Dna binding protein

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel target for use in pharmaceutical assays and, more particularly, to an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the human DNA binding protein DUE-B, antibodies or antibody derivatives that react with DUE-B, the preparation of cloned and purified DUE-B from bacterial and eukaryotic cells, and the preparation of modified forms of DUE-B fused or not to other polypeptides.

1 . A nucleic acid sequence encoding a DNA binding protein involved in DNA replication, said protein comprising an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         2 . The nucleic acid sequence of  claim 1 , wherein said sequence is as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         3 . A DNA binding protein involved in DNA replication, said protein comprising an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         4 . The DNA binding protein of  claim 3  for use in a screening method for identifying a compound binding to said amino acid sequence.  
     
     
         5 . The DNA binding protein of  claim 3  for use in a screening method for identifying a compound modulating the binding of said DNA binding protein to a nucleic acid sequence.  
     
     
         6 . The DNA binding protein of  claim 4 , wherein the compound inhibits cellular proliferation.  
     
     
         7 . The DNA binding protein of  claim 6 , wherein the cellular proliferation is caused by cancer.  
     
     
         8 . The DNA binding protein of  claim 4 , wherein the compound increases cellular proliferation.  
     
     
         9 . An antibody, a derivative or fragment thereof, binding to the DNA binding protein of  claim 3  and preventing said DNA binding protein from binding to a nucleic acid sequence.  
     
     
         10 . A gene therapy comprising the step of introducing into a cell an expression vector comprising the nucleic acid sequence of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence in said expression vector once introduced in the cell encodes a protein with a DNA binding activity.  
     
     
         11 . The gene therapy of  claim 10 , wherein the protein with a DNA binding activity has a sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         12 . Use of the DNA binding protein as defined in  claim 3  in a screening method for identifying a compound binding to said amino acid sequence.  
     
     
         13 . Use of the DNA binding protein of  claim 3  in a screening method for identifying a compound inhibiting or increasing the binding of said DNA binding protein to a nucleic acid sequence.  
     
     
         14 . The use of  claim 12 , wherein the compound inhibits cellular proliferation.  
     
     
         15 . The use of  claim 14 , wherein the cellular proliferation is caused by cancer.  
     
     
         16 . The use of  claim 12 , wherein the compound increases cellular proliferation.  
     
     
         17 . Use of an antibody, a derivative or fragment thereof, as defined in  claim 9 , for preventing or decreasing cellular proliferation.  
     
     
         18 . A method for screening compounds capable of modulating amino acids-DNA interaction, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) contacting in a medium the DNA binding protein of  claim 3  with a DNA, said DNA binding protein being detectable and binding to said DNA;    b) adding to the medium of step a) a compound to be screened for its capacity of modulating the binding of amino acids to said DNA; and    c) detecting the effect on binding of the DNA binding protein to the DNA by the compound being screened.    
     
     
         19 . A method for screening compounds capable of modulating DNA replication, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) contacting in a medium a compound to be screened with the DNA binding protein of  claim 3;  and    b) determining binding of said compound to the DNA binding protein, wherein detection of binding is indicative of said compound being capable of modulating DNA replication.    
     
     
         20 . A method for screening compounds capable of modulating DNA replication, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) contacting in a medium a compound to be screened with the DNA binding protein of  claim 3;     b) adding DNA to the medium of step a); and    c) determining modulation of binding of the DNA binding protein to the DNA, wherein a modulation of the binding is indicative of said compound being capable of modulating DNA replication.    
     
     
         21 . A method for screening compounds capable of modulating cell proliferation, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) contacting in a medium a compound to be screened with the DNA binding protein of  claim 3;  and    b) determining binding of said compound to the DNA binding protein, wherein detection of binding is indicative of said compound being capable of modulating cell proliferation.    
     
     
         22 . A method for screening compounds capable of modulating proliferation, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) contacting in a medium a compound to be screened with the DNA binding protein of  claim 3;     b) adding DNA to the medium of step a); and    c) determining modulation of binding of the DNA binding protein to the DNA, wherein a modulation of the binding is indicative of said compound being capable of modulating proliferation.    
     
     
         23 . The DNA binding protein of  claim 5 , wherein the compound inhibits cellular proliferation.  
     
     
         24 . The DNA binding protein of  claim 23 , wherein the cellular proliferation is caused by cancer.  
     
     
         25 . The DNA binding protein of  claim 5 , wherein the compound increased cellular proliferation.  
     
     
         26 . The use of  claim 13 , wherein the compound inhibits cellular proliferation.  
     
     
         27 . The use of  claim 26 , wherein the cellular proliferation is caused by cancer.  
     
     
         28 . The use of  claim 13 , wherein the compound increases cellular proliferation.