Delta fragments and derivatives and methods based thereon
AssigneesYale University, Indiana University Foundation
InventorsSpyridon Artavanis-Tsakonas, Marc Alan-Telander Muskavitch, Richard Grant Fehon, Scott Brockwell Shephard
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Abstract
The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of the Delta genes, and amino acid sequence of the encoded protein, fragments and derivatives which retain binding activity are also provided.
Claims31
A substantially pure fragment of a toporythmic Delta protein, which fragment is characterized by the ability in vitro, when expressed on the surface of a first cell, to bind to a Notch protein expressed on the surface of a second cell, which fragment lacks one or more amino acids of the extracellular domain of the Delta protein.
A substantially pure fragment of a toporythmic Delta protein, which fragment is characterized by the ability in vitro, when expressed on the surface of a first cell, to bind to a second toporythmic Delta protein expressed on the surface of a second cell, which fragment lacks one or more amino acids of the extracellular domain of the Delta protein.
A substantially pure derivative of a toporythmic Delta protein, which derivative is characterized by (a) the ability in vitro, when expressed on the surface of a first cell to bind to a second toporythmic Delta protein or fragment or derivative expressed on the surface of a second cell;
- and (b) the inability, in vitro, when expressed on the surface of a third cell, to bind to a Notch protein expressed on the surface of a fourth cell;
- the derivative having an insertion, substitution, or deletion of one or more amino acids in at least the extracellular domain of the Delta protein.
A method of delivering an agent into a cell expressing a Notch protein comprising exposing a Notch-expressing cell to a molecule such that the molecule is delivered into the cell, in which the molecule comprises a toporythmic Delta protein or toporythmic Delta derivative bound to an agent, in which the Delta protein or derivative is characterized by the ability, in vitro, when expressed on the surface of a first cell, to bind to a Notch protein expressed on the surface of a second cell, the derivative having an insertion, substitution, or deletion of one or more amino acids relative to the Delta protein.
A substantially pure derivative of a toporythmic Delta protein, which derivative is characterized by the ability in vitro, when expressed on the surface of a first cell, to bind to a Notch protein expressed on the surface of a second cell, the derivative having an insertion, substitution, or deletion of one or more amino acids in at least the extracellular domain of the Delta protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.