Diagnosis and treatment of ALK-7 related disorders

Abstract

The present invention relates to ALK-7 polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides, cells, tissues and animals containing such nucleic acids, antibodies to such polypeptides, assays utilizing such polypeptides, and methods relating to all of the foregoing. Methods for treatment, diagnosis, and screening are provided for ALK-7 related diseases or conditions characterized by an abnormal interaction between an ALK-7 polypeptide and an ALK-7 binding partner.

1 - 9 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         10 . An isolated, enriched or purified ALK-7 polypeptide.  
     
     
         11 . The polypeptide of  claim 10 , wherein said polypeptide is a fragment of the protein encoded by the full length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         12 . The polypeptide of  claim 10 , wherein said polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having 
 (a) the full length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2;    (b) the full length amino acid sequence of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, except that it lacks one of the following segments of amino acid residues 1-25, 26-113, 114-493, 137-493, 193-483 of SEQ ID NO:2;    (c) the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 from amino acid residues 1-25, 26-113, 114-493, 114-136, 137-493, or 193-483 of SEQ ID NO:2; or    (d) the full length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 except that it lacks one of the domains selected from the group consisting of a signal peptide, an extracellular region, a transmembrane domain, a cytoplasmic domain, and a catalytic domain.    
     
     
         13 - 22 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         23 . The ALK-7 polypeptide of  claim 10 , having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to the sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         24 . The polypeptide of  claim 12 , comprising one or more of the following segments of amino acid residues of SEQ ID NO:2: 26-113 and 193-485.  
     
     
         25 . The polypeptide of  claim 12 , comprising one or more of the following domains of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2: the extracellular region and the catalytic domain.  
     
     
         26 . The polypeptide of  claim 12 , further comprising a second polypeptide fused to said polypeptide.  
     
     
         27 . The polypeptide of  claim 26 , wherein said second polypeptide is GST.