Novel polypeptide, novel DNA and novel antibody

Abstract

The present invention relates to a polypeptide having an activity of suppressing aging; DNA encoding the polypeptide; a method for improving livestock, using the DNA; a recombinant DNA prepared by inserting the DNA into a vector; a transformant harboring the recombinant; a method for preparing the polypeptide of the present invention, using the transformant; an antibody which recognizes the polypeptide; a ligand for the polypeptide of the present invention; a compound inhibiting specific binding between the polypeptide and ligand of the present invention; a compound enhancing the expression of an aging-suppressing gene encoding the aging-suppressing polypeptide of the present invention; an oligonucleotide comprising a sequence of 10 to 50 nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence of the DNA; and a therapeutic agent for a syndrome resembling premature aging, a therapeutic agent for adult diseases or an aging-suppressing agent, using the same.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A polypeptide having an activity of suppressing aging.  
     
     
         2 . The polypeptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide is a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from amino acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS:1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, or a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence wherein at least one amino acid of the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from amino acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS:1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is deleted, substituted or added.  
     
     
         3 . DNA encoding a polypeptide having an activity of suppressing aging.  
     
     
         4 . The DNA according to  claim 3 , wherein the DNA is 
 (a) DNA encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from amino acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS:1, 2, 3, 4 and 5;    (b) DNA encoding a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence wherein at least one amino acid of the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from amino acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS:1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is deleted, substituted or added, and the peptide having an activity of suppressing aging; or    (c) DNA which is hybridized with the DNA described in (a) or (b) under stringent conditions.    
     
     
         5 . The DNA according to  claim 3 , wherein the DNA is DNA comprising a DNA sequence selected from DNA sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS:6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, or DNA which is hybridized with the DNA under stringent conditions.  
     
     
         6 . A recombinant vector prepared by inserting the DNA according to any one of claims  3 ,  4  and  5  into a vector.  
     
     
         7 . An antibody which recognizes the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 .  
     
     
         8 . A hybridoma which produces the antibody according to  claim 7 .  
     
     
         9 . The hybridoma according to  claim 8 , which is selected from KM1902 (FERM BP-5983), KM2070 (FERM BP-6196), KM2076 (FERM BP-6197), KM2105 (FERM BP-6198), KM2116 (FERM BP-6199), and KM2119 (FERM BP-6200).  
     
     
         10 . A therapeutic agent for a syndrome resembling premature aging, comprising the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 .  
     
     
         11 . A therapeutic agent for adult diseases, comprising the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 .  
     
     
         12 . An aging-suppressing agent comprising the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 .  
     
     
         13 . A method for immunologically detecting the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 , using the antibody according to  claim 7 .  
     
     
         14 . A method for diagnosing aging, using the method according to  claim 13 .  
     
     
         15 . A vector for gene therapy of disease, containing the DNA according to any one of claims  3 ,  4  and  5 .  
     
     
         16 . A vector for gene therapy of adult diseases, containing the DNA according to any one of claims  3 ,  4  and  5 .  
     
     
         17 . A vector for gene therapy for suppressing aging, containing the DNA according to any one of claims  3 ,  4  and  5 .  
     
     
         18 . A transformant harboring the recombinant DNA according to  claim 6 .  
     
     
         19 . The transformant according to  claim 18 , wherein the transformant is a transformant selected from  Escherichia coli  ENKM101 (FERM BP-5765),  Escherichia coli  ENKM112 (FERM BP-6184),  Escherichia coli  ENKM103 (FERM BP-5942),  Escherichia coli  ENKH106 (FERM BP-5767), and  Escherichia coli  XL1-Blue/pRYHH02 (FERM BP-6193).  
     
     
         20 . A method for preparing an aging-suppressing polypeptide, comprising culturing a transformant harboring the recombinant DNA according to  claim 6  in a culture to produce and accumulate the aging-suppressing polypeptide encoded by the recombinant DNA during the culturing and, recovering the polypeptide from the culture.  
     
     
         21 . A method for improving livestock, using the DNA according to any one of claims  3 ,  4  and  5 .  
     
     
         22 . The method for improving livestock according to  claim 21 , comprising excessively expressing the DNA according to any one of claims  3 ,  4  and  5 .  
     
     
         23 . A gene-deleted animal obtained by using DNA according to any one of claims  3 ,  4  and  5 .  
     
     
         24 . A gene-substituted animal obtained by using the DNA according to any one of claims  3 ,  4  and  5 .  
     
     
         25 . A method for screening a ligand for the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 , comprising putting the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2  in contact with a test sample.  
     
     
         26 . A ligand prepared by the method according to  claim 25 .  
     
     
         27 . A method for screening a compound inhibiting specific binding between the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2  and the ligand according to  claim 26 , which comprises comparing (a) the case where the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2  is put in contact with a ligand according to  claim 26  with (b) the case where the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 , the ligand according to  claim 26  and a test sample are put in contact with each other.  
     
     
         28 . A compound prepared by the method according to  claim 27 .  
     
     
         29 . A method for screening a compound enhancing an expression of a gene encoding the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 , comprising putting a cell expressing the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2  in contact with a test sample.  
     
     
         30 . The screening method according to  claim 29 , wherein the enhancing of the expression is detected by the method according to  claim 12 .  
     
     
         31 . The screening method according to  claim 29 , wherein the enhancing of the expression is detected by measuring an amount of mRNA encoding the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 .  
     
     
         32 . A compound obtained by the method according to any one of claims  29 ,  30  and  31 .  
     
     
         33 . A method for screening a compound enhancing an expression of a gene encoding the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 , comprising putting a test sample in contact with a transformant transformed with a plasmid containing DNA to which a reporter gene has been ligated at downstream of a region of controlling transcription of a gene encoding the polypeptide according to  claim 1  or  2 .  
     
     
         34 . A compound obtained by the method according to  claim 33 .  
     
     
         35 . A therapeutic agent for a syndrome resembling premature aging, containing the compound according to any one of claims  26 ,  28 ,  32  and  34 .  
     
     
         36 . A therapeutic agent for adult diseases, containing a compound according to any one of claims  26 ,  28 ,  32  and  34 .  
     
     
         37 . An aging-suppressing agent, containing the compound according to any one of claims  26 ,  28 ,  32  and  34 .  
     
     
         38 . An oligonucleotide comprising a sequence identical to or complementary to continuous 10 to 50 nucleotides in a nucleotide sequence selected from nucleotide sequences represented by SEQ ID NO:6 to NO:10.  
     
     
         39 . A diagnostic agent containing the oligonucleotide according to  claim 38.