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AssigneeUniversitäT ZüRich
InventorsKonrad Basler, Erich Brunner, Barbara Froesch, Thomas Kramps, Oliver Peter
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The present invention relates to a new essential downstream component of the Wnt/Wingless (Wnt/Wg) signaling pathway and therapeutic and diagnostic applications based thereon. The invention relates to nucleotide sequences of the Drosophila melanogaster legless (lgs) gene, of its encoded proteins, as well as derivatives (e.g., fragments) and analogues thereof. The invention further includes vertebrate and invertebrate homologues of the Lgs protein, comprising proteins that contain a contiguous stretch of amino acids with similarity to the Drosophila lgs gene. The invention further relates to the function of the Drosophila and the human Lgs proteins. Methods for producing the Lgs proteins, derivatives and analogs, e.g., by recombinant means and antibodies to Lgs are provided by the present invention. In addition, the invention also relates to the therapeutic and diagnostic methods and compositions based on Lgs proteins and nucleic acids or fragments thereof.
A nucleotide sequence coding for a protein present in invertebrate and/or vertebrate organisms, said nucleotide sequence coding for a protein comprising a positive function in a regulatory pathway.
A nucleotide sequence comprising at least 50% homology to (a) the nucleotide sequence or stretches of the nucleotide sequence as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10 or (b) complements or fragments thereof.
A polypeptide sharing one or more homologue amino acid domains with the Legless protein being a functional homologue of legless.
A peptide, comprising a stretch of amino acids comprising at least one sequence homology domain, which is common between the Drosophila Legless and human Legless proteins.
A synthetic molecule, simulating the function of Legless proteins in the Wnt pathway.
A therapeutic method comprising the use of Lgs proteins, homologues thereof, functional homologues, nucleic acids and/or fragments thereof for the treatment of disorders of cell fate, comprising the administration of a therapeutic compound.
A method for diagnosing disorders of cell fate comprising the use of anti-Lgs antibodies, Lgs proteins or homologues thereof, lgs nucleic acids and/or fragments thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.