Cathepsin O2 protease

Abstract

The invention relates to cathepsin O2 proteins, nucleic acids, and antibodies.

1 . A recombinant human cathepsin O2 protein which has an amino acid sequence at least about 95% homologous to the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         2 . A recombinant human cathepsin O2 protein according to  claim 1  which has the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         3 . A recombinant cathepsin O2 protein according to  claim 1  which comprises preprocathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         4 . A recombinant cathepsin O2 protein according to  claim 1  which comprises procathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         5 . A recombinant cathepsin O2 protein according to  claim 1  which comprises the pro part of cathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         6 . A recombinant nucleic acid encoding a human cathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         7 . A recombinant nucleic acid according to  claim 6  which will hybridize to the nucleic acid sequence shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         8 . A recombinant nucleic acid according to  claim 6  wherein said cathepsin O2 protein comprises preprocathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         9 . A recombinant nucleic acid according to  claim 6  wherein said cathepsin O2 protein comprises procathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         10 . A recombinant nucleic acid according to  claim 6  comprising the pro part of cathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         11 . The nucleic acid of  claim 7  comprising DNA having a sequence at least about 95% homologous to that shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         12 . A recombinant nucleic acid according to  claim 8  having the sequence shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         13 . An expression vector comprising transcriptional and translational regulatory DNA operably linked to DNA encoding a human cathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         14 . A host cell transformed with an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding a human cathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         15 . A method of producing a human cathepsin O2 protein comprising: 
 a) culturing a host cell transformed with an expressing vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding a cathepsin O2 protein; and    b) expressing said nucleic acid to produce a cathepsin O2 protein.    
     
     
         16 . An antibody which binds to a cathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         17 . The antibody of  claim 16  wherein said cathepsin O2 protein is mature cathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         18 . The antibody of  claim 16  wherein said cathepsin O2 protein is procathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         19 . The antibody of  claim 16  wherein said cathepsin O2 protein is the pro part of cathepsin O2 protein.  
     
     
         20 . The antibody of  claim 16  which is a monoclonal antibody.