION:

(A) NAME: Jones, Huw R.

(B) REGISTRATION NUMBER: 33,916

(C) REFERENCE/DOCKET NUMBER: WH 501 OP 1 -PCT

(ix) TELECOMMUNICATION INFORMATION:

(A) TELEPHONE: (203) 812-2317

(B) TELEFAX: (203) 812-5492 - 37ii -

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 10:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 17 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 10:

ACCTCGTCCC TCAATCT 17

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 1 1 :

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:l 1 :

TCACATCGGA AACAAAACAG 20 - 37iii -

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 12:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 12:

GAGTCACAGG GACAAAGAGC 20

- 37iv - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 13:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 13:

CACCTGAGCA ATACTGTACG 20

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 14:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 14:

TCACAGAAGA TACCGAGACT 20 - 37v - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 15:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 21 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 15:

AGNAAG ATG A GGAAGAAG AT G 21

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 16:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 19 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 16:

CACACCATTG TTGAGGAGT 19 - 37vi - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 17:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 21 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 17:

TCTGTACTTT TTAAGGGTTG T 21

- 37vii - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 18:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 18:

CCCAACCATA AGAAGAACAG 20

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 19:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 21 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 19:

TCTGTACTTT TTAAGGGTTG T 21 - 37viii - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:20:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 22 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:20:

ACTTCAGAGT AATTCATCAN CA 22

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO.21 :

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 19 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:21 :

ATCTCCGGCA GGCATATCT 19 - 37ix - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:22:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 21 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:22:

TGAAATCACA GCCAAGATGA G 21

- 37x - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:23:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:23:

CACCCATTTA CAAGTTTAGC 20

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:24:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:24:

GATGAGACAA GTNCCNTGAA 20 - 37xi - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:25:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 18 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:25:

TGGAGACTGG AACACAAC 18

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:26:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 21 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:26:

GTGTGGCCAG GGTAGAGAAC T 21 - 37xii - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:27:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:27:

GATTTAGTGG CTGTTTTGTG 20

- 37xiii - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:28:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 19 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:28:

CCATAGCCTG TTTCGTAGC 19

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:29:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 19 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:29:

CCATAGCCTA TTTCGTAGC 19 - 37xiv - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:30:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 19 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:30:

CCATAGCCTA TTTCGTAGC 19

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:31 :

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 15 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:31 :

TGCCGGGAGT TACTG 15 - 37xv - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:32:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:32:

TCACATCGGA AACAAAACAG 20

- 37xvi - (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:33:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 21 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:33:

ACCTGCCGGG AGTTACTGTA T 21

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:34:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 7 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:34:

Lys Glu Arg Thr Ser Arg Gly

1 5 - 37xvii -

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:35:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 5 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:35:

Arg Gly Phe Val Phe

1 5

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:36:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 5 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:36: - 37xviii -

Phe Cys Glu Thr Val

1 5

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:37:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 5 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:37:

Val Phe Leu Tyr Ser

1 5

Claims

- 38 -CLAIMS What is claimed:

1. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence coding without interruption for a PS 1/429 polypeptide comprising amino acid 1 to amino acid 429 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

2. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a PS 1/429 polypeptide comprising amino acid 1 to amino acid 429 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 and having 429 amino acids.

3. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid comprises a naturally-occurring nucleotide sequence.

4. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 2, wherein the nucleic acid comprises a naturally-occurring nucleotide sequence.

5. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid comprises the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1. - 39 -

6. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 2, wherein the nucleic acid comprises the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1.

7. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: l , with the proviso that the nucleic acid does not contain all or part of the coding sequence for a polypeptide having 467 amino acids as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 or SEQ ID NO:8).

8. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to and which contains at least 95 % nucleotide sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: l, with the proviso that the nucleic acid does not contain all or part of the coding sequence for a polypeptide having 467 amino acids as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 or SEQ ID NO: 8).

9. An isolated nucleic acid comprising an expression control sequence operably linked to a nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide comprising amino acid 1 to amino acid 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

10. An isolated nucleic acid comprising an expression control sequence operably linked to a nucleotide sequence coding for a PS 1/429 specific amino acid sequence selected from the sequence of amino acid 1 to 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

11. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a PS 1/429 unique nucleotide sequence and comprising nucleotides 206 and 207 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: l . - 40 -

12. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 11 , wherein the nucleotide sequence is operably linked to an expression control sequence.

13. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence of claim 11.

14. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes to under stringent conditions and which contains at least 95 % nucleotide sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of claim 11.

15. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 13, wherein the nucleic acid is operably linked to an expression control sequence.

16. An isolated nucleic acid coding for a polypeptide having 410 amino acids comprising:

(a) a nucleotide sequence coding for amino acids 20-429 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2;

(b) a nucleotide sequence coding without interruption for amino acids 20-429 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2; or

(c) a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes to a nucleotide sequence coding for the amino sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 under stringent conditions.

17. A method of expressing, in transformed host cells, a PS 1/429 polypeptide coded for by a nucleic acid, comprising culturing transformed host cells containing a nucleic acid according to claim 1 under conditions effective to express the polypeptide. - 41 -

18. A method of expressing, in transformed host cells, a PS 1/429 polypeptide coded for by a nucleic acid, comprising transforming host cells with a nucleic acid according to claim 1 , and culturing the transformed host cells containing the nucleic acid under conditions effective to express the polypeptide.

19. A method of expressing, in transformed host cells, a polypeptide coded for by a nucleic acid, comprising transforming host cells with a nucleic acid according to claim 7, and culturing the transformed host cells containing the nucleic acid under conditions effective to express the polypeptide.

20. A method of expressing, in transformed host cells, a polypeptide coded for by a nucleic acid, comprising transforming host cells with a nucleic acid according to claim 12, and culturing the transformed host cells containing the nucleic acid under conditions effective to express the polypeptide.

21. A method of expressing, in transformed host cells, a polypeptide coded for by a nucleic acid, comprising transforming host cells with a nucleic acid according to claim 14, and culturing the transformed host cells containing the nucleic acid under conditions effective to express the polypeptide.

22. A polypeptide produced by a method of claim 19.

23. A polypeptide produced by a method of claim 21.

24. An isolated polypeptide comprising,

(a) amino acid 1 to amino acid 429 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2;

(b) amino acid 1 to 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2; - 42 -

(c) amino acid 1 to amino acid 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7; or

(d) a PS 1/429 specific amino acid sequence selected from the sequence of amino acid 1 to 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:7.

25. An isolated polypeptide having 410 amino acids as set forth as amino acids 20-429 of SEQ ID NO:2.

26. An isolated polypeptide of claim 25, further comprising an amino acid 1 to 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

27. An isolated peptide of claim 24 which comprises amino acid sequence RGFVF (SEQ ID NO:2) or VFLYS (SEQ ID NO:2).

28. A transformed host cell containing a nucleic acid of claim 1.

29. A transformed host cell containing a nucleic acid of claim 7.

30. A transformed host cell containing a nucleic acid of claim 9.

31. A transformed host cell containing a nucleic acid of claim 14.

32. A vector comprising a nucleic acid of claim 1.

33. A vector comprising a nucleic acid of claim 9.

34. An isolated antibody which is specific for an amino acid sequence of amino acid 1 to amino acid 19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID

NO:7. - 43 -

35. A method of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease comprising, hybridizing an oligonucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence according to claim 11 to a target nucleic acid contained in a test sample, under conditions effective to achieve hybridization, detecting the target nucleic acid in the test sample hybridized to the oligonucleotide, and determining the nucleotide sequence of the target nucleic acid.

36. A method of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease comprising, contacting a polypeptide in a test sample with an antibody of claim 34, under conditions effective for specific binding between said antibody and said polypeptide; and detecting binding between said antibody and said polypeptide.

37. A transgenic non-human mammal comprising a nucleic acid of claim 1.

38. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid is DNA or RNA.

39. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 7, wherein the amino acid at position 44 is leucine, 77 is histidine, 101 is threonine, 105 is threonine, 108 is valine, 108 is leucine, 125 is tyrosine, 125 is arginine, 193 is threonine, 208 is glutamine, 222 is valine, 225 is arginine, 226 is leucine, 229 is serine, 242 is alanine, 242 is glycine, 247 is valine, 248 is valine, 346 is alanine, 354 is valine, 372 is tyrosine, or a combination thereof.

40. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 11, wherein the amino acid at position 44 is leucine, 77 is histidine, 101 is threonine, 105 is threonine, 108 is valine, 108 is leucine, 125 is tyrosine, 125 is arginine, 193 is threonine, - 44 -

208 is glutamine, 222 is valine, 225 is arginine, 226 is leucine, 229 is serine, 242 is alanine, 242 is glycine, 247 is valine, 248 is valine, 346 is alanine, 354 is valine, 372 is tyrosine, or a combination thereof.

41. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 7, wherein the nucleic acid further comprises a detectable label.

42. A method of claim 21, further comprising modulating expression of the polypeptide.

43. A method of claim 21 , further comprising isolating the polypeptide.

44. A process for amplifying a PS 1/429 nucleic acid contained in a nucleic acid or a mixture of nucleic acids, which process comprises:

(a) treating the nucleic acid with two oligonucleotide primers, for each different specific sequence being amplified, under conditions such that for each different sequence being amplified an extension product of each primer is synthesized which is complementary to each nucleic acid strand, wherein said primers are selected so as to be sufficiently complementary to different strands of each specific sequence to hybridize therewith such that the extension product synthesized from one primer, when it is separated from its complement, can serve as a template for synthesis of the extension product of the other primer;

(b) separating the primer extension products from the templates on which they were synthesized to produce single-stranded molecules; and

(c) treating the single-stranded molecules generated from step (b) with the primers of step (a) under conditions that a primer extension product is - 45 - synthesized using each of the single strands produced in step (b) as a template; wherein the oligonucleotide primers are

5' TCACATCGGAAACAAAACAGand 5' ACCTGCCGGGAGTTACTGTAT.

45. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 7, which comprises a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1.

46. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 7, which comprises a nucleotide sequence having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2.

47. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 7, which comprises a nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, except where the amino acid at position 44 is leucine, 77 is histidine, 101 is threonine, 105 is threonine, 108 is valine, 108 is leucine, 125 is tyrosine, 125 is arginine, 193 is threonine, 208 is glutamine, 222 is valine, 225 is arginine, 226 is leucine, 229 is serine, 242 is alanine, 242 is glycine, 247 is valine, 248 is valine, 346 is alanine, 354 is valine, 372 is tyrosine, or a combination thereof.

48. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 7, which comprises a nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, except where one or more positions are substituted by conservative amino acids.

49. An isolated nucleic acid of claim 7, which comprises a nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth - 46 - in SEQ ID NO:2, except where one or more positions are substituted by conservative amino acids and the polypeptide coded for by the nucleic acid is biologically-active .

50. An isolating nucleic acid of claim 7, which comprises a nucleotide sequence having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, except having 5, 10, 15, or 20 amino acid substitutions.

51. An isolating nucleic acid of claim 50, wherein the substitutions are by conservative amino acids.

52. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 , with the proviso that the nucleic acid does not contain nucleotide sequence which is amplified by polymerase chain reaction using the following nucleotides:

(a) 5 ' -TCACATCGGAAACAAAACAG , 5 ' -G AGTC AC AGGG AC A AAGAGC ;

(b) 5'-CACCTGAGCAATACTGTACG, 5 -TCATCTTGCTCCACCACCTG;

(c) 5 ' - AGN A AG ATG AGG A AG A AG ATG , 5 '-CACACCATTGTTGAGGAGT;

(d) 5 ' -TC AC AGAAG ATACCG AGACT , 5 '-CCCAACCATAAGAAGAACAG;

(e) 5'-TCTGTACTTTTTAAGGGTTGT, 5^*-ACTTCAGAGTAATTCATCANCA;

(f) 5 ' - ATCTCCGGC AGGC ATATCT-3 ' ,

5 ' -TG AA ATC AC AGCC AAGATGAG-3 ' ; - 47 -

(g) 5'-CACCCATTTACAAGTTTAGC,

5'-GATGAGACAAGTNCCNTGAA; (h) 5'-TGGAGACTGGAACACAAC,

5 ' -GTGTGGCC AGGGTAGAGAACT; (i) 5'-GATTTAGTGGCTGTTTTGTG,

5'-ACCTCGTCCCTCAAATCT; and does not contain: (j) 5'-CCATAGCCTGTTTCGTAGC; (k) 5'-CCATAGCCTATTTCGTAGC; (I) 3' UTR as set forth in SEQ ID NO:9.