WO1998042841A1

WO1998042841A1 - Interferon related protein hkafe42

Info

Publication number: WO1998042841A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/000915
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lee James Beeley; Stephen Lee Mathias
Original assignee: Smithkline Beecham P.L.C.
Priority date: 1997-03-25
Filing date: 1998-03-25
Publication date: 1998-10-01
Also published as: EP0934414A1; CA2247075A1; JP2000513947A

Abstract

HKAFE42 polypeptides and polynucleotides and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for utilizing HKAFE42 polypeptides and polynucleotides in the design of protocols for the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer, among others, and diagnostic assays for such conditions.

Description

INTERFERON RELATED PROTEIN HKAFE42

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides, polypeptides encoded by them and to the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides, and to their production. More particularly, the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention relate to interferon- related protein family, hereinafter referred to as HKAFE42. The invention also relates to inhibiting or activating the action of such polynucleotides and polypeptides.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The growth, regulation and functional activities of cells and tissues are regulated through the interaction of growth factors or cytokines and their cognate receptors. Cytokine is a generic term and encompasses various families of regulators including growth factors (GF), colony- stimulating factors (CSF), interferons (IFN), interleukins (IL), lymphokines and monokines (For reviews, see Callard and Gearing, The Cytokines Facts Book, Academic Press, London, 1994 and Nicola, ed., Guidebook to Cytokines and Their Receptors, Sambrook and Tooze, Oxford, 1994). Cytokines are generallly glycoproteins with a molecular weight of 20,000-40,000 kD and work at very low concentrations (pM order).

Two cytokines are of particular interest. The first, interferon -gamma is secreted from T- cells and natural killer cells and plays a key role in inflammatory processes. Clinically, interferon - gamma has been shown to alleviate symptoms of chronic granulomatous disease and has also shown promise for the treatment of infectious disease and neoplasias. The second, Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) supports the survival of embryonic neurones and continues to be involved in the maintenance of neuronal phenotype in the mature nervous system. Intra-ventricular injection of NGF to aged, learning-deficient rats has been shown to correct the learning deficiencies (Fischer, et al., Nature 329: 65-8, 1987). Clinically, decreased levels of the mRNA of the closely related cytokine BDNF have been observed in the hippocampus of patients with Alzheimer's disease (Phillis et al., Neuron 7: 695-702, 1991).

The mouse PC4 gene (Varnum et al., Oncogene 4(10): 1263-65, 1989) is an immediate early gene related to IFN-gamma. PC4 is induced during the course of neronal differentiation and also in the cell line PC 12 by NGF. The relationship of PC4 to interferons and lymphokines suggests that it could play a role in regulating genetic pathways induced by NGF (Tirone and Shooter, PNAS 86(6): 2088-92, 1989). A role for PC4 has also been postulated in muscle differentiation (Guardavaccaro et al., Cell Growth Differ. 6(2): 159-69, 1995). There remains a need for identification and characterization of further members of interferon-related protein family which can play a role in preventing, ameliorating or correcting dysfunctions or diseases, including, but not limited to, disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention relates to HKAFE42 polypeptides and recombinant materials and methods for their production. Another aspect of the invention relates to methods for using such HKAFE42 polypeptides and polynucleotides. Such uses include the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer, among others. In still another aspect, the invention relates to methods to identify agonists and antagonists using the materials provided by the invention, and treating conditions associated with HKAFE42 imbalance with the identified compounds. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to diagnostic assays for detecting diseases associated with inappropriate HKAFE42 activity or levels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definitions

The following definitions are provided to facilitate understanding of certain terms used frequently herein.

"HKAFE42" refers, among others, generally to a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or an allelic variant thereof.

"HKAFE42 activity or HKAFE42 polypeptide activity" or "biological activity of the HKAFE42 or HKAFE42 polypeptide" refers to the metabolic or physiologic function of said HKAFE42 including similar activities or improved activities or these activities with decreased undesirable side-effects. Also included are antigenic and immunogenic activities of said HKAFE42.

"HKAFE42 gene" refers to a polynucleotide having the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or allelic variants thereof and/or their complements. "Antibodies" as used herein includes polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, chimeric, single chain, and humanized antibodies, as well as Fab fragments, including the products of an Fab or other immunoglobulin expression library.

"Isolated" means altered "by the hand of man" from the natural state. If an "isolated" composition or substance occurs in nature, it has been changed or removed from its original environment, or both. For example, a polynucleotide or a polypeptide naturally present in a living animal is not "isolated/' but the same polynucleotide or polypeptide separated from the coexisting materials of its natural state is "isolated", as the term is employed herein.

"Polynucleotide" generally refers to any polyribonucleotide or polydeoxribonucleotide, which may be unmodified RNA or DNA or modified RNA or DNA. "Polynucleotides" include, without limitation single- and double-stranded DNA, DNA that is a mixture of single- and double-stranded regions, single- and double-stranded RNA, and RNA that is mixture of single- and double-stranded regions, hybrid molecules comprising DNA and RNA that may be single- stranded or, more typically, double-stranded or a mixture of single- and double-stranded regions. In addition, "polynucleotide" refers to triple-stranded regions comprising RNA or DNA or both RNA and DNA. The term polynucleotide also includes DNAs or RNAs containing one or more modified bases and DNAs or RNAs with backbones modified for stability or for other reasons. "Modified" bases include, for example, tritylated bases and unusual bases such as inosine. A variety of modifications has been made to DNA and RNA; thus, "polynucleotide" embraces chemically, enzymatically or metabolically modified forms of polynucleotides as typically found in nature, as well as the chemical forms of DNA and RNA characteristic of viruses and cells. "Polynucleotide" also embraces relatively short polynucleotides, often referred to as oligonucleotides.

"Polypeptide" refers to any peptide or protein comprising two or more amino acids joined to each other by peptide bonds or modified peptide bonds, i.e., peptide isosteres. "Polypeptide" refers to both short chains, commonly referred to as peptides, oligopeptides or oligomers, and to longer chains, generally referred to as proteins. Polypeptides may contain amino acids other than the 20 gene-encoded amino acids. "Polypeptides" include amino acid sequences modified either by natural processes, such as posttranslational processing, or by chemical modification techniques which are well known in the art. Such modifications are well described in basic texts and in more detailed monographs, as well as in a voluminous research literature. Modifications can occur anywhere in a polypeptide, including the peptide backbone, the amino acid side-chains and the amino or carboxyl termini. It will be appreciated that the same type of modification may be present in the same or varying degrees at several sites in a given polypeptide. Also, a given polypeptide may contain many types of modifications. Polypeptides may be branched as a result of ubiquitination, and they may be cyclic, with or without branching. Cyclic, branched and branched cyclic polypeptides may result from posttranslation natural processes or may be made by synthetic methods. Modifications include acetylation, acylation, ADP-ribosylation, amidation, covalent attachment of flavin, covalent attachment of a heme moiety, covalent attachment of a nucleotide or nucleotide derivative, covalent attachment of a lipid or lipid derivative, covalent attachment of phosphotidylinositol, cross-linking, cyclization, disulfide bond formation, demethylation, formation of covalent crosslinks, formation of cystine, formation of pyroglutamate, formylation, gamma-carboxylation, glycosylation, GPI anchor formation, hydroxylation, iodination, methylation, myristoylation, oxidation, proteolytic processing, phosphorylation, prenylation, racemization, selenoylation, sulfation, transfer- RNA mediated addition of amino acids to proteins such as arginylation, and ubiquitination. See, for instance, PROTEINS - STRUCTURE AND MOLECULAR PROPERTIES, 2nd Ed., T. E. Creighton, W. H. Freeman and Company, New York, 1993 and Wold, F., Posttranslational Protein Modifications: Perspectives and Prospects, pgs. 1-12 in POSTTRANSLATIONAL COVALENT MODIFICATION OF PROTEINS, B. C. Johnson, Ed., Academic Press, New York, 1983; Seifter et al, "Analysis for protein modifications and nonprotein cofactors", Meth Enzymol (1990) 182:626-646 and Rattan et al, "Protein Synthesis: Posttranslational Modifications and Aging", Ann NYAcad Sci (1992) 663:48-62.

"Variant" as the term is used herein, is a polynucleotide or polypeptide that differs from a reference polynucleotide or polypeptide respectively, but retains essential properties. A typical variant of a polynucleotide differs in nucleotide sequence from another, reference polynucleotide. Changes in the nucleotide sequence of the variant may or may not alter the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide encoded by the reference polynucleotide. Nucleotide changes may result in amino acid substitutions, additions, deletions, fusions and truncations in the polypeptide encoded by the reference sequence, as discussed below. A typical variant of a polypeptide differs in amino acid sequence from another, reference polypeptide. Generally, differences are limited so that the sequences of the reference polypeptide and the variant are closely similar overall and, in many regions, identical. A variant and reference polypeptide may differ in amino acid sequence by one or more substitutions, additions, deletions in any combination. A substituted or inserted amino acid residue may or may not be one encoded by the genetic code. A variant of a polynucleotide or polypeptide may be a naturally occurring such as an allelic variant, or it may be a variant that is not known to occur naturally. Non-naturally occurring variants of polynucleotides and polypeptides may be made by mutagenesis techniques or by direct synthesis.

"Identity," as known in the art, is a relationship between two or more polypeptide sequences or two or more polynucleotide sequences, as determined by comparing the sequences. In the art, "identity" also means the degree of sequence relatedness between polypeptide or polynucleotide sequences, as the case may be, as determined by the match between strings of such sequences. "Identity" and "similarity" can be readily calculated by known methods, including but not limited to those described in (Computational Molecular Biology, Lesk, A.M., ed., Oxford University Press, New York, 1988; Biocomputing: Informatics and Genome Projects, Smith, D.W., ed., Academic Press, New York, 1993; Computer Analysis of Sequence Data, Part I, Griffin, A.M., and Griffin, H.G., eds., Humana Press, New Jersey, 1994; Sequence Analysis in Molecular Biology, von Heinje, G., Academic Press, 1987; and Sequence Analysis Primer, Gribskov, M. and Devereux, J., eds., M Stockton Press, New York, 1991 ; and Carillo, H., and Lipman, D., SIAM J. Applied Math, 48: 1073 (1988). Preferred methods to determine identity are designed to give the largest match between the sequences tested. Methods to determine identity and similarity are codified in publicly available computer programs. Preferred computer program methods to determine identity and similarity between two sequences include, but are not limited to, the GCG program package (Devereux, J., et al., Nucleic Acids Research 12(1): 387 (1984)), BLASTP, BLASTN, and FASTA (Atschul, S.F. et al., J. Molec. Biol. 215: 403-410 (1990). The BLAST X program is publicly available from NCBI and other sources (BLAST Manual, Altschul, S., et al, NCBI NLM NIH Bethesda, MD 20894; Altschul, S., et al, J. Mol. Biol. 215: 403-410 (1990). The well known Smith Waterman algorithm may also be used to determine identity.

Preferred parameters for polypeptide sequence comparison include the following: 1) Algorithm: Needleman and Wunsch, J. Mol Biol. 48: 443-453 (1970) Comparison matrix: BLOSSUM62 from Hentikoff and Hentikoff, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 89: 10915-10919 (1992) Gap Penalty: 12 Gap Length Penalty: 4

A program useful with these parameters is publicly available as the "gap" program from Genetics Computer Group, Madison WI. The aforementioned parameters are the default parameters for polypeptide comparisons (along with no penalty for end gaps).

Preferred parameters for polynucleotide comparison include the following: 1) Algorithm: Needleman and Wunsch, J. Mol Biol. 48: 443-453 (1970) Comparison matrix: matches = +10, mismatch = 0

Gap Penalty: 50

Gap Length Penalty: 3

A program useful with these parameters is publicly available as the "gap" program from Genetics Computer Group, Madison WI. The aforementioned parameters are the default parameters for polynucleotide comparisons.

By way of example, a polynucleotide sequence of the present invention may be identical to the reference sequence of SEQ ID NO: l, that is be 100% identical, or it may include up to a certain integer number of nucleotide alterations as compared to the reference sequence. Such alterations are selected from the group consisting of at least one nucleotide deletion, substitution, including transition and transversion, or insertion, and wherein said alterations may occur at the 5' or 3' terminal positions of the reference nucleotide sequence or anywhere between those terminal positions, interspersed either individually among the nucleotides in the reference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within the reference sequence. The number of nucleotide alterations is determined by multiplying the total number of nucleotides in SEQ ID NO: 1 by the numerical percent of the respective percent identity(divided by 100) and subtracting that product from said total number of nucleotides in SEQ ID NO: l, or: ⁿn ^{≤ x}n " (*n * y)> wherein n_n is the number of nucleotide alterations, x_n is the total number of nucleotides in SEQ

ID NO: 1, and y is, for instance, 0.70 for 70%, 0.80 for 80%, 0.85 for 85%, 0.90 for 90%, 0.95 for 95%,etc, and wherein any non-integer product of x_n and y is rounded down to the nearest integer prior to subtracting it from x_n. Alterations of a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 may create nonsense, missense or frameshift mutations in this coding sequence and thereby alter the polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide following such alterations.

Similarly, a polypeptide sequence of the present invention may be identical to the reference sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, that is be 100% identical, or it may include up to a certain integer number of amino acid alterations as compared to the reference sequence such that the % identity is less than 100%). Such alterations are selected from the group consisting of at least one amino acid deletion, substitution, including conservative and non-conservative substitution, or insertion, and wherein said alterations may occur at the amino- or carboxy- terminal positions of the reference polypeptide sequence or anywhere between those terminal positions, interspersed either individually among the amino acids in the reference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within the reference sequence. The number of amino acid alterations for a given % identity is determined by multiplying the total number of amino acids in SEQ ID NO:2 by the numerical percent of the respective percent identity(divided by 100) and then subtracting that product from said total number of amino acids in SEQ ID NO:2, or: n_a≤x_a - (x_a • y), wherein n_a is the number of amino acid alterations, x_a is the total number of amino acids in SEQ ID NO:2, and y is, for instance 0.70 for 70%, 0.80 for 80%, 0.85 for 85% etc., and wherein any non-integer product of x_a and y is rounded down to the nearest integer prior to subtracting it from x_a.

Polypeptides of the Invention

In one aspect, the present invention relates to HKAFE42 polypeptides (or HKAFE42 proteins). The HKAFE42 polypeptides includes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; as well as polypeptides comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; and polypeptides comprising the amino acid sequence which have at least 95% identity to that of SEQ ID NO:2 over its entire length, and still more preferably at least 96% identity, and even still more preferably at least 97% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2. Furthermore, those with at least 98-99% are highly preferred. Also included within HKAFE42 polypeptides are polypeptides having the amino acid sequence which have at least 95% identity to the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 over its entire length, and still more preferably at least 96% identity, and still more preferably at least 97% identity to SEQ ID NO:2. Furthermore, those with at least 98-99%) are highly preferred. Preferably HKAFE42 polypeptide exhibit at least one biological activity of HKAFE42.

The HKAFE42 polypeptides may be in the form of the "mature" protein or may be a part of a larger protein such as a fusion protein. It is often advantageous to include an additional amino acid sequence which contains secretory or leader sequences, pro-sequences, sequences which aid in purification such as multiple histidine residues, or an additional sequence for stability during recombinant production.

Fragments of the HKAFE42 polypeptides are also included in the invention. A fragment is a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that entirely is the same as part, but not all, of the amino acid sequence of the aforementioned HKAFE42 polypeptides. As with HKAFE42 polypeptides, fragments may be "free-standing," or comprised within a larger polypeptide of which they form a part or region, most preferably as a single continuous region. Representative examples of polypeptide fragments of the invention, include, for example, fragments from about amino acid number 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-100, and 101 to the end of HKAFE42 polypeptide. In this context "about" includes the particularly recited ranges larger or smaller by several, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 amino acid at either extreme or at both extremes.

Preferred fragments include, for example, truncation polypeptides having the amino acid sequence of HKAFE42 polypeptides, except for deletion of a continuous series of residues that includes the amino terminus, or a continuous series of residues that includes the carboxyl terminus or deletion of two continuous series of residues, one including the amino terminus and one including the carboxyl terminus. Also preferred are fragments characterized by structural or functional attributes such as fragments that comprise alpha-helix and alpha-helix forming regions, beta-sheet and beta-sheet-forming regions, turn and turn-forming regions, coil and coil-forming regions, hydrophilic regions, hydrophobic regions, alpha amphipathic regions, beta amphipathic regions, flexible regions, surface-forming regions, substrate binding region, and high antigenic index regions. Other preferred fragments are biologically active fragments. Biologically active fragments are those that mediate HKAFE42 activity, including those with a similar activity or an improved activity, or with a decreased undesirable activity. Also included are those that are antigenic or immunogenic in an animal, especially in a human.

Preferably, all of these polypeptide fragments retain the biological activity of the HKAFE42, including antigenic activity. Among the most preferred fragment is that having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4. Variants of the defined sequence and fragments also form part of the present invention. Preferred variants are those that vary from the referents by conservative amino acid substitutions — i.e., those that substitute a residue with another of like characteristics. Typical such substitutions are among Ala, Val, Leu and He; among Ser and Thr; among the acidic residues Asp and Glu; among Asn and Gin; and among the basic residues Lys and Arg; or aromatic residues Phe and Tyr. Particularly preferred are variants in which several, 5-10, 1-5, or 1-2 amino acids are substituted, deleted, or added in any combination.

The HKAFE42 polypeptides of the invention can be prepared in any suitable manner. Such polypeptides include isolated naturally occurring polypeptides, recombinantly produced polypeptides, synthetically produced polypeptides, or polypeptides produced by a combination of these methods. Means for preparing such polypeptides are well understood in the art.

Polynucleotides of the Invention

Another aspect of the invention relates to HKAFE42 polynucleotides. HKAFE42 polynucleotides include isolated polynucleotides which encode the HKAFE42 polypeptides and fragments, and polynucleotides closely related thereto. More specifically, HKAFE42 polynucleotide of the invention include a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence contained in SEQ ID NO: 1 encoding a HKAFE42 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, and polynucleotides having the particular sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1. HKAFE42 polynucleotides further include a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that has at least 99% identity over its entire length to a nucleotide sequence encoding the HKAFE42 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2, and a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that is at least 99% identical to that of SEQ ID NO: l over its entire length. Also included under HKAFE42 polynucleotides are a nucleotide sequence which has sufficient identity to a nucleotide sequence contained in SEQ ID NO: 1 to hybridize under conditions useable for amplification or for use as a probe or marker. The invention also provides polynucleotides which are complementary to such HKAFE42 polynucleotides.

HKAFE42 of the invention is structurally related to other proteins of the interferon-related protein family, as shown by the results of sequencing the cDNA encoding human HKAFE42. The cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 contains an open reading frame (nucleotide number 247 to 1599) encoding a polypeptide of 451 amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2. Amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 has about 95% identity (using GCG BestFit) in 450 amino acid residues with mouse PC4 (B.C. Varnum, R.W. Lim and H.R. Herschman, Oncogene 4: 1263-1265, 1989). Nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 has about 99% identity (using blastn2) in 1767 nucleotide residues with Human mRNA for nerve growth factor-inducible PC4 homolog (GenBank Accession Y10313). Preferred polypeptides and polynucleotides of the present invention are expected to have, inter alia, similar biological functions/properties to their homologous polypeptides and polynucleotides.

The present invention also relates to partial or other polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences which were first identified prior to the determination of the corresponding full length sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO:2.

Accordingly, in a further aspect, the present invention provides for an isolated polynucleotide comprising:

(a) a nucleotide sequence which has at least 90% identity, preferably at least 95%> identity, more preferably at least 97-99% identity to SEQ ID NO:3 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:3;

(b) a nucleotide sequence which has at least 90% identity, preferably at least 95% identity, more preferably at least 97-99% identity, to SEQ ID NO:3 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:3;

(c) the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:3; or (d) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide which has at 90%> identity, preferably at least 95% identity, more preferably at least 97-99%> identity, to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:4; as well as the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:3.

The present invention further provides for a polypeptide which:

(a) comprises an amino acid sequence which has at least 95%> identity, preferably at least 97- 99% identity, to that of SEQ ID NO:4 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:4;

(b) has an amino acid sequence which is at least at least 95% identity, preferably at least 97-99%) identity, to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:4;

(c) comprises the amino acid of SEQ ID NO:4; and

(d) is the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:4; as well as polypeptides encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the sequence contained in SEQ ID NO:3.

The cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 contains an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 452 amino acids. Amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 has about 93%) identity (using GCG Bestfit) in 452 amino acid residues with Mouse PC4 (Varnum et al., Oncogene 4: 1263-65, 1989). Furthermore, SEQ ID NO:4 is 19% identical and 50% similar to human interferon- gamma over 212 amino acid residues (Gray and Goeddel, Nature 295: 503-8, 1982). The nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 has about 88%_> identity (using GCG Bestfit) in 181 1 nucleotide residues with Mouse PC4 (Varnum et al., Oncogene 4: 1263-65, 1989).

The nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 and the peptide sequence encoded thereby are derived from EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) sequences. It is recognised by those skilled in the art that there will inevitably be some nucleotide sequence reading errors in EST sequences (see Adams, M.D. et al, Nature 377 (supp) 3, 1995). Accordingly, the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 and the peptide sequence encoded therefrom are therefore subjec to the same inherent limitations in sequence accuracy. Furthermore, the peptide sequence encoded by SEQ ID NO:3 comprises a region of identity or close homology and/or close structural similarity (for example a conservative amino acid difference) with the closest homologous or structurally similar protein.

One polynucleotide of the present invention encoding HKAFE42 may be obtained using standard cloning and screening, from a cDNA library derived from mRNA in cells of human keratinocyte using the expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis (Adams, M.D., et al. Science (1991) 252: 1651-1656; Adams, M.D. et al, Nature, (1992) 355:632-634; Adams, M.D., et al, Nature (1995) 377 Supp:3-174). Polynucleotides of the invention can also be obtained from natural sources such as genomic DNA libraries or can be synthesized using well known and commercially available techniques.

The nucleotide sequence encoding HKAFE42 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 may be identical to the polypeptide encoding sequence contained in Table 1 (nucleotide number 247 to 1599 of SEQ ID NO: 1), or it may be a sequence, which as a result of the redundancy (degeneracy) of the genetic code, also encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.

When the polynucleotides of the invention are used for the recombinant production of HKAFE42 polypeptide, the polynucleotide may include the coding sequence for the mature polypeptide or a fragment thereof, by itself; the coding sequence for the mature polypeptide or fragment in reading frame with other coding sequences, such as those encoding a leader or secretory sequence, a pre-, or pro- or prepro- protein sequence, or other fusion peptide portions. For example, a marker sequence which facilitates purification of the fused polypeptide can be encoded. In certain preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the marker sequence is a hexa- histidine peptide, as provided in the pQE vector (Qiagen, Inc.) and described in Gentz et al, Proc NatlAcadSci USA (1989) 86:821-824, or is an HA tag. The polynucleotide may also contain non- coding 5' and 3' sequences, such as transcribed, non-translated sequences, splicing and polyadenylation signals, ribosome binding sites and sequences that stabilize mRNA.

Further preferred embodiments are polynucleotides encoding HKAFE42 variants comprising the amino acid sequence of HKAFE42 polypeptide of Table 2 (SEQ ID NO:2) in which several, 5-10, 1-5, 1-3, 1-2 or 1 amino acid residues are substituted, deleted or added, in any combination. Among the preferred polynucleotides of the present invention is contained in Table 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3) encoding the amino acid sequence of Table 4 (SEQ ID NO: 4).

The present invention further relates to polynucleotides that hybridize to the herein above- described sequences. In this regard, the present invention especially relates to polynucleotides which hybridize under stringent conditions to the herein above-described polynucleotides. As herein used, the term "stringent conditions" means hybridization will occur only if there is at least 80%>, and preferably at least 90%o, and more preferably at least 95%o, yet even more preferably 97- 99% identity between the sequences.

Polynucleotides of the invention, which are identical or sufficiently identical to a nucleotide sequence contained in SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof (including that of SEQ ID NO:3), may be used as hybridization probes for cDNA and genomic DNA, to isolate full-length cDNAs and genomic clones encoding HKAFE42 polypeptide and to isolate cDNA and genomic clones of other genes (including genes encoding homologs and orthologs from species other than human) that have a high sequence similarity to the HKAFE42 gene. Such hybridization techniques are known to those of skill in the art. Typically these nucleotide sequences are 80% identical, preferably 90%> identical, more preferably 95% identical to that of the referent. The probes generally will comprise at least 15 nucleotides. Preferably, such probes will have at least 30 nucleotides and may have at least 50 nucleotides. Particularly preferred probes will range between 30 and 50 nucleotides.

In one embodiment, to obtain a polynucleotide encoding HKAFE42 polypeptide, including homologs and orthologs from species other than human, comprises the steps of screening an appropriate library under stingent hybridization conditions with a labeled probe having the SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof (including that of SEQ ID NO: 3), and isolating full-length cDNA and genomic clones containing said polynucleotide sequence. Such hybridization techniques are well known to those of skill in the art. Thus in another aspect, HKAFE42 polynucleotides of the present invention further include a nucleotide sequence comprising a nucleotide sequence that hybridize under stringent condition to a nucleotide sequence having SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof (including that of SEQ ID NO:3). Also included with HKAFE42 polypeptides are polypeptide comprising amino acid sequence encoded by nucleotide sequence obtained by the above hybridization condition. Stringent hybridization conditions are as defined above or, alternatively, conditions under overnight incubation at 42°C in a solution comprising: 50%) formamide, 5xSSC (150mMNaCl, 15mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH7.6), 5x Denhardt's solution, 10 % dextran sulfate, and 20 microgram/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing the filters in O.lx SSC at about 65°C.

The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention may be employed as research reagents and materials for discovery of treatments and diagnostics to animal and human disease.

Vectors, Host Cells, Expression

The present invention also relates to vectors which comprise a polynucleotide or polynucleotides of the present invention, and host cells which are genetically engineered with vectors of the invention and to the production of polypeptides of the invention by recombinant techniques. Cell-free translation systems can also be employed to produce such proteins using RNAs derived from the DNA constructs of the present invention.

For recombinant production, host cells can be genetically engineered to incorporate expression systems or portions thereof for polynucleotides of the present invention. Introduction of polynucleotides into host cells can be effected by methods described in many standard laboratory manuals, such as Davis et al., BASIC METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (1986) and Sambrook et al., MOLECULAR CLONING: A LABORATORY MANUAL, 2nd Ed, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989) such as calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-dextran mediated transfection, transvection, microinjection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation, transduction, scrape loading, ballistic introduction or infection.

Representative examples of appropriate hosts include bacterial cells, such as streptococci, staphylococci, E. coli, Streptomyces and Bacillus subtilis cells; fungal cells, such as yeast cells and Aspergillus cells; insect cells such as Drosophila S2 and Spodoptera Sf9 cells; animal cells such as CHO, COS, HeLa, C127, 3T3, BHK, HEK 293 and Bowes melanoma cells; and plant cells.

A great variety of expression systems can be used. Such systems include, among others, chromosomal, episomal and virus-derived systems, e.g., vectors derived from bacterial plasmids, from bacteriophage, from transposons, from yeast episomes, from insertion elements, from yeast chromosomal elements, from viruses such as baculoviruses, papova viruses, such as SV40, vaccinia viruses, adenoviruses, fowl pox viruses, pseudorabies viruses and retroviruses, and vectors derived from combinations thereof, such as those derived from plasmid and bacteriophage genetic elements, such as cosmids and phagemids. The expression systems may contain control regions that regulate as well as engender expression. Generally, any system or vector suitable to maintain, propagate or express polynucleotides to produce a polypeptide in a host may be used. The appropriate nucleotide sequence may be inserted into an expression system by any of a variety of well-known and routine techniques, such as, for example, those set forth in Sambrook et al, MOLECULAR CLONING, A LABORATORY MANUAL (supra).

For secretion of the translated protein into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, into the periplasmic space or into the extracellular environment, appropriate secretion signals may be incorporated into the desired polypeptide. These signals may be endogenous to the polypeptide or they may be heterologous signals.

If the HKAFE42 polypeptide is to be expressed for use in screening assays, generally, it is preferred that the polypeptide be produced at the surface of the cell. In this event, the cells may be harvested prior to use in the screening assay. If HKAFE42 polypeptide is secreted into the medium, the medium can be recovered in order to recover and purify the polypeptide; if produced intracellularly, the cells must first be lysed before the polypeptide is recovered. HKAFE42 polypeptides can be recovered and purified from recombinant cell cultures by well- known methods including ammonium sulfate or ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and lectin chromatography. Most preferably, high performance liquid chromatography is employed for purification. Well known techniques for refolding proteins may be employed to regenerate active conformation when the polypeptide is denatured during isolation and or purification.

Diagnostic Assays

This invention also relates to the use of HKAFE42 polynucleotides for use as diagnostic reagents. Detection of a mutated form of HKAFE42 gene associated with a dysfunction will provide a diagnostic tool that can add to or define a diagnosis of a disease or susceptibility to a disease which results from under-expression, over-expression or altered expression of HKAFE42. Individuals carrying mutations in the HKAFE42 gene may be detected at the DNA level by a variety of techniques.

Nucleic acids for diagnosis may be obtained from a subject's cells, such as from blood, urine, saliva, tissue biopsy or autopsy material. The genomic DNA may be used directly for detection or may be amplified enzymatically by using PCR or other amplification techniques prior to analysis. RNA or cDNA may also be used in similar fashion. Deletions and insertions can be detected by a change in size of the amplified product in comparison to the normal genotype. Point mutations can be identified by hybridizing amplified DNA to labeled HKAFE42 nucleotide sequences. Perfectly matched sequences can be distinguished from mismatched duplexes by RNase digestion or by differences in melting temperatures. DNA sequence differences may also be detected by alterations in electrophoretic mobility of DNA fragments in gels, with or without denaturing agents, or by direct DNA sequencing. See, e.g., Myers et al, Science (1985) 230: 1242. Sequence changes at specific locations may also be revealed by nuclease protection assays, such as RNase and SI protection or the chemical cleavage method. See Cotton et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (1985) 85: 4397-4401. In another embodiment, an array of oligonucleotides probes comprising HKAFE42 nucleotide sequence or fragments thereof can be constructed to conduct efficient screening of e.g., genetic mutations. Array technology methods are well known and have general applicability and can be used to address a variety of questions in molecular genetics including gene expression, genetic linkage, and genetic variability. (See for example: M.Chee et al, Science, Vol 274, pp 610-613 (1996)).

The diagnostic assays offer a process for diagnosing or determining a susceptibility to disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer through detection of mutation in the HKAFE42 gene by the methods described. In addition, disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer, can be diagnosed by methods comprising determining from a sample derived from a subject an abnormally decreased or increased level of HKAFE42 polypeptide or HKAFE42 mRNA. Decreased or increased expression can be measured at the RNA level using any of the methods well known in the art for the quantitation of polynucleotides, such as, for example, PCR, RT-PCR, RNase protection, Northern blotting and other hybridization methods. Assay techniques that can be used to determine levels of a protein, such as an HKAFE42 polypeptide, in a sample derived from a host are well-known to those of skill in the art. Such assay methods include radioimmunoassays, competitive-binding assays, Western Blot analysis and ELISA assays.

Thus in another aspect, the present invention relates to a diagonostic kit for a disease or suspectability to a disease, particularly disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer, which comprises:

(a) a HKAFE42 polynucleotide, preferably the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a fragment thereof ;

(b) a nucleotide sequence complementary to that of (a);

(c) a HKAFE42 polypeptide, preferably the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, or a fragment thereof; or

(d) an antibody to a HKAFE42 polypeptide, preferably to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2. It will be appreciated that in any such kit, (a), (b), (c) or (d) may comprise a substantial component.

Chromosome Assays

The nucleotide sequences of the present invention are also valuable for chromosome identification. The sequence is specifically targeted to and can hybridize with a particular location on an individual human chromosome. The mapping of relevant sequences to chromosomes according to the present invention is an important first step in correlating those sequences with gene associated disease. Once a sequence has been mapped to a precise chromosomal location, the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data. Such data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man (available on line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library). The relationship between genes and diseases that have been mapped to the same chromosomal region are then identified through linkage analysis (coinheritance of physically adjacent genes). The differences in the cDNA or genomic sequence between affected and unaffected individuals can also be determined. If a mutation is observed in some or all of the affected individuals but not in any normal individuals, then the mutation is likely to be the causative agent of the disease.

The HKAFE42 gene has been mapped to chromosome 7q31.1-2.

Antibodies

The polypeptides of the invention or their fragments or analogs thereof, or cells expressing them can also be used as immunogens to produce antibodies immunospecific for the HKAFE42 polypeptides. The term "immunospecific" means that the antibodies have substantiall greater affinity for the polypeptides of the invention than their affinity for other related polypeptides in the prior art.

Antibodies generated against the HKAFE42 polypeptides can be obtained by administering the polypeptides or epitope-bearing fragments, analogs or cells to an animal, preferably a nonhuman, using routine protocols. For preparation of monoclonal antibodies, any technique which provides antibodies produced by continuous cell line cultures can be used. Examples include the hybridoma technique (Kohler, G. and Milstein, C, Nature (1975) 256:495-497), the trioma technique, the human B-cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al, Immunology Today (1983) 4:72) and the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al, MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES AND CANCER THERAPY, pp. 77-96, Alan R. Liss, Inc., 1985).

Techniques for the production of single chain antibodies (U.S. Patent No. 4,946,778) can also be adapted to produce single chain antibodies to polypeptides of this invention. Also, transgenic mice, or other organisms including other mammals, may be used to express humanized antibodies.

The above-described antibodies may be employed to isolate or to identify clones expressing the polypeptide or to purify the polypeptides by affinity chromatography.

Antibodies against HKAFE42 polypeptides may also be employed to treat disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer, among others. Vaccines

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for inducing an immunological response in a mammal which comprises inoculating the mammal with HKAFE42 polypeptide, or a fragment thereof, adequate to produce antibody and/or T cell immune response to protect said animal from disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer, among others. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of inducing immunological response in a mammal which comprises, delivering HKAFE42 polypeptide via a vector directing expression of HKAFE42 polynucleotide in vivo in order to induce such an immunological response to produce antibody to protect said animal from diseases.

Further aspect of the invention relates to an immunological/vaccine formulation (composition) which, when introduced into a mammalian host, induces an immunological response in that mammal to a HKAFE42 polypeptide wherein the composition comprises a HKAFE42 polypeptide or HKAFE42 gene. The vaccine formulation may further comprise a suitable carrier. Since HKAFE42 polypeptide may be broken down in the stomach, it is preferably administered parenterally (including subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, intradermal etc. injection). Formulations suitable for parenteral administration include aqueous and non-aqueous sterile injection solutions which may contain anti-oxidants, buffers, bacteriostats and solutes which render the formulation instonic with the blood of the recipient; and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions which may include suspending agents or thickening agents. The formulations may be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose containers, for example, sealed ampoules and vials and may be stored in a freeze-dried condition requiring only the addition of the sterile liquid carrier immediately prior to use. The vaccine formulation may also include adjuvant systems for enhancing the immunogenicity of the formulation, such as oil- in water systems and other systems known in the art. The dosage will depend on the specific activity of the vaccine and can be readily determined by routine experimentation.

Screening Assays

The HKAFE42 polypeptide of the present invention may be employed in a screening process for compounds which activate (agonists) or inhibit activation of (antagonists, or otherwise called inhibitors) the HKAFE42 polypeptide of the present invention. Thus, polypeptides of the invention may also be used to assess identify agonist or antagonists from, for example, cells, cell- free preparations, chemical libraries, and natural product mixtures. These agonists or antagonists may be natural or modified substrates, ligands, enzymes, receptors, etc, as the case may be, of the polypeptide of the present invention; or may be structural or functional mimetics of the polypeptide of the present invention. See Coligan et al, Current Protocols in Immunology l(2):Chapter 5 (1991).

HKAFE42 polypeptides are responsible for many biological functions, including many pathologies. Accordingly, it is desirous to find compounds and drugs which stimulate HKAFE42 polypeptide on the one hand and which can inhibit the function of HKAFE42 polypeptide on the other hand. In general, agonists are employed for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes for such conditions as disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer. Antagonists may be employed for a variety of therapeutic and prophylactic purposes for such conditions as disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer.

In general, such screening procedures may involve using appropriate cells which express the HKAFE42 polypeptide or respond to HKAFE42 polypeptide of the present invention. Such cells include cells from mammals, yeast, Drosophila or E. coli. Cells which express the HKAFE42 polypeptide (or cell membrane containing the expressed polypeptide) or respond to HKAFE42 polypeptide are then contacted with a test compound to observe binding, or stimulation or inhibition of a functional response. The ability of the cells which were contacted with the candidate compounds is compared with the same cells which were not contacted for HKAFE42 activity.

The assays may simply test binding of a candidate compound wherein adherence to the cells bearing the HKAFE42 polypeptide is detected by means of a label directly or indirectly associated with the candidate compound or in an assay involving competition with a labeled competitor. Further, these assays may test whether the candidate compound results in a signal generated by activation of the HKAFE42 polypeptide, using detection systems appropriate to the cells bearing the HKAFE42 polypeptide. Inhibitors of activation are generally assayed in the presence of a known agonist and the effect on activation by the agonist by the presence of the candidate compound is observed. Further, the assays may simply comprise the steps of mixing a candidate compound with a solution containing a HKAFE42 polypeptide to form a mixture, measuring HKAFE42 activity in the mixture, and comparing the HKAFE42 activity of the mixture to a standard.

The HKAFE42 cDNA, protein and antibodies to the protein may also be used to configure assays for detecting the effect of added compounds on the production of HKAFE42 mRNA and protein in cells. For example, an ELISA may be constructed for measuring secreted or cell associated levels of HKAFE42 protein using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies by standard methods known in the art, and this can be used to discover agents which may inhibit or enhance the production of HKAFE42 (also called antagonist or agonist, respectively) from suitably manipulated cells or tissues.

The HKAFE42 protein may be used to identify membrane bound or soluble receptors, if any, through standard receptor binding techniques known in the art. These include, but are not limited to, ligand binding and crosslinking assays in which the HKAFE42 is labeled with a radioactive isotope (eg 1251), chemically modified (eg biotinylated), or fused to a peptide sequence suitable for detection or purification, and incubated with a source of the putative receptor (cells, cell membranes, cell supernatants, tissue extracts, bodily fluids). Other methods include biophysical techniques such as surface plasmon resonance and spectroscopy. In addition to being used for purification and cloning of the receptor, these binding assays can be used to identify agonists and antagonists of HKAFE42 which compete with the binding of HKAFE42 to its receptors, if any. Standard methods for conducting screening assays are well understood in the art.

Examples of potential HKAFE42 polypeptide antagonists include antibodies or, in some cases, oligonucleotides or proteins which are closely related to the ligands, substrates, enzymes, receptors, etc, as the case may be, of the HKAFE42 polypeptide, e.g., a fragment of the ligands, substrates, enzymes, receptors, etc.; or small molecules which bind to the polypeptide of the present invention but do not elicit a response, so that the activity of the polypeptide is prevented.

Thus in another aspect, the present invention relates to a screening kit for identifying agonists, antagonists, ligands, receptors, substrates, enzymes, etc. for HKAFE42 polypeptides; or compounds which decrease or enhance the production of HKAFE42 polypeptides, which comprises:

(a) a HKAFE42 polypeptide, preferably that of SEQ ID NO:2;

(b) a recombinant cell expressing a HKAFE42 polypeptide, preferably that of SEQ ID NO:2;

(c) a cell membrane expressing a HKAFE42 polypeptide; preferably that of SEQ ID NO: 2; or

(d) antibody to a HKAFE42 polypeptide, preferably that of SEQ ID NO: 2. It will be appreciated that in any such kit, (a), (b), (c) or (d) may comprise a substantial component.

Prophylactic and Therapeutic Methods

This invention provides methods of treating abnormal conditions such as, disorders of the central nervous system (including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease), muscle diseases (including muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis), Alzheimer's disease, hematopoetic disorders, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and cancer, related to both an excess of and insufficient amounts of HKAFE42 polypeptide activity.

If the activity of HKAFE42 polypeptide is in excess, several approaches are available. One approach comprises administering to a subject an inhibitor compound (antagonist) as hereinabove described along with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in an amount effective to inhibit the function of the HKAFE42 polypeptide, such as, for example, by blocking the binding of ligands, substrates, enzymes, receptors, etc, or by inhibiting a second signal, and thereby alleviating the abnormal condition. In another approach, soluble forms of HKAFE42 polypeptides still capable of binding the ligand, substrate, enzymes, receptors, etc. in competition with endogenous HKAFE42 polypeptide may be administered. Typical embodiments of such competitors comprise fragments of the HKAFE42 polypeptide.

In another approach, soluble forms of HKAFE42 polypeptides still capable of binding the ligand in competition with endogenous HKAFE42 polypeptide may be administered. Typical embodiments of such competitors comprise fragments of the HKAFE42 polypeptide.

In still another approach, expression of the gene encoding endogenous HKAFE42 polypeptide can be inhibited using expression blocking techniques. Known such techniques involve the use of antisense sequences, either internally generated or separately administered. See, for example, O'Connor, J Neurochem (1991) 56:560 in Oligodeoxynucleotides as Antisense Inhibitors of Gene Expression. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL (1988). Alternatively, oligonucleotides which form triple helices with the gene can be supplied. See, for example, Lee et al, Nucleic Acids Res (1979) 6:3073; Cooney et al, Science (1988) 241 :456; Dervan et al, Science (1991) 251 : 1360. These oligomers can be administered per se or the relevant oligomers can be expressed in vivo.

For treating abnormal conditions related to an under-expression of HKAFE42 and its activity, several approaches are also available. One approach comprises administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound which activates HKAFE42 polypeptide, i.e., an agonist as described above, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, to thereby alleviate the abnormal condition. Alternatively, gene therapy may be employed to effect the endogenous production of HKAFE42 by the relevant cells in the subject. For example, a polynucleotide of the invention may be engineered for expression in a replication defective retroviral vector, as discussed above. The retroviral expression construct may then be isolated and introduced into a packaging cell transduced with a retroviral plasmid vector containing RNA encoding a polypeptide of the present invention such that the packaging cell now produces infectious viral particles containing the gene of interest. These producer cells may be administered to a subject for engineering cells in vivo and expression of the polypeptide in vivo. For overview of gene therapy, see Chapter 20, Gene Therapy and other Molecular Genetic-based Therapeutic Approaches, (and references cited therein) in Human Molecular Genetics, T Strachan and A P Read, BIOS Scientific Publishers Ltd (1996). Another approach is to administer a therapeutic amount of HKAFE42 polypeptides in combination with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier. Formulation and Administration

Peptides, such as the soluble form of HKAFE42 polypeptides, and agonists and antagonist peptides or small molecules, may be formulated in combination with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier. Such formulations comprise a therapeutically effective amount of the polypeptide or compound, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient. Such carriers include but are not limited to, saline, buffered saline, dextrose, water, glycerol, ethanol, and combinations thereof. Formulation should suit the mode of administration, and is well within the skill of the art. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical packs and kits comprising one or more containers filled with one or more of the ingredients of the aforementioned compositions of the invention.

Polypeptides and other compounds of the present invention may be employed alone or in conjunction with other compounds, such as therapeutic compounds.

Preferred forms of systemic administration of the pharmaceutical compositions include injection, typically by intravenous injection. Other injection routes, such as subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intraperitoneal, can be used. Alternative means for systemic administration include transmucosal and transdermal administration using penetrants such as bile salts or fusidic acids or other detergents. In addition, if properly formulated in enteric or encapsulated formulations, oral administration may also be possible. Administration of these compounds may also be topical and/or localized, in the form of salves, pastes, gels and the like.

The dosage range required depends on the choice of peptide, the route of administration, the nature of the formulation, the nature of the subject's condition, and the judgment of the attending practitioner. Suitable dosages, however, are in the range of 0.1-100 μg/kg of subject. Wide variations in the needed dosage, however, are to be expected in view of the variety of compounds available and the differing efficiencies of various routes of administration. For example, oral administration would be expected to require higher dosages than administration by intravenous injection. Variations in these dosage levels can be adjusted using standard empirical routines for optimization, as is well understood in the art.

Polypeptides used in treatment can also be generated endogenously in the subject, in treatment modalities often referred to as "gene therapy" as described above. Thus, for example, cells from a subject may be engineered with a polynucleotide, such as a DNA or RNA, to encode a polypeptide ex vivo, and for example, by the use of a retroviral plasmid vector. The cells are then introduced into the subject.

All publications, including but not limited to patents and patent applications, cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference herein as though fully set forth.

SEQ ID NO: l^fl

TCGACCCACGCGTCCGCCCACGCGTCCGCGCGCTAGAGAGAAACATGTATCGTTTTCGAT

CACAGCTCTTCACGGGGATTTCTGCTGCCGCCACCGCCCACTCTTACCCCCGCCGCTTCT

CGACTCTGTTGTTAGCCGAAGACTCGCCTCTCAGCCGCCCGCCGCACAGACGCACGAGTA

AAAAGTGCAGCTCCATCGGCTGATCCTCGCTAAGCTCCGACTCTGGGCGGCACCGGGCGT

CCCACGATGCCGAAGAACAAGAAGCGGAACACTCCCCACCGCGGTAGCAGTGCTGGCGGC

GGCGGGTCAGGAGCAGCCGCAGCGACGGCGGCGACAGCAGGTGGCCAGCATCGAAATGTT

CAGCCTTTTAGTGATGAAGATGCATCAATTGAAACAATGAGCCATTGCAGTGGTTATAGC

GATCCTTCCAGTTTTGCTGAAGATGGACCAGAAGTCCTTGATGAGGAAGGAACTCAAGAA

GACCTAGAGTACAAGTTGAAGGGATTAATTGACCTAACCCTGGATAAGAGTGCGAAGACA

AGGCAAGCAGCTCTTGAAGGTATTAAAAATGCACTGGCTTCAAAAATGCTGTATGAATTT

ATTCTGGAAAGGAGAATGACTTTAACTGATAGCATTGAACGCTGCCTGAAAAAAGGTAAG

AGTGATGAGCAACGTGCAGCTGCAGCGTTAGCATCTGTTCTTTGTATTCAGCTGGGCCCT

GGAATTGAAAGTGAAGAGATTTTGAAAACTCTTGGACCAATCCTAAAGAAAATCATTTGT

GATGGGTCAGCTAGTATGCAGGCTAGGCAAACTTGTGCAACTTGCTTTGGTGTTTGCTGT

TTTATTGCCACAGATGACATTACTGAACTATACTCAACTCTGGAATGTTTGGAAAATATC

TTCACTAAATCCTATCTCAAAGAGAAAGACACTACTGTTATTTGCAGCACTCCTAATACA

GTGCTTCATATCAGCTCTCTTCTTGCATGGACACTACTGCTGACCATATGCCCAATCAAT

GAAGTGAAGAAAAAGCTTGAGATGCATTTCCATAAGCTTCCAAGCCTCCTCTCTTGTGAT

GATGTAAACATGAGAATAGCTGCTGGTGAATCTTTGGCACTTCTCTTTGAATTGGCCAGA

GGAATAGAGAGTGACTTTTTTTATGAAGACATGGAGTCCTTGACGCAGATGCTTAGGGCC

TTGGCAACAGATGGAAATAAACACCGGGCCAAAGTGGACAAGAGAAAGCAGCGGTCAGTT

TTCAGAGATGTCCTGAGGGCAGTGGAGGAACGGGATTTTCCAACAGAAACCATTAAATTT

GGTCCTGAACGCATGTATATTGATTGCTGGGTAAAAAAACACACCTATGACACCTTTAAG

GAGGTTCTTGGATCAGGGATGCAGTACCACTTGCAGTCAAATGAATTCCTTCGAAATGTA

TTTGAACTTGGACCCCCAGTGATGCTTGATGCTGCAACGCTTAAAACGATGAAGATTTCT

CGTTTCGAAAGGCATTTATATAACTCTGCAGCCTTCAAAGCTCGAACCAAAGCTAGAAGC

AAATGTCGAGATAAGAGAGCAGATGTTGGAGAATTCTTCTAGATTTTCAGAACTTGAAGA

CTATTTTCTAATTTCTATTTTTTTTTCTATTTCAATGTATTTAAACTCTAGACACAGTTT

TTATCTTGGATTAACTTAGATAACTTTTGTAGCAGTGGTTATATTGCTTATAATTTAATG TACAATACTATTGAAACTGGTGAGTTCTGATTATTAAATATTCTCTGTAAATCAGT

A nucleotide sequence ofa human HKAFE42..

SEQ ID NO: 2^h

MPKNKKRNTPHRGSSAGGGGSGAAAATAATAGGQHRNVQPFSDEDASIETMSHCSGYSDP SSFAEDGPEVLDEEGTQEDLEYKLKGLIDLTLDKSAKTRQAALEGIKNALASKMLYEFIL ERRMTLTDSIERCLKKGKSDEQRAAAALASVLCIQLGPGIESEEILKTLGPILKKIICDG SASMQARQTCATCFGVCCFIATDDITELYSTLECLENIFTKSYLKEKDTTVICSTPNTVL HISSLLA TLLLTICPINEVKKKLEMHFHKLPSLLSCDDVNMRIAAGESLALLFELARGI ESDFFYEDMESLTQMLRALATDGNKHRAKVDKRKQRSVFRDV RAVEERDFPTETIKFGP ERMYIDCWVKKHTYDTFKEVLGSGMQYHLQSNEFLRNVFELGPPVMLDAATLKTMKISRF ERHLYNSAAFKARTKARSKCRDKRADVGEFF

^b An amino acid sequence of a human HKAFE42

SEQ ID NO: 3^C

TCGGCCCACGCGTCCCGCGCTAGAGAGAAACATGTATCGTTTTCGATCACAGCTCTTCAC

GGGGATTTCTGCTGCCGCCACCGCCCACTCTTACCCCCGCCGCTTCTCGACTCTGTTGTT

AGCCGAAGACTCGCCTCTCAGCCGCCCGCCGCACAGACGCACGAGTAAAAAGTGCAGCTC

CATCGGCTGATCCTCGCTAAGCTCCGACTCTGGGCGGCACCGGGCGTCCCACGATGCCGA

AGAACAAGAAGCGGAACACTCCCCACCGCGGTAGCAGTGCTGGCGGCGGCGGGTCAGGAG

CAGCCGCAGCGACGGCGGCGACAGCAGGTGGCCAGCATCGAAATGTTCAGCCTTTTAGTG

ATGAAGATGCATCAATTGAAACAATGAGCCATTGCAGTGGTTATAGCGAATCTTCCAGTT

TTGCTGAAGATGGACCAGAAGTCCTTGATGAGGAAGGAACTCAAGAAGACCTAGAGTACA

AGTTGAAGGGATTAATTGACCTAACCCTGGATAAGAGTGCGAAGACAAGGCAAGCAGCTC

TTGAAGGTATTAAAAATGCACTGGCTTCAAAAATGCTGTATGAATTTATTCTGGAAAGGA

GAATGACTTTAACTGATAGCATTGAACGCTGCCTGAAAAAAGGTAAGAGTGATGAGCAAC

GTGCAGCTGCAGCGTTACATGCTGTTCTTTGTATTCAGCTGGGCCCTGGAATTGAAGTGG

AAGAGATTTTGAAAACTCTTGGACCAATCCTAAAGAAAATCATTTGTGATGGGTCAGCTA

GTATGCAGGCTAGGCAAACTTGTGCAACTTGCTTTGGTGTTTGCTGTTTTATTGCCACAG

ATGACATTACTGAACTATACTCAACTCTGGAATGTTTGGAAAATATCTTCACTAAATCCT

ATCTCAAAGAGAAAGACACTACTGTTATTTGCAGCACTCCTAATACAGTGCTTCATATCA

GCTCTCTTCTTGCATGGACACTACTGCTGACCATATGCCCAATCAATGAAGTGAAGAAAA

AGCTTGAGATGCATTTCCATAAGCTTCCAAGCCTCCTCTCTTGTGATGATGTAAACATGA

GAATAGCTGCTGGTGAATCTTTGGCACTTCTCTTTGAATTGGCCAGAGGAATAGAGAGTG

ACTTTTTTTATGAAGACATGGAGTCCTTGACGCAGATGCTTAGGGCCTTGGCAACAGATG

GAAATAAACACCGGGCCAAAGTGGACAAGAGAAAGCAGCGGTCAGTTTTCAGAGATGTCC

TGAGGGCAGTGGAGGAACGGGATTTTCCAACAGAAACCATTAAATTTGGTCCTGAACGCA

TGTATATTGATTGCTGGGTAAAAAAACACACCTATGACACCTTTAAGGAGGTTCTTGGAT

CAGGGATGCAGTACCACTTGCAGTCAAATGAATTCCTTCGAAATGTATTTGAACTTGGAC

CCCCAGTGATGCTTGATGCTGCAACGCTTAAAACGATGAAGATTTCTCGTTTCGAAAGGC

ATTTATATAACTCTGCAGCCTTCAAAGCTCGAACCAAAGCTAGAAGCAAATGTCGAGATA

AGAGAGCAGATGTTGGAGAATTCTTCTAGATTTTCAGAACTTGAAGACTATTTTCTAATT

TCTATTTTTTTTTCTATTTCAATGTATTTAAACTCTAGACACAGTTTTTATCTTGGATTA

ACTTAGATAACTTTTGTAGCAGTGGTTATATTGCTTATAATTTAATGTACAATACTATTG

AAACTGGTGAGTTCTGATTATTAAATATTCTCTGTAAATCAGTAAACATGTATAAAGTAT

TTGTAATGTTTGGTCATAATTTATTTATGAAGACAGCAAAAGACTGATTTCATGATGGGG

AAAACAATTAGCCAAAGTTTAATTTCTTACACTGTGGTTGTCAAGAATACTGATTTACTA

TAATGATATATACATGCAAGATATTTAACTTAATATCTTAGACAAGAGTTCTGGGTACAA

TTTTGGGATCTAGTTCCCCTGGAAAAGCTGCTGTATTTTTAATTTTTAATGGAATGTAGC

TTTTAAAATCCTGTCACTGGCATCAACAAAAGGAATTATACCATGAGACCTTATAGCTGT

ACTTAAAAGCCATTCAGTTCAGCTATTGGGAGTTCATGATGAATTAGCATATGCCAGAAA

GGTTGCTAACCTTAACATCTGAGAGCAGTAACACTGATTTTATCTGCTGTATGAGACTTT GTGCATTTTACTTTGAAATAAAGATTTTTTTCCACACTGAAAA ^c A partial nucleotide sequence of human HKAFE42

SEQ ED NO: 4^d

MPKNKKRNTPHRGSSAGGGGSGAAAATAATAGGQHRNVQPFSDEDASIETMSHCSGYSES SSFAEDGPEVLDEEGTQEDLEYKLKGLIDLTLDKSAKTRQAALEGIKNALASKMLYEFI ERRMTLTDSIERCLKKGKSDEQRAAAALHAVLCIQLGPGIEVEEILKTLGPILKKIICDG SASMQARQTCATCFGVCCFIATDDITELYSTLECLENIFTKSYLKEKDTTVICSTPNTVL HISSLLAWTLLLTICPINEVKKKLEMHFHKLPSLLSCDDVNMRIAAGESLALLFELARGI ESDFFYEDMESLTQMLRALATDGNKHRAKVDKRKQRSVFRDVLRAVEERDFPTETIKFGP ERMYIDC VKKHTYDTFKEVLGSGMQYHLQSNEFLRNVFE GPPVMLDAATLKTMKISRF ERHLYNSAAFKARTKARSKCRDKRADVGEFF

^d A partial amino acid sequence ofhuman HKAFE42

SEQUENCE LISTING

(1) GENERAL INFORMATION

(i) APPLICANT

(A) NAME: SmithKline Beecham

(B) STREET: New Horizons Court

(C) CITY: Brentford

(D) STATE OR PROVINCE: Midx

(E) COUNTRY: England

(F) POSTAL CODE: TW8 9EP

(ii) TITLE OF THE INVENTION: Novel Compounds

(iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 4

(iv) COMPUTER-READABLE FORM:

(A) MEDIUM TYPE: Diskette

(B) COMPUTER: IBM Compatible

(C) OPERATING SYSTEM: DOS

(D) SOFTWARE: FastSEQ for Windows Version 2.0

(v) CURRENT APPLICATION DATA: (A) APPLICATION NUMBER:

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO : 1 :

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 1796 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS : single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO : 1 :

TCGACCCACG CGTCCGCCCA CGCGTCCGCG CGCTAGAGAG AAACATGTAT CGTTTTCGAT SO CACAGCTCTT CACGGGGATT TCTGCTGCCG CCACCGCCCA CTCTTACCCC CGCCGCTTCT 120 CGACTCTGTT GTTAGCCGAA GACTCGCCTC TCAGCCGCCC GCCGCACAGA CGCACGAGTA 180 AAAAGTGCAG CTCCATCGGC TGATCCTCGC TAAGCTCCGA CTCTGGGCGG CACCGGGCGT 240

CCCACGATGC CGAAGAACAA GAAGCGGAAC ACTCCCCACC GCGGTAGCAG TGCTGGCGGC 300

GGCGGGTCAG GAGCAGCCGC AGCGACGGCG GCGACAGCAG GTGGCCAGCA TCGAAATGTT 360

CAGCCTTTTA GTGATGAAGA TGCATCAATT GAAACAATGA GCCATTGCAG TGGTTATAGC 420

GATCCTTCCA GTTTTGCTGA AGATGGACCA GAAGTCCTTG ATGAGGAAGG AACTCAAGAA 480

GACCTAGAGT ACAAGTTGAA GGGATTAATT GACCTAACCC TGGATAAGAG TGCGAAGACA 540

AGGCAAGCAG CTCTTGAAGG TATTAAAAAT GCACTGGCTT CAAAAATGCT GTATGAATTT 600

ATTCTGGAAA GGAGAATGAC TTTAACTGAT AGCATTGAAC GCTGCCTGAA AAAAGGTAAG 660

AGTGATGAGC AACGTGCAGC TGCAGCGTTA GCATCTGTTC TTTGTATTCA GCTGGGCCCT 720

GGAATTGAAA GTGAAGAGAT TTTGAAAACT CTTGGACCAA TCCTAAAGAA AATCATTTGT 780

GATGGGTCAG CTAGTATGCA GGCTAGGCAA ACTTGTGCAA CTTGCTTTGG TGTTTGCTGT 840

TTTATTGCCA CAGATGACAT TACTGAACTA TACTCAACTC TGGAATGTTT GGAAAATATC 900

TTCACTAAAT CCTATCTCAA AGAGAAAGAC ACTACTGTTA TTTGCAGCAC TCCTAATACA 960

GTGCTTCATA TCAGCTCTCT TCTTGCATGG ACACTACTGC TGACCATATG CCCAATCAAT 1020

GAAGTGAAGA AAAAGCTTGA GATGCATTTC CATAAGCTTC CAAGCCTCCT CTCTTGTGAT 1080

GATGTAAACA TGAGAATAGC TGCTGGTGAA TCTTTGGCAC TTCTCTTTGA ATTGGCCAGA 1140

GGAATAGAGA GTGACTTTTT TTATGAAGAC ATGGAGTCCT TGACGCAGAT GCTTAGGGCC 1200

TTGGCAACAG ATGGAAATAA ACACCGGGCC AAAGTGGACA AGAGAAAGCA GCGGTCAGTT 1260

TTCAGAGATG TCCTGAGGGC AGTGGAGGAA CGGGATTTTC CAACAGAAAC CATTAAATTT 1320

GGTCCTGAAC GCATGTATAT TGATTGCTGG GTAAAAAAAC ACACCTATGA CACCTTTAAG 1380

GAGGTTCTTG GATCAGGGAT GCAGTACCAC TTGCAGTCAA ATGAATTCCT TCGAAATGTA 1440

TTTGAACTTG GACCCCCAGT GATGCTTGAT GCTGCAACGC TTAAAACGAT GAAGATTTCT 1500

CGTTTCGAAA GGCATTTATA TAACTCTGCA GCCTTCAAAG CTCGAACCAA AGCTAGAAGC 1560

AAATGTCGAG ATAAGAGAGC AGATGTTGGA GAATTCTTCT AGATTTTCAG AACTTGAAGA 1620

CTATTTTCTA ATTTCTATTT TTTTTTCTAT TTCAATGTAT TTAAACTCTA GACACAGTTT 1680

TTATCTTGGA TTAACTTAGA TAACTTTTGT AGCAGTGGTT ATATTGCTTA TAATTTAATG 1740

TACAATACTA TTGAAACTGG TGAGTTCTGA TTATTAAATA TTCTCTGTAA ATCAGT 1796

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO : 2 :

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 451 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS : single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO : 2 :

Met Pro Lys Asn Lys Lys Arg Asn Thr Pro His Arg Gly Ser Ser Ala 1 5 10 15

Gly Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Ala Ala Ala Ala Thr Ala Ala Thr Ala Gly

20 25 30

Gly Gin His Arg Asn Val Gin Pro Phe Ser Asp Glu Asp Ala Ser lie

35 40 45

Glu Thr Met Ser His Cys Ser Gly Tyr Ser Asp Pro Ser Ser Phe Ala

50 55 60

Glu Asp Gly Pro Glu Val Leu Asp Glu Glu Gly Thr Gin Glu Asp Leu 65 70 75 80

Glu Tyr Lys Leu Lys Gly Leu lie Asp Leu Thr Leu Asp Lys Ser Ala

85 90 95

Lys Thr Arg Gin Ala Ala Leu Glu Gly lie Lys Asn Ala Leu Ala Ser

100 105 110

Lys Met Leu Tyr Glu Phe lie Leu Glu Arg Arg Met Thr Leu Thr Asp

115 120 125

Ser lie Glu Arg Cys Leu Lys Lys Gly Lys Ser Asp Glu Gin Arg Ala

130 135 140

Ala Ala Ala Leu Ala Ser Val Leu Cys lie Gin Leu Gly Pro Gly lie 145 150 155 160

Glu Ser Glu Glu lie Leu Lys Thr Leu Gly Pro lie Leu Lys Lys lie

165 170 175 lie Cys Asp Gly Ser Ala Ser Met Gin Ala Arg Gin Thr Cys Ala Thr

180 185 190

Cys Phe Gly Val Cys Cys Phe lie Ala Thr Asp Asp lie Thr Glu Leu

195 200 205

Tyr Ser Thr Leu Glu Cys Leu Glu Asn lie Phe Thr Lys Ser Tyr Leu

210 215 220

Lys Glu Lys Asp Thr Thr Val lie Cys Ser Thr Pro Asn Thr Val Leu 225 230 235 240

His lie Ser Ser Leu Leu Ala Trp Thr Leu Leu Leu Thr lie Cys Pro

245 250 255 lie Asn Glu Val Lys Lys Lys Leu Glu Met His Phe His Lys Leu Pro

260 265 270

Ser Leu Leu Ser Cys Asp Asp Val Asn Met Arg lie Ala Ala Gly Glu

275 280 285

Ser Leu Ala Leu Leu Phe Glu Leu Ala Arg Gly lie Glu Ser Asp Phe

290 295 300

Phe Tyr Glu Asp Met Glu Ser Leu Thr Gin Met Leu Arg Ala Leu Ala 305 310 315 320

Thr Asp Gly Asn Lys His Arg Ala Lys Val Asp Lys Arg Lys Gin Arg 325 330 335 Ser Val Phe Arg Asp Val Leu Arg Ala Val Glu Glu Arg Asp Phe Pro

340 345 350

Thr Glu Thr lie Lys Phe Gly Pro Glu Arg Met Tyr lie Asp Cys Trp

355 360 365

Val Lys Lys His Thr Tyr Asp Thr Phe Lys Glu Val Leu Gly Ser Gly

370 375 380

Met Gin Tyr His Leu Gin Ser Asn Glu Phe Leu Arg Asn Val Phe Glu 385 390 395 400

Leu Gly Pro Pro Val Met Leu Asp Ala Ala Thr Leu Lys Thr Met Lys

405 410 415 lie Ser Arg Phe Glu Arg His Leu Tyr Asn Ser Ala Ala Phe Lys Ala

420 425 430

Arg Thr Lys Ala Arg Ser Lys Cys Arg Asp Lys Arg Ala Asp Val Gly

435 440 445

Glu Phe Phe 450

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO : 3 :

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 2263 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO : 3 :

TCGGCCCACG CGTCCCGCGC TAGAGAGAAA CATGTATCGT TTTCGATCAC AGCTCTTCAC 60

GGGGATTTCT GCTGCCGCCA CCGCCCACTC TTACCCCCGC CGCTTCTCGA CTCTGTTGTT 120

AGCCGAAGAC TCGCCTCTCA GCCGCCCGCC GCACAGACGC ACGAGTAAAA AGTGCAGCTC 180

CATCGGCTGA TCCTCGCTAA GCTCCGACTC TGGGCGGCAC CGGGCGTCCC ACGATGCCGA 240

AGAACAAGAA GCGGAACACT CCCCACCGCG GTAGCAGTGC TGGCGGCGGC GGGTCAGGAG 300

CAGCCGCAGC GACGGCGGCG ACAGCAGGTG GCCAGCATCG AAATGTTCAG CCTTTTAGTG 360

ATGAAGATGC ATCAATTGAA ACAATGAGCC ATTGCAGTGG TTATAGCGAA TCTTCCAGTT 420

TTGCTGAAGA TGGACCAGAA GTCCTTGATG AGGAAGGAAC TCAAGAAGAC CTAGAGTACA 480

AGTTGAAGGG ATTAATTGAC CTAACCCTGG ATAAGAGTGC GAAGACAAGG CAAGCAGCTC 540

TTGAAGGTAT TAAAAATGCA CTGGCTTCAA AAATGCTGTA TGAATTTATT CTGGAAAGGA 600

GAATGACTTT AACTGATAGC ATTGAACGCT GCCTGAAAAA AGGTAAGAGT GATGAGCAAC 660

GTGCAGCTGC AGCGTTACAT GCTGTTCTTT GTATTCAGCT GGGCCCTGGA ATTGAAGTGG 720 AAGAGATTTT GAAAACTCTT GGACCAATCC TAAAGAAAAT CATTTGTGAT GGGTCAGCTA 780

GTATGCAGGC TAGGCAAACT TGTGCAACTT GCTTTGGTGT TTGCTGTTTT ATTGCCACAG 840

ATGACATTAC TGAACTATAC TCAACTCTGG AATGTTTGGA AAATATCTTC ACTAAATCCT 900

ATCTCAAAGA GAAAGACACT ACTGTTATTT GCAGCACTCC TAATACAGTG CTTCATATCA 960

GCTCTCTTCT TGCATGGACA CTACTGCTGA CCATATGCCC AATCAATGAA GTGAAGAAAA 1020

AGCTTGAGAT GCATTTCCAT AAGCTTCCAA GCCTCCTCTC TTGTGATGAT GTAAACATGA 1080

GAATAGCTGC TGGTGAATCT TTGGCACTTC TCTTTGAATT GGCCAGAGGA ATAGAGAGTG 1140

ACTTTTTTTA TGAAGACATG GAGTCCTTGA CGCAGATGCT TAGGGCCTTG GCAACAGATG 1200

GAAATAAACA CCGGGCCAAA GTGGACAAGA GAAAGCAGCG GTCAGTTTTC AGAGATGTCC 1260

TGAGGGCAGT GGAGGAACGG GATTTTCCAA CAGAAACCAT TAAATTTGGT CCTGAACGCA 1320

TGTATATTGA TTGCTGGGTA AAAAAACACA CCTATGACAC CTTTAAGGAG GTTCTTGGAT 1380

CAGGGATGCA GTACCACTTG CAGTCAAATG AATTCCTTCG AAATGTATTT GAACTTGGAC 1440

CCCCAGTGAT GCTTGATGCT GCAACGCTTA AAACGATGAA GATTTCTCGT TTCGAAAGGC 1500

ATTTATATAA CTCTGCAGCC TTCAAAGCTC GAACCAAAGC TAGAAGCAAA TGTCGAGATA 1560

AGAGAGCAGA TGTTGGAGAA TTCTTCTAGA TTTTCAGAAC TTGAAGACTA TTTTCTAATT 1620

TCTATTTTTT TTTCTATTTC AATGTATTTA AACTCTAGAC ACAGTTTTTA TCTTGGATTA 1680

ACTTAGATAA CTTTTGTAGC AGTGGTTATA TTGCTTATAA TTTAATGTAC AATACTATTG 1740

AAACTGGTGA GTTCTGATTA TTAAATATTC TCTGTAAATC AGTAAACATG TATAAAGTAT 1800

TTGTAATGTT TGGTCATAAT TTATTTATGA AGACAGCAAA AGACTGATTT CATGATGGGG 1860

AAAACAATTA GCCAAAGTTT AATTTCTTAC ACTGTGGTTG TCAAGAATAC TGATTTACTA 1920

TAATGATATA TACATGCAAG ATATTTAACT TAATATCTTA GACAAGAGTT CTGGGTACAA 1980

TTTTGGGATC TAGTTCCCCT GGAAAAGCTG CTGTATTTTT AATTTTTAAT GGAATGTAGC 2040

TTTTAAAATC CTGTCACTGG CATCAACAAA AGGAATTATA CCATGAGACC TTATAGCTGT 2100

ACTTAAAAGC CATTCAGTTC AGCTATTGGG AGTTCATGAT GAATTAGCAT ATGCCAGAAA 2160

GGTTGCTAAC CTTAACATCT GAGAGCAGTA ACACTGATTT TATCTGCTGT ATGAGACTTT 2220

GTGCATTTTA CTTTGAAATA AAGATTTTTT TCCACACTGA AAA 2263

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 4:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 451 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO : 4 :

Met Pro Lys Asn Lys Lys Arg Asn Thr Pro His Arg Gly Ser Ser Ala 1 5 10 15 Gly Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Ala Ala Ala Ala Thr Ala Ala Thr Ala Gly

20 25 30

Gly Gin His Arg Asn Val Gin Pro Phe Ser Asp Glu Asp Ala Ser He

35 40 45

Glu Thr Met Ser His Cys Ser Gly Tyr Ser Glu Ser Ser Ser Phe Ala

50 55 60

Glu Asp Gly Pro Glu Val Leu Asp Glu Glu Gly Thr Gin Glu Asp Leu 65 70 75 80

Glu Tyr Lys Leu Lys Gly Leu He Asp Leu Thr Leu Asp Lys Ser Ala

85 90 95

Lys Thr Arg Gin Ala Ala Leu Glu Gly He Lys Asn Ala Leu Ala Ser

100 105 110

Lys Met Leu Tyr Glu Phe He Leu Glu Arg Arg Met Thr Leu Thr Asp

115 120 125

Ser He Glu Arg Cys Leu Lys Lys Gly Lys Ser Asp Glu Gin Arg Ala

130 135 140

Ala Ala Ala Leu His Ala Val Leu Cys He Gin Leu Gly Pro Gly He 145 150 155 160

Glu Val Glu Glu He Leu Lys Thr Leu Gly Pro He Leu Lys Lys He

165 170 175

He Cys Asp Gly Ser Ala Ser Met Gin Ala Arg Gin Thr Cys Ala Thr

180 185 190

Cys Phe Gly Val Cys Cys Phe He Ala Thr Asp Asp He Thr Glu Leu

195 200 205

Tyr Ser Thr Leu Glu Cys Leu Glu Asn He Phe Thr Lys Ser Tyr Leu

210 215 220

Lys Glu Lys Asp Thr Thr Val He Cys Ser Thr Pro Asn Thr Val Leu 225 230 235 240

His He Ser Ser Leu Leu Ala Trp Thr Leu Leu Leu Thr He Cys Pro

245 250 255

He Asn Glu Val Lys Lys Lys Leu Glu Met His Phe His Lys Leu Pro

260 265 270

Ser Leu Leu Ser Cys Asp Asp Val Asn Met Arg He Ala Ala Gly Glu

275 280 285

Ser Leu Ala Leu Leu Phe Glu Leu Ala Arg Gly He Glu Ser Asp Phe

290 295 300

Phe Tyr Glu Asp Met Glu Ser Leu Thr Gin Met Leu Arg Ala Leu Ala 305 310 315 320

Thr Asp Gly Asn Lys His Arg Ala Lys Val Asp Lys Arg Lys Gin Arg

325 330 335

Ser Val Phe Arg Asp Val Leu Arg Ala Val Glu Glu Arg Asp Phe Pro 340 345 350

Thr Glu Thr He Lys Phe Gly Pro Glu Arg Met Tyr He Asp Cys Trp

355 360 365

Val Lys Lys His Thr Tyr Asp Thr Phe Lys Glu Val Leu Gly Ser Gly

370 375 380

Met Gin Tyr His Leu Gin Ser Asn Glu Phe Leu Arg Asn Val Phe Glu 385 390 395 400

Leu Gly Pro Pro Val Met Leu Asp Ala Ala Thr Leu Lys Thr Met Lys

405 410 415

He Ser Arg Phe Glu Arg His Leu Tyr Asn Ser Ala Ala Phe Lys Ala

420 425 430

Arg Thr Lys Ala Arg Ser Lys Cys Arg Asp Lys Arg Ala Asp Val Gly

435 440 445

Glu Phe Phe 450

Claims

1. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that has at least 99%o identity over its entire length to a nucleotide sequence encoding the HKAFE42 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; or a nucleotide sequence complementary to said isolated polynucleotide.

2. The polynucleotide of claim 1 wherein said polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence contained in SEQ ID NO: l encoding the HKAFE42 polypeptide of SEQ ID N02.

3. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that is at least 99%o identical to that of SEQ ID NO: 1 over its entire length.

4. The polynucleotide of claim 3 which is polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1.

5. A DNA or RNA molecule comprising an expression system, wherein said expression system is capable of producing a HKAFE42 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence, which has at least 95% identity with the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 when said expression system is present in a compatible host cell.

6. A host cell comprising the expression system of claim 5.

7. A process for producing a HKAFE42 polypeptide comprising culturing a host of claim 6 under conditions sufficient for the production of said polypeptide and recovering the polypeptide from the culture.

8. A process for producing a cell which produces a HKAFE42 polypeptide thereof comprising transforming or transfecting a host cell with the expression system of claim 5 such that the host cell, under appropriate culture conditions, produces a HKAFE42 polypeptide.

9. A HKAFE42 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which is at least 95%) identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:2 over its entire length.

10. The polypeptide of claim 9 which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.

11. The polypeptide of claim 9 which is the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.

12. An antibody immunospecific for the HKAFE42 polypeptide of claim 9.

13. A method for the treatment of a subject in need of enhanced activity or expression of HKAFE42 polypeptide of claim 9 comprising:

(a) administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an agonist to said polypeptide; and/or

(b) providing to the subject an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that has at least 99%> identity to a nucleotide sequence encoding the HKAFE42 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 over its entire length; or a nucleotide sequence complementary to said nucleotide sequence in a form so as to effect production of said polypeptide activity in vivo.

14. A method for the treatment of a subject having need to inhibit activity or expression of HKAFE42 polypeptide of claim 9 comprising:

(a) administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist to said polypeptide; and/or

(b) administering to the subject a nucleic acid molecule that inhibits the expression of the nucleotide sequence encoding said polypeptide; and/or

(c) administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide that competes with said polypeptide for its ligand, substrate , or receptor.

15. A process for diagnosing a disease or a susceptibility to a disease in a subject related to expression or activity of HKAFE42 polypeptide of claim 9 in a subject comprising:

(a) determining the presence or absence of a mutation in the nucleotide sequence encoding said HKAFE42 polypeptide in the genome of said subject; and/or

(b) analyzing for the presence or amount of the HKAFE42 polypeptide expression in a sample derived from said subject.

16. A method for identifying compounds which inhibit (antagonize) or agonize the HKAFE42 polypeptide of claim 9 which comprises: (a) contacting a candidate compound with cells which express the HKAFE42 polypeptide (or cell membrane expressing HKAFE42 polypeptide) or respond to HKAFE42 polypeptide; and

(b) observing the binding, or stimulation or inhibition of a functional response; or comparing the ability of the cells (or cell membrane) which were contacted with the candidate compounds with the same cells which were not contacted for HKAFE42 polypeptide activity.

17. An agonist or an antagonist identified by the method of claim 16.

18. A recombinant host cell produced by a method of claim 8 or a membrane thereof expressing a HKAFE42 polypeptide.

19. An isolated polynucleotide selected form the group consisting of:

(a) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence which has at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO:3 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:3;

(b) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence which has at least 90%> identity to SEQ ID NO: 1 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:3;

(e) an isolated polynucleotide comprising the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:3;

(d) the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:3; or

(e) an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide which has at least 95%> identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:4.

20. A polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence which has at least 95% identity to that of SEQ ID NO:4 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:4;

(b) a polypeptide in which the amino acid sequence has at least 95%> identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4 over the entire length of SEQ ID NO:4;

(c) a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid of SEQ ID NO:4;

(d) a polypeptide which is the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:4; or

(e) a polypeptide which is encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the sequence contained in SEQ ID NO:3.