Novel polypeptides and nucleic acids encoding same

Abstract

The present invention provides novel isolated NOVX polynucleotides and polypeptides encoded by the NOVX polynucleotides. Also provided are the antibodies that immunospecifically bind to a NOVX polypeptide or any derivative, variant, mutant or fragment of the NOVX polypeptide, polynucleotide or antibody. The invention additionally provides methods in which the NOVX polypeptide, polynucleotide and antibody are utilized in the detection and treatment of a broad range of pathological states, as well as to other uses.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a mature form of the amino acid sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10;    b) a variant of a mature form of the amino acid sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10, wherein any amino acid in the mature form is changed to a different amino acid, provided that no more than 15% of the amino acid residues in the sequence of the mature form are so changed;    c) the amino acid sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10;    d) a variant of the amino acid sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10 wherein any amino acid specified in the chosen sequence is changed to a different amino acid, provided that no more than 15% of the amino acid residues in the sequence are so changed; and    e) a fragment of any of a) through d).    
     
     
         2 . The polypeptide of  claim 1  that is a naturally occurring allelic variant of the sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10.  
     
     
         3 . The polypeptide of  claim 2 , wherein the variant is the translation of a single nucleotide polymorphism.  
     
     
         4 . The polypeptide of  claim 1  that is a variant polypeptide described therein, wherein any amino acid specified in the chosen sequence is changed to provide a conservative substitution.  
     
     
         5 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a mature form of the amino acid sequence given SEQ ID NO:10;    b) a variant of a mature form of the amino acid sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10 wherein any amino acid in the mature form of the chosen sequence is changed to a different amino acid, provided that no more than 15% of the amino acid residues in the sequence of the mature form are so changed;    c) the amino acid sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10;    d) a variant of the amino acid sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10, in which any amino acid specified in the chosen sequence is changed to a different amino acid, provided that no more than 15% of the amino acid residues in the sequence are so changed;    e) a nucleic acid fragment encoding at least a portion of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence given by SEQ ID NO:10 or any variant of said polypeptide wherein any amino acid of the chosen sequence is changed to a different amino acid, provided that no more than 10% of the amino acid residues in the sequence are so changed; and    f) the complement of any of said nucleic acid molecules.    
     
     
         6 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 5 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises the nucleotide sequence of a naturally occurring allelic nucleic acid variant.  
     
     
         7 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 5  that encodes a variant polypeptide, wherein the variant polypeptide has the polypeptide sequence of a naturally occurring polypeptide variant.  
     
     
         8 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 5 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises a single nucleotide polymorphism encoding said variant polypeptide.  
     
     
         9 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 5 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of 
 a) the nucleotide sequence given by SEQ ID NO:9;    b) a nucleotide sequence wherein one or more nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence given by SEQ ID NO:9 is changed from that given by the chosen sequence to a different nucleotide provided that no more than 15% of the nucleotides are so changed;    c) a nucleic acid fragment of the sequence given by SEQ ID NO:9; and    d) a nucleic acid fragment wherein one or more nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence given by SEQ ID NO:9 is changed from that given by the chosen sequence to a different nucleotide provided that no more than 15% of the nucleotides are so changed.    
     
     
         10 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 5 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence given by SEQ ID NO:9, or a complement of said nucleotide sequence.  
     
     
         11 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 5 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence in which any nucleotide specified in the coding sequence of the chosen nucleotide sequence is changed from that given by the chosen sequence to a different nucleotide provided that no more than 15% of the nucleotides in the chosen coding sequence are so changed, an isolated second polynucleotide that is a complement of the first polynucleotide, or a fragment of any of them.  
     
     
         12 . A vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         13 . The vector of  claim 12 , further comprising a promoter operably linked to said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         14 . A cell comprising the vector of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         15 . An antibody that binds immunospecifically to the polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         16 . The antibody of  claim 15 , wherein said antibody is a monoclonal antibody.  
     
     
         17 . The antibody of  claim 15 , wherein the antibody is a humanized antibody.  
     
     
         18 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         19 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 5  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         20 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody of  claim 15  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         21 . A kit comprising in one or more containers, the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         22 . A kit comprising in one or more containers, the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 19 .  
     
     
         23 . A kit comprising in one or more containers, the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 20.