Apoptotic protease Mch6, nucleic acids encoding same and methods of use

Abstract

The invention provides an isolated gene encoding Mch6 as well as functional fragments thereof. Also provided are isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding Mch6 or functional fragments thereof. The gene or nucleic acid sequences can be single or double stranded nucleic acids corresponding to coding or non-coding strands of the Mch6 nucleotide sequences. The invention further provides an isolated Mch6 polypeptide and isolated large and small subunits of the Mch6 polypeptide, including functional fragments thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated gene encoding Mch6, or functional fragment thereof.  
     
     
         2 . The isolated gene of    claim 1   , comprising substantially the coding sequence in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         3 . The isolated gene of    claim 1   , wherein the functional fragment comprises single or double stranded nucleic acids of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         4 . The isolated gene of    claim 1   , wherein the functional fragment comprises coding or non-coding strands of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         5 . An isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding Mch6, comprising substantially the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1, or functional fragment thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The isolated nucleic acid sequence of    claim 5   , wherein the functional fragment comprises single or double stranded nucleic acids of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         7 . The isolated nucleic acid sequence of    claim 5   , wherein the functional fragment comprises coding or non-coding strands of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         8 . An isolated Mch6 polypeptide, comprising substantially the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, or functional fragment thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The isolated Mch6 polypeptide of    claim 8   , wherein the functional fragment further comprises a catalytic domain of the protease.  
     
     
         10 . An isolated large subunit of Mch6 polypeptide shown in SEQ ID NO:2, or functional fragment thereof.  
     
     
         11 . An isolated small subunit of Mch6 polypeptide shown in SEQ ID NO:2, or functional fragment thereof.