Novel protein, a gene encoding therefor and a method of using the same

An isolated nucleic acid encoding a protein, wherein

• said protein comprises the amino acid sequence 8-141 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4;
• or
• said protein has an amino acid sequence with 95% or more homology to said sequence.

An isolated nucleic acid encoding a protein, wherein

• said protein has an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4;
• or
• said protein has an amino acid sequence with 90% or more homology to said sequence and with the tyrosine (Y) residues at 34 and 45, and the tryptophan (w) residues at 80, 96 and 108 in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 remaining unchanged.

An isolated nucleic acid encoding a protein, wherein

• said protein has an amino acid sequence 8-141 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4;
• or
• said protein has an amino acid sequence with 90% or more homology to said sequence and with the tyrosine (Y) residues at 34 and 45, and the tryptophan (w) residues at 80, 96 and 108 in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 remaining unchanged.

An isolated nucleic acid having the base sequence of bases 226-651 of SEQ ID NO:3.

An isolated nucleic acid having a base sequence with 90% or more homology to the base sequence of bases 226-651 of SEQ ID NO:3, or a base sequence which can hybridize to the complement of said sequence under stringent conditions (5×SSC, 5× Denhardt's solution, 1% SDS, 45-68° C. (without formamide) or 30-42° C. (50% formamide)).

An isolated nucleic acid having a base sequence with 95% or more homology to the base sequence of bases 226-651 of SEQ ID NO:3.