Fibroblast growth factor receptor-like molecules and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-Like (FGFR-L) polypeptides and nucleic acid molecules encoding the same. The invention also provides selective binding agents, vectors, host cells, and methods for producing FGFR-L polypeptides. The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the diagnosis, treatment, amelioration, and/or prevention of diseases, disorders, and conditions associated with FGFR-L polypeptides.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising: 
 (a) the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4;    (b) a nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5;    (c) a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under at least moderately stringent conditions to the complement of the nucleotide sequence of either (a) or (b), wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5; or    (d) a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of any of (a)-(c).    
     
     
         2 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising: 
 (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide that is at least about 70 percent identical to the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5;    (b) a nucleotide sequence encoding an allelic variant or splice variant of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4, or the nucleotide sequence of (a);    (c) a region of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, or the nucleotide sequence of either (a) or (b), encoding a polypeptide fragment of at least about 25 amino acid residues, wherein the polypeptide fragment has an activity of the encoded polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5, or is antigenic;    (d) a region of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, or the nucleotide sequence of any of (a)-(c) comprising a fragment of at least about 16 nucleotides;    (e) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under at least moderately stringent conditions to the complement of the nucleotide sequence of any of (a)-(d), wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5; or    (f) a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of any of (a)-(e).    
     
     
         3 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising: 
 (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 with at least one conservative amino acid substitution, wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5;    (b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 with at least one amino acid insertion, wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5;    (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 with at least one amino acid deletion, wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5;    (d) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 which has a C- and/or N-terminal truncation, wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5;    (e) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 with at least one modification that is an amino acid substitution, amino acid insertion, amino acid deletion, C-terminal truncation, or N-terminal truncation, wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5;    (f) a nucleotide sequence of any of (a)-(e) comprising a fragment of at least about 16 nucleotides;    (g) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under at least moderately stringent conditions to the complement of the nucleotide sequence of any of (a)-(f), wherein the encoded polypeptide has an activity of the polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5; or    (h) a nucleotide sequence complementary to any of (a)-(g).    
     
     
         4 . A vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of any of claims  1 ,  2 , or  3 .  
     
     
         5 . A host cell comprising the vector of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         6 . The host cell of  claim 5  that is a eukaryotic cell.  
     
     
         7 . The host cell of  claim 5  that is a prokaryotic cell.  
     
     
         8 . A process of producing an FGFR-L polypeptide comprising culturing the host cell of  claim 5  under suitable conditions to express the polypeptide, and optionally isolating the polypeptide from the culture.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises promoter DNA other than the promoter DNA for the native FGFR-L polypeptide operatively linked to the DNA encoding the FGFR-L polypeptide.  
     
     
         10 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 2 , wherein the percent identity is determined using a computer program that is GAP, BLASTN, FASTA, BLASTA, BLASTX, BestFit, or the Smith-Waterman algorithm.