Novel regulatory molecule and genetic sequences encoding same

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a regulatory molecule and to genetic sequences encoding same. More particularly, the present invention provides a molecule involved in, associated with or which otherwise facilitates myogenesis. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the regulatory molecule is a transcription factor involved in the expression of genes resulting in the determination of skeletal muscle (a sequence encoding the regulatory molecule is disclosed within the specification as Seq. Id. No: 2). The identification of the regulatory molecule of the present invention permits the development of agents capable of modulating myogenesis including therapeutic agents capable of ameliorating aberrations in pyogenesis such as but not limited to myogenic cancers.

1 - 7 . (canceled)  
     
     
         8 . An isolated protein comprising a sequence of amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         9 - 11 . (canceled)  
     
     
         12 . An immunointeractive molecule capable of interaction to the protein according to  claim 8  or  claim 29 .  
     
     
         13 . An immunointeractive molecule according to  claim 12  wherein the immunointeractive molecule is an antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof.  
     
     
         14 . (canceled)  
     
     
         15 . A method of detecting aberrations in muscle development or a propensity for aberrations in muscle development to occur in a subject said method comprising screening a nucleic acid sample from said subject for the nucleotide sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO:3 wherein an alteration in the nucleotide sequence which would result in a nonfunctional protein encoded by SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO:3 is indicative of a disease condition or for the propensity for a disease condition to occur.  
     
     
         16 . A method of detecting aberrations in muscle development or a propensity for aberrations in muscle development to occur in a subject said method comprising screening a biological sample from said subject for a protein having the immunological profile associated with the protein defined by SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4 a wherein the presence of a protein having an altered immunological profile is indicative of a disease condition or for a disease condition to occur.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15  or  16  wherein the disease condition is a myogenic disease.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the myogenic disease is selected from myopathies and muscular dystrophies and neuromuscular and skeletomuscular disorders.  
     
     
         19 . A method for modulating expression of musculin in a human, said method comprising contacting musculin with an effective amount of a modulator of musculin expression for a time under conditions sufficient to up-regulate or down-regulate or otherwise modulate expression of musculin.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein the modulator is a musculin antisense sequence.  
     
     
         21 . A method of modulating activity of musculin in a human, said method comprising administering to said human a modulating effective amount of a molecule for a time and under conditions sufficient to increase or decrease the activity of musculin.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21  wherein the molecule is a derivative of musculin, a soluble musculin receptor or an antibody to musculin.  
     
     
         23 . A composition comprising the protein according to  claim 8  or  claim 29  and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or diluents.  
     
     
         24 . An isolated nucleic acid encoding human musculin comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4.  
     
     
         25 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 24  comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.  
     
     
         26 . A genetic construct comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 24  or  25 .  
     
     
         27 . The genetic construct of  claim 26 , wherein said construct is an expression vector capable of expressing said nucleic acid in a prokaryotic cell.  
     
     
         28 . The genetic construct of  claim 26 , wherein said construct is an expression vector capable of expressing said nucleic acid in a eukaryotic cell.  
     
     
         29 . An isolated protein comprising a sequence of amino acids of SEQ ID NO:4.