Human aggrecanase and nucleic acid compositions encoding the same

#1. Field of the Invention

#The field of the invention is proteases, particularly proteases that cleave aggrecan.

#2. Background of the Invention

#FIG. 1 provides the nucleic acid and amino acid sequence of human aggrecanase.

#A novel human enzyme having aggrecan cleavage activity (i.e. human aggrecanase or ADAMTS-1) and polypeptides related thereto, as well as nucleic acid compositions encoding the same, are provided. The subject polypeptide and/or nucleic acid compositions find use in a variety of different applications, including research, diagnostic, and therapeutic agent screening/discovery/preparation applications. Also provided are methods of treating disease conditions associated with aggrecanase function, e.g. diseases characterized by the presence of aggrecan cleavage products, such as rheumatoid- and osteo-arthritis.

#Before the subject invention is further described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments of the invention described below, as variations of the particular embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not intended to be limiting. Instead, the scope of the present invention will be established by the appended claims.

#In this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.