Transcription factors that regulate normal and malignant cell growth
OwnerCraig Bassoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides TBX5 protein fragments that regulate normal and malignant cell growth and nucleic acids encoding these fragments. Such protein fragments include a translated 5′ T-box sequence capable of binding to the major groove of target DNA and lack a translated 3′ T-box sequence that binds to target DNA's minor groove. In particular, the invention protein fragments that inhibit cell proliferation, this activity requiring T-box interaction with target DNA's major groove, but not target DNA's minor groove.
Claims69
An isolated TBX5 protein fragment comprising a translated 5′ T-box sequence capable of binding to the major groove of target DNA and lacking a translated 3′ T-box sequence capable of binding to the minor groove of target DNA.
A method of inhibiting the proliferation of a cell, the method comprising introducing into the cell a polypeptide comprising a translated 5′ T-box sequence of TBX5 capable of binding to the major groove of target DNA.
A method for identifying drug candidates that inhibit the proliferation of a cell, the method comprising measuring the effect of a compound on the proliferation of the cell, wherein compounds that inhibit the proliferation of the cell by an amount at least 10% that of a TBX5 polypeptide comprising a translated 5′ T-box sequence capable of binding to the major groove of target DNA are drug candidates.
A method of stimulating growth of heart cells, the method comprising contacting the heart cells with an antagonist of a 5′ T-box sequence of the TBX5 gene or with an antagonist of the amino acids encoded by the 5′ T-box sequence.
A method of stimulating growth of heart cells, the method comprising contacting the heart cells with an antagonist of the TBX5 gene.
A method of identifying drug candidates that stimulate growth of heart cells, the method comprising determining whether the compounds bind to TBX5.
A method of identifying compounds that stimulate growth of heart cells, the method comprising determining whether the compounds act, in the heart cells, as antagonists of a 5′ T-box sequence of the TBX5 gene or as antagonists of amino acids encoded by the 5′ T-box sequence.
A monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to an antigenic determinant in a translated 5′ T-box sequence of the TBX5 gene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.