Semaphorin polypeptides

Abstract

The invention is directed to semaphorin polypeptide as a purified and isolated protein, the DNA encoding the semaphorin polypeptide, host cells transfected with cDNAs encoding the polypeptide and methods for preparing the semaphorin polypeptide.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A semaphorin polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, the semaphorin polypeptide capable of binding at least one semaphorin receptor.  
     
     
         2 . An isolated semaphorin polypeptide encoded by DNA sequences selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) nucleotides x 1 —2001 of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein x 1  is nucleotide 1 or 135; and    (b) DNA sequences that hybridize under moderately stringent conditions to the DNA of (a); and which DNA sequences encode a polypeptide that binds semaphorin receptors.    
     
     
         3 . A semaphorin polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) amino acids x 1  to 666 of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein x 1  is amino acid 1 or 45. a fragment of the sequence of (a), wherein the fragment is capable of binding a semaphorin receptor.    
     
     
         4 . A semaphorin polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) amino acids x 1  to 666 of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein x 1  is amino acid 1 or 45, and    (b) a fragment of the sequence of (a), wherein the fragment is capable of binding a semaphorin receptor.    
     
     
         5 . An isolated DNA encoding a semaphorin polypeptide, the DNA selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) DNA capable of hybridizing under moderately stringent conditions to a nucleotide sequence consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1; and    (b) DNA capable of hybridizing under moderately stringent conditions to DNA complementary to the sequence of (a).    
     
     
         6 . An isolated DNA encoding a semaphorin polypeptide, the DNA selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) nucleotides x 1 —2001 of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein x 1  is nucleotide 1 or 135; and    (b) DNA sequences that hybridize under moderately stringent conditions to the cDNA of (a); and which DNA sequences encode a polypeptide that binds semaphorin receptor; and    (c) DNA sequences that, due to the degeneracy of the genetic code, encode semaphorin polypeptides having the amino acid sequence of the polypeptides encoded by the DNA sequences of (a) or (b).    
     
     
         7 . An isolated DNA encoding an semaphorin polypeptide wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEDQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         8 . The isolated DNA of  claim 7  wherein the semaphorin polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         9 . An isolated DNA encoding a semaphorin polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to a sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) amino acids x 1 —666 of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein x 1  is amino acid 1 or 45; and    (b) a fragment of the sequence of (a), wherein the polypeptide binds a semaphorin receptor.    
     
     
         10 . A DNA of  claim 9  wherein the, semaphorin polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) amino acids x 1 —666 of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein x 1  is amino acid 1 or 45; and  
 (b) a fragment of (a).  
 
     
     
         11 . A DNA that is at least 80% identical to DNA that encodes an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting: 
 (a) amino acids x 1 —666 of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein x 1  is amino acid 1 or 45; and    (b) a fragment of (a).    
     
     
         12 . A fusion protein comprising amino acids x 1 —666 where x 1  is amino acid 1 or 45 of SEQ ID NO:2  
     
     
         13 . A recombinant expression vector comprising DNA of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         14 . A process for preparing a semaphorin polypeptide, the process comprising culturing a host cell transformed with an expression vector of  claim 14  under conditions that promote expression of the polypeptide, and recovering the polypeptide.  
     
     
         15 . A composition comprising a suitable diluent carrier and a polypeptide of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         16 . An antibody that is immunoreactive with a polypeptide of  claim 2 .  
     
     
         17 . A process for treating an inflammatory disease in a mammal afflicted with the disease, the process comprising administering an amount of semaphorin polypeptide.  
     
     
         18 . A method of separating cells having semaphorin polypeptide on the surface thereof from a mixture of cells in suspension, comprising contacting the cells in the mixture with a contacting surface having a semaphorin, and separating the contacting surface and the suspension.  
     
     
         19 . An isolated DNA selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) DNA of SEQ ID NO:5;    (b) DNA sequences that hybridize under moderately stringent conditions to the cDNA of (a); and which DNA sequences encode a polypeptide the binds semaphorin receptor;    (c) DNA sequences that, due to the degeneracy of the genetic code, encode semaphorin polypeptides having the amino acid sequence of the polypeptides encoded by the DNA sequences of (a) or (b).    
     
     
         20 . An isolated DNA encoding a soluble semaphorin polypeptide, wherein the soluble polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to a sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) amino acids x 1  to 666 of SEQ ID NO:6, wherein x 1  is amino acid 1 or 45;    (b) a fragment of the sequence of (a), wherein the soluble polypeptide binds a semaphorin receptor.    
     
     
         21 . A DNA of claim  29  wherein the soluble polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) amino acids x 1  to 666 of SEQ ID NO:6, wherein x 1  is amino acid 1 or 45; and  
 (b) a fragment of (a).  
 
     
     
         22 . A recombinant expression vector comprising DNA of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         23 . A process for preparing a semaphorin polypeptide, the process comprising culturing a host cell transformed with an expression vector of claim  31  under conditions that promote expression of the polypeptide, and recovering the polypeptide.