Species specific egg-binding proteins of sperm
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsDaniel M. Hardy, David L. Garbers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are compositions which bind to mammalian egg zona pellucida in species-specific fashion. Also disclosed are methods for speciating mammalian eggs, identifying species-specific sperm, and providing contraception in a mammalian population. Specifically disclosed are nucleic acid sequences and the corresponding amino acid sequences of specific sperm membrane proteins they encode, whose identification and characterization have permitted development of species-specific contraceptive and fertility compositions and methods.
Claims19
A DNA segment comprising an isolated gene that encodes a mammalian egg-binding protein or peptide that comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
A DNA segment that comprises a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
A nucleic acid segment that comprises at least a 14 nucleotide long contiguous stretch that corresponds to a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
A DNA segment, comprising a contiguous nucleic acid sequence from between position 298 and position 7428 of SEQ ID NO:1.
A DNA segment, comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7 or SEQ ID NO:8.
A DNA segment, comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 or SEQ ID NO:4.
An isolated nucleic acid segment characterized as:
- (a) a nucleic acid segment comprising a sequence region that consists of at least 14 contiguous nucleotides that have the same sequence as, or are complementary to, 14 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1;
- or
- (b) a nucleic acid segment of from 14 to 7785 nucleotides in length that hybridizes to the nucleic acid segment of SEQ ID NO:1, or the complement thereof, under high stringency hybridization conditions.
A method of using the DNA segment of SEQ ID NO:1 comprising the steps of:
- a) preparing a recombinant vector in which the DNA segment comprising SEQ ID NO:1 is positioned under the control of a promoter;
- b) introducing said recombinant vector into a host cell;
- c) culturing the host cell under conditions effective to allow expression of said encoded protein or peptide;
- and
- d) collecting the protein or peptide expressed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.