Mammalian cerberus-like protein and compositions

Abstract

Purified mammalian cerberus proteins and processes for producing them are disclosed. DNA molecules encoding the mammalian cerberus proteins are also disclosed. The proteins may be used for inducing formation, growth, differentiation, proliferation and/or maintenance of neurons and/or related neural cells and tissues such as Schwann cells, glial cells and astrocytes, and for other tissue repair, including cardiac and endoderm.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated DNA sequence comprising a DNA sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) nucleotides from nucleotides beginning at # 1, 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, 121, 256, 259, 262, 265, 268, 271 or 484 and ending at #723 or 801 of SEQ ID NO:7; and    (b) sequences which hybridize to (a) under stringent hybridization conditions and encode a protein which exhibits cerberus activity.    
     
     
         2 . An isolated DNA sequence comprising a DNA sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) nucleotides encoding amino acids starting with amino acids beginning at # 1, 18 to 25, 41, 85 to 91 or 162 and ending at #241 or 267 of SEQ ID NO: 8; and    (b) sequences which hybridize to (a) under stringent hybridization conditions and encode a protein which exhibits cerberus activity.    
     
     
         3 . A vector comprising a DNA molecule of  claim 1  in operative association with an expression control sequence therefor.  
     
     
         4 . A vector comprising a DNA molecule of  claim 2  in operative association with an expression control sequence therefor.  
     
     
         5 . A host cell transformed with the vector of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         6 . A host cell transformed with the vector of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         7 . An isolated DNA molecule comprising a DNA sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) nucleotide #268 to #801 of SEQ ID NO:2; and    (b) naturally occurring allelic sequences and equivalent degenerative codon sequences of (a).    
     
     
         8 . A vector comprising a DNA molecule of  claim 7  in operative association with an expression control sequence therefor.  
     
     
         9 . A host cell transformed with the vector of  claim 8 .  
     
     
         10 . An isolated DNA molecule encoding mammalian cerberus protein, said DNA molecule comprising nucleotide #268 to #801 of SEQ ID NO:7.  
     
     
         11 . An isolated DNA molecule according to  claim 10 , further comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a suitable propeptide 5′ to and linked in frame to the DNA coding sequence.  
     
     
         12 . A vector comprising a DNA molecule of  claim 1  in operative association with an expression control sequence therefor.  
     
     
         13 . A host cell transformed with the vector of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         14 . A method for producing purified mammalian cerberus protein, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) culturing a host cell transformed with a DNA sequence according to  claim 1 , comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding mammalian cerberus protein; and    (b) recovering and purifying said mammalian cerberus protein from the culture medium.    
     
     
         15 . A method for producing purified mammalian cerberus protein said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) culturing a host cell transformed with a DNA sequence according to  claim 2 , comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding mammalian cerberus protein; and    (b) recovering and purifying said mammalian cerberus protein from the culture medium.    
     
     
         16 . A method for producing purified mammalian cerberus protein said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) culturing a host cell transformed with a DNA sequence according to  claim 10 , comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding mammalian cerberus protein; and    (b) recovering and purifying said mammalian cerberus protein from the culture medium.    
     
     
         17 . A purified mammalian cerberus polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:8.  
     
     
         18 . A purified mammalian cerberus protein produced by the steps of 
 (a) culturing a cell transformed with a DNA comprising the nucleotide sequence from nucleotide #268 to #801 as shown in SEQ ID NO:7; and    (b) recovering and purifying from said culture medium a protein comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid #90 to amino acid #267 as shown in SEQ ID NO:8.    
     
     
         19 . A composition comprising a therapeutic amount of at least one mammalian cerberus polypeptide according to  claim 18 .  
     
     
         20 . A method for altering the regulation of neuronal genes in a patient in need of same comprising administering to said patient an effective amount of the composition of  claim 19 .  
     
     
         21 . A purified mammalian cerberus protein comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid #1 to #267 of SEQ ID NO:8.  
     
     
         22 . Antibodies to a purified mammalian cerberus protein according to  claim 21 .  
     
     
         23 . A purified mammalian cerberus protein comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid #90 to #267 of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         24 . Antibodies to a purified mammalian cerberus protein according to  claim 23 .  
     
     
         25 . A purified mammalian cerberus protein produced by the steps of 
 (a) culturing a cell transformed with a DNA comprising the nucleotide sequence from nucleotide #52 to #801 as shown in SEQ ID NO:7; and    (b) recovering and purifying from said culture medium a protein comprising the amino acid sequence from amino acid #18 to amino acid #267 as shown in SEQ ID NO:8.