Pituitary-tumor-transforming-genes, and related products

Abstract

PTTG polypeptides are expressed by the pituitary-tumor-transforming-gene (PTTG), formerly known as pituitary-tumor-specific-gene (PTSG), and nucleic acids encode them. Examples are the human and rat PTTG proteins. The nucleic acids may be applied to a method of producing PTTG polypeptide, and to the detection of the presence of PTTG genes in different species. The nucleic acids may be operatively linked to a vector, optionally provided with control and expression sequences and/or be carried by a recombinant host cell. PTTG oligonucleotide probes and primers are disclosed, which can be employed in diagnostic kits, in methods of identifying or isolating mammalian PTTG nucleic acid, and in a method for detecting a pathological mass associated with PTTG expression. An antisense oligonucleotide is disclosed. Compositions comprising PTTG nucleic acids are also disclosed.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An oligonucleotide probe or primer having a polynucleotide sequence comprising: 
 (A) contiguous nucleotide positions 95-700 of SEQ ID NO:3;    (B) a sequence complementary to nucleotide positions 95-700 of SEQ II) NO:3; or    (C) a degenerate sequence of (A) or (B).    
     
     
         2 . The probe or primer of  claim 1 , further comprising a detectable label or marker.  
     
     
         3 . The probe or primer of  claim 1 , which is a RNA.  
     
     
         4 . The probe or primer of  claim 1 , which is a DNA.  
     
     
         5 . The probe or primer of  claim 1 , wherein the probe or primer is single stranded.  
     
     
         6 . An antisense oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing under stringent conditions to an mRNA having a nucleotide sequence comprising: 
 (A) contiguous nucleotide positions 95-700 of SEQ ID NO:3; or    (B) a degenerate sequence of (A).    
     
     
         7 . A composition, comprising the antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 6 , and a carrier.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable hydrophobic carrier that enables the antisense oligonucleotide to pass through a cell membrane.  
     
     
         9 . A PTTG diagnostic kit, comprising at least one oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , and instructions for its use in the detection of PTTG encoding DNA.  
     
     
         10 . A method of producing a PTTG polypeptide, comprising 
 culturing a host cell in an expression medium and under effective expression conditions, said host cell comprising a recombinant nucleic acid encoding a PTTG polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, said nucleic acid being operatively linked to a promoter;    allowing the PTTG protein to be expressed and accumulate; and    separating the PTTG polypeptide from the cells.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising separating the PTTG protein from the medium and any remaining cellular components.  
     
     
         12 . A method of identifying mammalian PTTG nucleic acid, comprising 
 contacting the nucleic acid of a mammalian sample with the oligonucleotide of  claim 2 , under stringent hybridization conditions;    detecting the presence or absence of the label in the hybridized nucleic acid of the sample; and    identifying the presence of a mammalian nucleic acid by the presence of label in the nucleic acid of the mammalian sample.    
     
     
         13 . A method of isolating mammalian PTTG nucleic acid, comprising 
 performing the method of  claim 12;  and    separating the labeled hybridized nucleic acid from unlabeled nucleic acid from the mammalian sample.    
     
     
         14 . A method for detecting a pathological mass associated with PTTG expression, comprising detecting the presence or absence in a subject's cells of a transcribed nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence of: 
 (A) contiguous nucleotide positions 95-700 of SEQ ID NO:3; or    (B) a degenerate sequence of (A), wherein the presence of the transcribed nucleic acid is indicative of a pathological mass.