Ras Mutation and Compositions and Methods Related Thereto

Abstract

Disclosed are newly discovered Ras mutations and combinations of mutations, proteins and peptides and fusion proteins containing these mutations, nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins, peptides, and fusion proteins, and a variety of tools and diagnostic, therapeutic, and screening methods associated with the use of such mutations.

1 . A method to prevent or treat a cancer, comprising administering to an animal that has or is at risk of developing a cancer a composition comprising:
 a) a whole, heat-killed yeast; and   b) a mutated Ras protein comprising at least 11 contiguous amino acids of a wild-type Ras protein having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:11 or SEQ ID NO:13 that contains the amino acid position 76 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein, except that the amino acid at position 76 is mutated as compared to the wild-type Ras protein;   
       wherein the protein is expressed by the yeast vehicle. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amino acid at position 76 is mutated from a glutamate to a non-glutamate amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of: glycine, lysine, and glutamine. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the yeast is from  Saccharomyces cerevisiae.    
     
     
         4 . A method to prevent or treat a cancer, comprising administering to an animal that has or is at risk of developing a cancer a composition comprising:
 a) a yeast vehicle; and   b) a protein comprising:
 i) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain thereof contains the amino acid position 76 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the amino acid at position 76 is mutated as compared to the wild-type Ras protein; and 
 ii) at least one additional mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the at least one additional mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 8-16 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 12 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; (b) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 9-17 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 13 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; (c) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 55-63 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 59 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; (d) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 57-65 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 61 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; (e) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 69-77 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 73 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; (f) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 70-78 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 74 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; (g) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 71-79 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 75 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; (h) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 73-81 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 77 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; and (i) an amino acid sequence comprising at least from positions 74-82 of a Ras protein, wherein the amino acid residue at position 78 with respect to the wild-type Ras protein is mutated; 
   
       wherein the protein is expressed by the yeast vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the yeast vehicle is a whole yeast. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the whole yeast is heat-killed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the yeast vehicle is from  Saccharomyces cerevisiae.    
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method to prevent or treat a cancer, comprising administering to an animal that has or is at risk of developing a cancer a composition comprising:
 a) a yeast vehicle; and   b) a protein comprising the following proteins, fused in frame:
 i) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain contains the amino acid position 12 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the glycine at position 12 is substituted with a cysteine; 
 ii) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain contains the amino acid position 61 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the glutamine at position 61 is substituted with an arginine; 
 iii) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain contains the amino acid position 12 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the glycine at position 12 is substituted with an aspartate; 
 iv) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain contains the amino acid position 12 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the glycine at position 12 is substituted with a valine; 
 v) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain contains the amino acid position 12 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the glycine at position 12 is substituted with an arginine; and 
 vi) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain contains the amino acid position 76 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the glutamate at position 76 is substituted with a glycine; 
   
       wherein the protein is expressed by the yeast vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the protein comprises the following proteins, fused in frame:
 i) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain contains the amino acid position 12 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the glycine at position 12 is substituted with an arginine;   ii) a mutant Ras protein or immunogenic domain thereof, wherein the protein or immunogenic domain contains the amino acid position 76 with respect to a wild-type Ras protein, and wherein the glutamate at position 76 is substituted with a glycine.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:15. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the yeast vehicle is a whole yeast. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the whole yeast is heat-killed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the yeast vehicle is from  Saccharomyces cerevisiae.    
     
     
         18 .- 35 . (canceled)