Novel hemopoietin receptor protein, nr10

Abstract

The inventors succeeded in isolating a novel hemopoietin receptor gene (NR10) using a sequence predicted from the extracted motif conserved in the amino acid sequences of known hemopoietin receptors. It was expected that two forms of NR10 exists, a transmembrane type and soluble form. Expression of the former type was detected in tissues containing hematopoietic cells. Thus, NR10 is a novel hemopoietin receptor molecule implicated in the regulation of the immune system and hematopoiesis in vivo. These novel receptors are useful in screening for novel hematopoietic factors capable of functionally binding to the receptor, or developing medicines to treat diseases related with the immune system or hematopoietic system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid of any one of (a) to (d) below:
 (a) a nucleic acid encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4 or 17,   (b) a nucleic acid comprising a coding region in the nucleotide sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3 or 16,   (c) a nucleic acid encoding a protein that comprises the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4 or 17, in which one or more amino acids are replaced, deleted, inserted and/or added and that is functionally equivalent to the protein comprising the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4 or 17, and   (d) a nucleic acid that hybridizes under stringent conditions with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3 or 16, and that encodes a protein functionally equivalent to the protein comprising the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4 or 17.   
     
     
         2 . An isolated nucleic acid encoding the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4 or 17 or a fragment thereof. 
     
     
         3 . A vector into which the nucleic acid of  claim 1  is inserted. 
     
     
         4 . A vector into which the nucleic acid of  claim 2  is inserted. 
     
     
         5 . A transformant harboring the nucleic acid of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . A transformant harboring the nucleic acid of  claim 2 . A transformant harboring the vector of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         8 . A transformant harboring the vector of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         9 . A substantially purified polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A substantially purified polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         11 . A method for producing a polypeptide, the method comprising the steps of culturing the transformant of  claim 5  and recovering a polypeptide expressed from the transformant or the culture supernatant thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A method for producing a polypeptide, the method comprising the steps of culturing the transformant of  claim 6  and recovering a polypeptide expressed from the transformant or the culture supernatant thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A method for screening for a compound that binds to a polypeptide, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) contacting a test sample with the polypeptide of  claim 9  or a partial peptide thereof,   (b) detecting a binding activity of the test sample to the polypeptide or the partial peptide thereof, and   (c) selecting a compound comprising the binding activity to the polypeptide or the partial peptide thereof.   
     
     
         14 . A method for screening for a compound that binds to a polypeptide, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) contacting a test sample with the polypeptide of  claim 10  or a partial peptide thereof,   (b) detecting a binding activity of the test sample to the polypeptide or the partial peptide thereof, and   (c) selecting a compound comprising the binding activity to the polypeptide or the partial peptide thereof.   
     
     
         15 . An antibody against the polypeptide of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         16 . An antibody against the polypeptide of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         17 . A method of detecting a hemopoietin receptor protein in a test sample, comprising the steps of: contacting a test sample with the antibody of  claim 15 ; and detecting the presence of an immune complex between the antibody and a hemopoietin receptor protein in the test sample. 
     
     
         18 . A method of detecting a hemopoietin receptor protein in a test sample, comprising the steps of: contacting a test sample with the antibody of  claim 16 ; and detecting the presence of an immune complex between the antibody and a hemopoietin receptor protein in the test sample. 
     
     
         19 . A polynucleotide that hybridizes with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3 or 16 or the complementary strand thereof and that comprises at least 15 nucleotides.