Bovine milk growth factor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel growth factor from bovine milk, milk products or milk product extracts. The present invention also relates to the use of recombinant DNA technology to isolate, clone and sequence nucleic acids encoding the mature and precursor forms of the growth factor and, in addition, to the use of these nucleic acids in the recombinant production of the growth factor.

1 . A nucleic acid sequence encoding BMGF or a functionally active fragment thereof, wherein said nucleic acid sequence comprises the sequence shown in FIG. 5 or a sequence coding for a functionally active fragment thereof.  
     
     
         2 . A method for isolating a nucleic acid sequence encoding a BMGF or a functionally active fragment thereof, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a source of cells having BMGF activity;    treating the cells to obtain mRNA therefrom;    treating the mRNA thus obtained to produce cDNA therefrom; and    amplifying the cDNA thus obtained by PCR using oligonucleotide primers to produce the nucleic acid.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the oligonucleotide primers comprise any one of the following sequences, mutants, analogues or derivatives thereof: 
 5′ ATC TAG GTT ACC ATG GAT GGG AAT TCA ACC AGA 3′ (SEQ ID NO: 10 )    5′ ATC TAG GTT ACC GGC GAT GGG AAT TCA ACC AGA 3′ (SEQ ID NO:11)    5′CTA GAT AAG GTT TCA TCA GTA AAA CAA GTC AAC TCT 3′ (SEQ ID NO:12)    5′ GGG AAT TCA ACC AGA 3′ (SEQ ID NO:13)    5′ GTA AAA CAA GTC AAC TCT 3′ (SEQ ID NO:14)    5′ GGG AAT TCA ACC AGA AGT CCT GAA 3′ (SEQ ID NO:15)    5′ GTA AAA CAA GTC AAC TCT CTC ACA CCT 3′ (SEQ ID NO:16).    
     
     
         4 . The nucleic acid sequence obtained by the method of  claim 2 .  
     
     
         5 . An expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         6 . The expression vector of  claim 5 , further comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a portion of porcine growth hormone (pGH) linked to the 5′ nucleotide sequence of BMGF.  
     
     
         7 . The expression vector of  claim 6 , wherein the nucleic acid sequence encoding a portion of pGH is linked through a nucleic acid sequence encoding a cleavable amino acid sequence.  
     
     
         8 . A method for enhancing wound healing and/or tissue repair, comprising the step of: 
 administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of BMGF, or mutants, analogues and derivatives of BMGF, precursor and fusion protein forms of BMGF and functionally active fragments (peptides) of BMGF.    
     
     
         9 . A method for preventing or treating periodontal disease, comprising the step of: 
 administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of BMGF, or mutants, analogues and derivatives of BMGF, precursor and fusion protein forms of BMGF and functionally active fragments (peptides) of BMGF.    
     
     
         10 . A method of providing a cosmetic delivery, comprising the step of: 
 administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of BMGF, or mutants, analogues and derivatives of BMGF, precursor and fusion protein forms of BMGF and functionally active fragments (peptides) of BMGF.    
     
     
         11 . An expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence according to  claim 4.