Semaphorin gene: Semaphorin W
View Patent ↗The present invention provides Semaphorin W inhibiting neurite outgrowth, and a gene therefor, as well as other Semaphorins hybridizing to said Semaphorin W gene, modified proteins or partial peptides of said Semaphorin W, antibodies against said Semaphorin W, antisense nucleotides against said Semaphorin W gene, and the use of such substances as pharmaceutical or diagnostic agents or laboratory reagents. The present invention further provides a method of screening for Semaphorin W antagonists employing said Semaphorin W, Semaphorin W antagonists obtained by said screening method, pharmaceutical agents comprising such antagonists, and transgenic animals involving said Semaphorin W.
1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
(a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1;
(b) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and
(c) a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.
2. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
(a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5; and
(b) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10;
wherein said polynucleotide specifically hybridizes with a complement of a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
(a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1; and
(b) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;
under conditions of a buffer comprising 45%(v/v) formamide, 5×SSPE, at 42° C., and washing after hybridization with a buffer comprising 2×SSPE at 42° C.,
and said polynucleotide encodes a protein having the biological activity of inhibiting neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglion cells.
3. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
(a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5; and
(b) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10;
wherein said polynucleotide specifically hybridizes with a complement of a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
(a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1; and
(b) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;
under conditions of a buffer comprising 45%(v/v) formamide, 5×SSPE, at 42° C., and washing after hybridization with a buffer comprising 2×SSPE, at 42° C.;
and said polynucleotide encodes a protein having the biological activity of collapsing growth cones of retinal ganglion cells.
4. An expression plasmid comprising the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , 2 or 3 .
5. A host cell comprising the expression plasmid of claim 4 .
6. A process for producing a recombinant protein, comprising culturing the host cell of claim 5 under conditions sufficient for the production of said protein and recovering said protein.