WO1998057985A2 - Human rip-interacting factor (rif) - Google Patents

Abstract

A novel human protein termed RIP-interacting factor (RIF) is disclosed. RIF physically interacts with RIP and is involved in the human apoptotic pathway. RIF protein and coding sequences can be used to treat diseases characterized by defects in the regulation of cell proliferation and to detect human cell nuclei.

Description

HUMAN RIP-INTERACTING FACTOR (RIF)

This application claims the benefit of copending provisional application Serial No. 60/050,196, filed June 19, 1997, which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICALAREA OFTHEINVENTION

The invention relates to the area of apoptosis (programmed cell death). More particularly, the invention relates to the regulation of apoptosis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is involved in the normal development of multicellular organisms. The mechanisms of the pathways involved in apoptosis are not well understood, and only some of the proteins involved in apoptosis have been identified. Furthermore, defects in proteins involved in mammalian cell death pathways are associated with disease states. The ability to manipulate apoptotic pathways would be useful in the control of these and other diseases which involve defects in the control of cellular proliferation. Thus, there is a need in the art to identify additional proteins involved in apoptotic pathways so that these pathways can be exploited to control disease. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide tools and methods for regulating apoptosis in mammalian, preferably human, cells. These and other objects of the invention are provided by one or more of the embodiments described below. One embodiment of the invention provides an isolated and purified human

RIP-interacting Factor (RIF protein) having an amino acid sequence which is at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

Another embodiment of the invention provides an isolated and purified human RIF polypeptide comprising at least 6 contiguous amino acids selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

Still another embodiment of the invention provides a fusion protein comprising a first protein segment and a second protein segment fused to each other by means of a peptide bond. The first protein segment comprises at least 6 contiguous amino acids of a human RIF protein selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO.2.

Yet another embodiment of the invention provides a preparation of antibodies which specifically bind to a human RIF protein.

Even another embodiment of the invention provides an isolated and purified subgenomic polynucleotide encoding an amino acid sequence of a human R F protein or a human RIF protein variant. The nucleotide sequence of the subgenomic polynucleotide is at least 85% identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NOT.

A further embodiment of the invention provides an expression construct, comprising a subgenomic polynucleotide and a promoter. The subgenomic polynucleotide comprises at least 11 contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NOT . The subgenomic polynucleotide is located downstream from the promoter. Transcription of the subgenomic polynucleotide initiates at the promoter.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a homologously recombinant cell having incorporated therein a new transcription initiation unit. The new transcription initiation unit comprises an exogenous regulatory sequence, an exogenous exon, and a splice donor site. The transcription initiation unit is located upstream of a coding sequence of a RIF gene. The exogenous regulatory sequence directs transcription of the coding sequence of the RIF gene. Even another embodiment of the invention provides a host cell which comprises an expression construct. The expression construct comprises a subgenomic polynucleotide comprising at least 11 contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and a promoter. The subgenomic polynucleotide is located downstream from the promoter. Transcription of the subgenomic polynucleotide initiates at the promoter.

Still another embodiment of the invention provides a method of inducing apoptosis in a cell. The cell is contacted with all or a portion of RIF protein. The RIF protein has an amino acid sequence which is at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2. The all or a portion of RIF protein is capable of inducing apoptosis in the cell. Apoptosis of the cell is induced.

Yet another embodiment of the invention provides a method of preventing apoptosis of a cell. The cell is contacted with a composition comprising a polynucleotide encoding a reagent which specifically binds to a wild-type human RIF expression product and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Apoptosis of the cell is prevented.

A further embodiment of the invention provides a composition. The composition comprises a polynucleotide encoding a reagent which specifically binds to a wild-type human RIF expression product and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Another embodiment of the invention provides a composition. The composition comprises all or a portion of a protein having an amino acid sequence which is at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or all or a portion of a gene having a nucleotide sequence which is at least 85% identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NOT and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Even another embodiment of the invention provides a method of detecting human cell nuclei. Human cells are contacted with a preparation of antibodies that specifically bind to a human RTF protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2. Antibodies of the preparation which are specifically bound to the cells are detected. Bound - antibodies indicate nuclei within the cells.

Yet another embodiment of the invention provides a method of expressing a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide in a cell. A RIF subgenomic polynucleotide is delivered to the cell. The RIF subgenomic polynucleotide is expressed.

The present invention thus provides the art with the information that RIF, a heretofore unknown protein, binds to RIP and is involved in the regulation of programmed cell death, or apoptosis. Alteration of RTF protein levels in a cell can be used to induce or prevent apoptosis in the cell. RTF protein can also be used, inter alia, to detect human cell nuclei.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It is a discovery of the present invention that the novel human protein RIF (RIP-interacting Factor) binds to RIP (receptor-interacting protein), a protein involved in the Fas-mediated cell death pathway. RIF protein is localized in the nucleus of human cells. Sequences of the human RIF gene (SEQ ID NO : 1 ) and protein (SEQ ID

NO:2), as well as the human RIP gene (SEQ ID NO:3) and protein (SEQ ID NO:4), are disclosed herein. Reference to each of these nucleotide or amino acid sequences includes variants which have one or more of the same biological activities, as described below. Full-length human RIF has the sequence disclosed in SEQ ID NO:2. Any naturally occurring biologically active variants of this sequence which occur in human tissues are within the scope of this invention. Naturally occurring biologically active variants of full-length RTF bind to RIP and induce apoptosis. A 2 kb RIF mRNA is expressed in human tissues such as spleen, thymus, prostate, ovary, small intestine, colon, testis, and peripheral blood lymphocytes. In addition, a 2.2 kb RIF mRNA is expressed in the testis.

RIF polypeptides differ in length from full-length RIF and contain at least 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 80, 90, or 100 or more contiguous amino acids of a RIF protein. Variants of RIF protein and RIF polypeptides can also occur. RTF variants can be naturally or non-naturally occurring. Naturally occurring RIF variants are found in humans or other species and comprise amino acid sequences which are substantially identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2. Non-naturally occurring RIF variants which retain substantially the same biological activities as naturally occurring RIF variants are also included here.

Preferably, naturally or non-naturally occurring RIF variants have amino acid sequences which are at least 85%, 90%, or 95% identical to amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NO:2 and have similar biological properties, including the ability to bind to RIP and to induce apoptosis. More preferably, variants are at least 98% or 99% identical. Percent sequence identity between a wild-type RIF protein or polypeptide and a RIF variant is calculated by counting the number of amino acid matches between the wild-type and the variant and dividing the total number of matches by the total number of amino acid residues of the wild-type sequence.

Preferably, amino acid changes in RTF variants are conservative amino acid changes, i.e., substitutions of similarly charged or uncharged amino acids. A conservative amino acid change involves substitution of one of a family of amino acids which are related in their side chains. Naturally occurring amino acids are generally divided into four families: acidic (aspartate, glutamate), basic (lysine, arginine, histidine), non-polar (alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan), and uncharged polar (glycine, asparagine, glutamine, cystine, serine, threonine, tyrosine) amino acids. Phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine are sometimes classified jointly as aromatic amino acids. It is reasonable to expect that an isolated replacement of a leucine with an isoleucine or valine, an aspartate with a glutamate, a threonine with a serine, or a similar replacement of an amino acid with a structurally related amino acid will not have a major effect on the biological properties of the resulting RTF variant. Properties and functions of RIF variants are of the same type as a RTF protein or polypeptide comprising amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO: 2, although the properties and functions of RDF variants can differ in degree. Whether an amino acid change results in a functional RIF variant can readily be determined. For example, binding of a RIF variant to RIP can be detected using specific antibodies, which are disclosed herein. The ability of a RIF protein or polypeptide variant to induce apoptosis can be assayed by transfecting cultures of cells, such as HeLa cells, with subgenomic polynucleotides encoding RTF variants and examining the cultures for apoptotic cells, as described below. Apoptotic cells can be recognized by well known morphological features, such as cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and chromatin condensation. Cohen, 1993, Immunol. Today 14, 126-30.

RTF variants include glycosylated forms, aggregative conjugates with other molecules, and covalent conjugates with unrelated chemical moieties. RIF variants also include allelic variants, species variants, and muteins. Truncations or deletions of regions which do not affect the binding of RIF to RIP or the ability of RIF to induce apoptosis are also RTF variants. Covalent variants can be prepared by linking functionalities to groups which are found in the amino acid chain or at the N- or C-terminal residue, as is known in the art.

RTF protein can be extracted, using standard biochemical methods, from RTF-producing human cells, such as spleen, thymus, ovary, prostate, testis, small intestine, colon, or peripheral blood lymphocytes. An isolated and purified RTF protein or polypeptide is separated from other compounds which normally associate with a RTF protein or polypeptide in a cell, such as certain proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, or subcellular organelles. A preparation of isolated and purified RTF proteins or polypeptides is at least 80% pure; preferably, the preparations are 90%, 95%, or 99% pure. RTF proteins and polypeptides can also be produced by recombinant DNA methods or by synthetic chemical methods. For production of recombinant RTF proteins or polypeptides, coding sequences selected from the RIF nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ TD NOT, or variants of that sequence which encode RIF protein, can be expressed in known prokaryotic or eukaryotic expression systems

(see below). Bacterial, yeast, insect, or mammalian expression systems can be used, as is known in the art.

Alternatively, synthetic chemical methods, such as solid phase peptide synthesis, can be used to synthesize a RTF protein or polypeptide. General means for the production of peptides, analogs or derivatives are outlined in CHEMISTRY

AND BIOCHEMISTRY OF AMINO ACIDS, PEPΗDES, AND PROTEINS ~ A SURVEY OF

R-.CI--OT DEVELOPMENTS, Weinstein, B. ed., Marcell Dekker, Inc., publ., New York (1983). Moreover, substitution of D-amino acids for the normal L-stereoisomer can be carried out to increase the half-life of the molecule. RIF variants can be similarly produced.

Non-naturally occurring fusion proteins comprising at least 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 50, 60, 75, 80, 90, or 100 or more contiguous RIF amino acids can also be constructed. Human RTF fusion proteins are useful for generating antibodies against RTF amino acid sequences and for use in various assay systems. For example, RTF fusion proteins can be used to identif proteins which interact with

RTF protein and influence its function or which interfere with the binding of RIP to RTF. Physical methods, such as protein affinity chromatography, or library-based assays for protein-protein interactions, such as the yeast two-hybrid or phage display systems, can also be used for this purpose. Such methods are well known in the art and can also be used as drug screens.

A RTF fusion protein comprises two protein segments fused together by means of a peptide bond. The first protein segment comprises at least 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 75, 80, 90, or 100 or more contiguous amino acids of a RTF protein. The amino acids can be selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 or from a biologically active variant of that sequence, such as those described above. The first protein segment can also comprise full-length RDF.

The second protein segment can be a full-length protein or a protein fragment or polypeptide. In a preferred embodiment, the second protein is green fluorescent protein. The fusion protein can be labeled with a detectable marker, as is known in the art, such as a radioactive, fluorescent, chemiluminescent, or biotinylated marker. The second protein segment can be an enzyme which will generate a detectable product, such as β-galactosidase. The first protein segment can be N-terminal or C-terminal, as is convenient. Techniques for making fusion proteins, either recombinantly or by covalently linking two protein segments, are also well known. Recombinant DNA methods can be used to prepare RIF fusion proteins, for example, by making a DNA construct which comprises coding sequences selected from SEQ ID NOT in proper reading frame with nucleotides encoding the second protein segment and expressing the DNA construct in a host cell, as described below.

Isolated and purified RTF proteins, polypeptides, variants, or fusion proteins can be used as immunogens, to obtain preparations of antibodies which specifically bind to RTF protein. The antibodies can be used, inter alia, to detect wild-type RTF protein in human tissue and fractions thereof. The antibodies can also be used to detect the presence of mutations in the RIF gene which result in under- or over- expression of a RTF protein or in expression of a RTF protein with altered size or electrophoretic mobility.

Preparations of polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies can be made using standard methods. Single-chain antibodies can also be prepared. Single-chain antibodies which specifically bind to RTF proteins, polypeptides, variants, or fusion proteins can be isolated, for example, from single-chain immunoglobulin display libraries, as is known in the art. The library is "panned" against RIF protein amino acid sequences, and a number of single chain antibodies which bind with high-affinity to different epitopes of RTF protein can be isolated. Hayashi et al., 1995, Gene J 60:129-30. Single-chain antibodies can also be constructed using a DNA amplification method, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using hybridoma cDNA as a template. Thirion etal., 1996, Eur. J. Cancer Prev. 5:507- 11.

Single-chain antibodies can be mono- or bispecific, and can be bivalent or^{^} tetravalent. Construction of tetravalent, bispecific single-chain antibodies is taught in Coloma and Morrison, 1997, Nat. Biotechnol. 75:159-63. Construction of bivalent, bispecific single-chain antibodies is taught in Mallender and Voss, 1994, J. Biol. Chem. 269:199-206.

A nucleotide sequence encoding the single-chain antibody can be constructed using manual or automated nucleotide synthesis, cloned into DNA expression constructs using standard recombinant DNA methods, and introduced into cells which express the coding sequence, as described below. Alternatively, single-chain antibodies can be produced directly using, for example, filamentous phage technology. Verhaar et al., 1995, Int. J. Cancer 67:497-501; Nicholls et al., 1993, J. Immunol. Meth. 7.55:81-91.

RTF-specific antibodies specifically bind to epitopes present in a full-length RTF protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, in RIF polypeptides, or in RTF variants, either alone or as part of a fusion protein. Preferably, RTF epitopes are not present in other human proteins. Typically, at least 6, 8, 10, or 12 contiguous amino acids are required to form an epitope. However, epitopes which involve non-contiguous amino acids may require more, e.g., at least 15, 25, or 50 amino acids.

Antibodies which specifically bind to RTF proteins, polypeptides, fusion proteins, or variants provide a detection signal at least 5-, 10-, or 20-fold higher than a detection signal provided with other proteins when used in Western blots or other immunochemical assays. Preferably, antibodies which specifically bind to RTF epitopes do not detect other proteins in immunochemical assays and can immunoprecipitate a RTF protein, polypeptide, fusion protein, or variant from solution. Antibodies can be purified by methods well known in the art. Preferably, the antibodies are affinity purified, by passing the antibodies over a column to which a REF protein, polypeptide, variant, or fusion protein is bound. The bound antibodies can then be eluted from the column, for example, using a buffer with high salt concentration.

Because REF is located in the nuclei of human cells, antibodies which specifically bind to RTF can be used to detect human nuclei and distinguish a nucleus from other cellular components. Nuclei can be detected in intact human cells, for example in explant, monolayer, or reaggregate tissue culture. Nuclei can also be detected in tissue sections prepared for light or electron microscopy.

Detection of nuclei is also useful in subcellular preparations, for example to assess the purity of nuclear preparations or subcellular preparations intended to be free from nuclei.

A variety of immunohistochemical methods known in the art can be used to detect binding of RTF antibodies to RTF protein, such as radioimmunocytochemistry using internally labeled RTF monoclonal antibodies (A.C. Cuello and C. Milstein, 1981, Use of Internally Labelled Monoclonal Antibodies, in PHYSIOLOGICAL PEPΉDES AND NEW TRENDS IN T ADIOIIVIMUNOLOGY, (C. A. Bizollon, ed.), pp. 293- 305), peroxidase-antiperoxidase techniques (F. Vandesande, 1981, Peroxidase- Antiperoxidase Techniques in Immunohistochemistry, in iMMUNOfflSTOCHEMISTRY

(A.C. Cuello, ed.), pp. 101-19), fluorescence immunohistochemistry, and visualization of antibody-antigen complexes using colloidal gold (J.R. De Mey, The Preparation of Immunoglobulin Gold Conjugates (IGS Reagents) and Their Use as Markers for Light and Electron Microscopic Immunocytochemistry, in IMMUNOCYTOCHEMISTRY, pp. 347-72).

Subgenomic polynucleotides contain less than a whole chromosome. Preferably, the polynucleotides are intron-free. Purified and isolated RIF subgenomic polynucleotides can comprise at least 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, or 200 or more contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ TD NO: 1 or its complement. SEQ TD NO: 1 is the coding sequence of a human RIF gene. The complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 is a contiguous nucleotide sequence which forms Watson-Crick base pairs with the contiguous nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NOT. The complement of the nucleotide sequence shown in^{^} SEQ ID NOT (the antisense strand) is also a subgenomic polynucleotide and can be used provide RIF antisense oligonucleotides. RIF subgenomic polynucleotides also include polynucleotides which encode RTF-specific single-chain antibodies and ribozymes, or fusion proteins comprising RTF amino acid sequences.

Degenerate nucleotide sequences encoding amino acid sequences of RIF protein and/or variants, as well as homologous nucleotide sequences which are at least 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ TD NOT, are also RIF subgenomic polynucleotides. Percent sequence identity between the sequence of a wild-type RIF subgenomic polynucleotide and a homologous RIF nucleotide sequence is calculated by counting the number of nucleotide matches between the wild-type and the homolog and dividing the total number of matches by the total number of nucleotides of the wild-type sequence. Typically, homologous RIF sequences can be confirmed by hybridization under stringent conditions, as is known in the art.

RIF subgenomic polynucleotides can be isolated and purified free from other nucleotide sequences using standard nucleic acid purification techniques. For example, restriction enzymes and probes can be used to isolate polynucleotide fragments which comprise nucleotide sequences encoding a RTF protein. Isolated and purified subgenomic polynucleotides are in preparations which are free or at least 90% free of other molecules. Complementary DNA molecules which encode RTF proteins can be made using reverse transcriptase, with RIF mRNA as a template. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or other amplification techniques can be used to obtain RIF subgenomic polynucleotides, using either human genomic DNA or cDNA as a template, as is known in the art. Alternatively, synthetic chemistry techniques can be used to synthesize RIF subgenomic polynucleotides which comprise coding sequences for regions of RTF proteins, single-chain antibodies, or ribozymes, or which comprise antisense oligonucleotides. The degeneracy of the genetic code allows alternate nucleotide sequences to be synthesized which will encode a RTF protein comprising amino acid sequences of SEQ TD NO:2. Purified and isolated RIF subgenomic polynucleotides can be used as primers to obtain additional copies of the polynucleotides or as probes for identifying wild-type or mutant RIF coding sequences. RIF subgenomic polynucleotides can be used to express RIF mRNA, protein, polypeptides, or fusion proteins and to generate RIF antisense oligonucleotides and ribozymes. A RIF subgenomic polynucleotide comprising RIF coding sequences can be used in an expression construct. Preferably, the RIF subgenomic polynucleotide is inserted into an expression plasmid (for example, the Ecdyson system, pTND, In Vitro Gene). RIF subgenomic polynucleotides can be propagated in vectors and cell lines using techniques well known in the art. RIF subgenomic polynucleotides can be on linear or circular molecules. They can be on autonomously replicating molecules or on molecules without replication sequences. They can be regulated by their own or by other regulatory sequences, as are known in the art.

A host cell comprising a RIF expression construct can then be used to express all or a portion of a RTF protein. Host cells comprising RIF expression constructs can be prokaryotic or eukaryotic. A variety of host cells are available for use in bacterial, yeast, insect, and human expression systems and can be used to express or to propagate RIF expression constructs (see below).

Expression constructs can be introduced into host cells using any technique known in the art. These techniques include transferrin-polycation-mediated DNA transfer, transfection with naked or encapsulated nucleic acids, liposome-mediated cellular fusion, intracellular transportation of DNA-coated latex beads, protoplast fusion, viral infection, electroporation, and calcium phosphate-mediated transfection.

A RIF expression construct comprises a promoter which is functional in a chosen host cell. The skilled artisan can readily select an appropriate promoter from the large number of cell type-specific promoters known and used in the art. The expression construct can also contain a transcription terminator which is functional in the host cell. The expression construct comprises a polynucleotide segment which encodes all or a portion of the RDF protein, variant, fusion proteifl, antibody, or ribozyme. The polynucleotide segment is located downstream from the promoter. Transcription of the polynucleotide segment initiates at the promoter. The expression construct can be linear or circular and can contain sequences, if desired, for autonomous replication.

Bacterial systems for expressing RIF expression constructs include those described in Chang et al, Nature (1978) 275: 615, Goeddel et al, Nature (1979)

281: 544, Goeddel et al, Nucleic Acids Res. (1980) 8: 4057, EP 36,776, U.S. 4,551,433, deBoer et al, Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA (1983) 80: 21-25, and Siebenlist etal, Cell (1980) 20: 269.

Expression systems in yeast include those described in Hinnen et al, Proc. Natl Acad Sci. USA (1978) 75: 1929; Ito et al, J. Bacteriol (1983) 153: 163;

Kurtz etal, Mol. Cell Biol. (1986) 6: 142; Kunze et al, J. Basic Microbiol (1985) 25: 141; Gleeson et al, J. Gen. Microbiol. (1986) 132: 3459, Roggenkamp et al, Mol. Gen. Genet. (1986) 202 :302) Das et al, J. Bacteriol (1984) 158: 1165; De Louvencourt et al, J. Bacteriol. (1983) 75 : 737, Van den Berg et al, Bio/Technology (1990) 8: 135; Kunze et al, J. Basic Microbiol. (1985) 25: 141;

Cregg et al, Mol Cell Biol (1985) 5: 3376, U.S. 4,837,148, US 4,929,555; Beach and Nurse, Nature (1981) 300: 706; Davidow et al, Curr. Genet. (1985) 10: 380, Gaillardin et al, Curr. Genet. (1985) 10: 49, Ballance et al, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (1983) 772: 284-289; Tilburn etal, Gene (1983) 26: 205-221, Yelton et al, Proc. Natl Acad Sci. USA (1984) 81: 1470-1474, Kelly and Hynes,

EMBO J. (1985) 4: 475479; EP 244,234, and WO 91/00357.

Expression of RIF expression constructs in insects can be carried out as described in U.S. 4,745,051, Friesen et al. (1986) "The Regulation of Baculovirus Gene Expression" in: THE MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF BACULOVIRUSES (W. Doerfler, ed.), EP 127,839, EP 155,476, and Vlak et al, J. Gen. Virol. (1988) 69: 765-776, Miller et al, Ann. Rev. Microbiol. (1988) 42: 177, Carbonell et al, Gene (1988) 73: 409, Maeda etal, Nature (1985) 375: 592-594, Lebacq-Verheyden etal, Mol Cell Biol. (1988) 8: 3129; Smith et al, Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA (1985) 82: 8404, Miyajima etal, Gene (1987) 58: 273; and Martin et al, DNA (1988) 7:99. Numerous baculoviral strains and variants and corresponding permissive insect host cells from hosts are described in Luckow et al, Bio/Technology (1988) 6: 47-55, Miller et al, in GENETIC ENGINEERING (Setlow, J.K. et al eds.), Vol. 8 (Plenum Publishing, 1986), pp. 277-279, and Maeda etal, Nature, (1985) 575: 592-594. Mammalian expression of RIF expression constructs can be achieved as described in Dijkema et al, EMBO J. (1985) 4: 761, Gorman et al, Proc. Natl.

Acad. Sci. USA (1982b) 79: 6777, Boshart et al, Ce// (1985) 41: 521 and U.S. 4,399,216. Other features of mammalian expression of RIF expression constructs can be facilitated as described in Ham and Wallace, Meth. Enz. (1979) 58: 44, Barnes and Sato, Anal Biochem. (1980) 702: 255, U.S. 4,767,704, US 4,657,866, US 4,927,762, US 4,560,655, WO 90/103430, WO 87/00195, and U.S. RE 30;985.

Subgenomic polynucleotides of the invention can also be used in gene delivery vehicles, for the purpose of delivering a RTF mRNA or oligonucleotide (with either the sequence of native RIF mRNA or its complement), full-length RTF protein, RTF fusion protein, RTF polypeptide, or RTF-specific ribozyme or single- chain antibody, into a cell preferably a eukaryotic cell. According to the present invention, a gene delivery vehicle can be, for example, naked plasmid DNA, a viral expression vector comprising a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide, or a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide in conjunction with a liposome or a condensing agent. In one embodiment of the invention, the gene delivery vehicle comprises a promoter and a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide. Preferred promoters are tissue- specific promoters and promoters which are activated by cellular proliferation, such as the thymidine kinase and thymidylate synthase promoters. Other preferred promoters include promoters which are activatable by infection with a virus, such as the α- and β-interferon promoters, and promoters which are activatable by a hormone, such as estrogen. Other promoters which can be used include the Moloney virus LTR, the CMV promoter, and the mouse albumin promoter.

A RIF gene delivery vehicle can comprise viral sequences such as a viral origin of replication or packaging signal. These viral sequences can be selected ^"" from viruses such as astrovirus, coronavirus, orthomyxovirus, papovavirus, paramyxovirus, parvovirus, picornavirus, poxvirus, retrovirus, togavirus or adenovirus. In a preferred embodiment, the RIF gene delivery vehicle is a recombinant retroviral vector. Recombinant retroviruses and various uses thereof have been described in numerous references including, for example, Mann et al, Cell 35:153, 1983, Cane and Mulligan, Proc. Nat'l Acad Sci. USA 81:6349, 1984,

Miller et al, Human Gene Therapy 1:5-14, 1990, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,405,712, 4,861,719, and 4,980,289, and PCT Application Nos. WO 89/02,468, WO 89/05,349, and WO 90/02,806. Numerous retroviral gene delivery vehicles can be utilized in the present invention, including for example those described in EP 0,415,731; WO 90/07936; WO 94/03622; WO 93/25698; WO 93/25234; U.S.

Patent No. 5,219,740; WO 9311230; WO 9310218; Vile and Hart, Cancer Res. 53:3860-3864, 1993; Vile and Hart, Cancer Res. 53:962-967, 1993; Ram etal, Cancer Res. 53:83-88, 1993; Takamiya etα/., /. Neurosci. Res. 35:493-503, 1992; Baba etal, J. Neurosurg. 79:729-735, 1993 (U.S. Patent No. 4,777,127, GB 2,200,651, EP 0,345,242 and WO91/02805).

Particularly preferred retroviruses are derived from retroviruses which include avian leukosis virus (ATCC Nos. VR-535 and VR-247), bovine leukemia virus (VR-1315), murine leukemia virus (MIN), mink-cell focus-inducing virus (Koch et α/., J. Vir. 49:828, 1984; and OliS et al, J. Vir. 48:542, 1983), murine sarcoma virus (ATCC Νos. VR-844, 45010 and 45016), reticuloendotheliosis virus

(ATCC Νos VR-994, VR-770 and 45011), Rous sarcoma virus, Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, baboon endogenous virus, endogenous feline retrovirus (e.g., RDl 14), and mouse or rat gL30 sequences used as a retroviral vector. Particularly preferred strains of MLV from which recombinant retroviruses can be generated include 4070 A and 1504 A (Hartley and Rowe, J. Vir. 79: 19, 1976), Abelson (ATCC No. VR-999), Friend (ATCC No. VR-245), Graffi (Ru et al, J. Vir. 67:4722, 1993; and Yantchev Neoplasma 26:391, 1979), Gross (ATCC No. VR- 590), Kirsten (Albino etal, J. Exp. Med 164:1710, 1986), Harvey sarcoma virus (Manly etal, J. Vir. 62:3540, 1988; and Albino etal, J. Exp. Med 164:17107 1986) and Rauscher (ATCC No. VR-998), and Moloney MLV (ATCC No. VR-

190). A particularly preferred non-mouse retrovirus is Rous sarcoma virus. Preferred Rous sarcoma viruses include Bratislava (Manly et al, J. Vir. 62:3540, 1988; and Albino etal, J. Exp. Med 164:1710, 1986), Bryan high titer (e.g., ATCC Nos. VR-334, VR-657, VR-726, VR-659, and VR-728), Bryan standard (ATCC No. VR-140), Carr-Zilber (Adgighitov et al, Neoplasma 27:159, 1980),

Engelbreth-Holm (Laurent etal, Biochem Biophy Acta 908:241, 1987), Harris, Prague (e.g., ATCC Nos. VR-772, and 45033), and Schmidt-Ruppin (e.g. ATCC Nos. VR-724, VR-725, VR-354) viruses.

Any of the above retroviruses can be readily utilized in order to assemble or construct retroviral RIF gene delivery vehicles given the disclosure provided herein and standard recombinant techniques (e.g., Sambrook et al, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989, and Kunkle, PNAS 52:488, 1985) known in the art. Portions of retroviral RIF expression vectors can be derived from different retroviruses. For example, retrovector LTRs can be derived from a murine sarcoma virus, a tRNA binding site from a Rous sarcoma virus, a packaging signal from a murine leukemia virus, and an origin of second strand synthesis from an avian leukosis virus. These recombinant retroviral vectors can be used to generate transduction competent retroviral vector particles by introducing them into appropriate packaging cell lines (see Serial No. 07/800,921, filed November 29, 1991). Recombinant retroviruses can be produced which direct the site-specific integration of the recombinant retroviral genome into specific regions of the host cell DNA. Such site-specific integration can be mediated by a chimeric integrase incorporated into the retroviral particle (see Serial No. 08/445,466 filed May 22, 1995). It is preferable that the recombinant viral gene delivery vehicle is a replication-defective recombinant virus. Packaging cell lines suitable for use with the above-described retroviral gene delivery vehicles can be readily prepared (see Serial No. 08/240,030, filed May 9, 1994; see also WO 92/05266) and used to create producer cell lines (also termed vector cell lines or "VCLs") for production of recombinant viral particles. In particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention, packaging cell lines are made from human (e.g., HT1080 cells) or mink parent cell lines, thereby allowing production of recombinant retroviral gene delivery vehicles which are capable of surviving inactivation in human serum. The construction of recombinant retroviral gene delivery vehicles is described in detail in WO 91/02805. These recombinant retroviral gene delivery vehicles can be used to generate transduction competent retroviral particles by introducing them into appropriate packaging cell lines (see Serial No. 07/800,921). Similarly, adenovirus gene delivery vehicles can also be readily prepared and utilized given the disclosure provided herein (see also Berkner, Biotechniques <J:616-627, 1988, and Rosenfeld et al, Science 252:431-434, 1991, WO 93/07283, WO 93/06223, and WO 93/07282).

A RIF gene delivery vehicle can also be a recombinant adenoviral gene delivery vehicle. Such vehicles can be readily prepared and utilized given the disclosure provided herein (see Berkner, Biotechniques 6:616, 1988, and Rosenfeld etal, Science 252:431, 1991, WO 93/07283, WO 93/06223, and WO 93/07282). Adeno-associated viral RIF gene delivery vehicles can also be constructed and used to deliver RIF amino acids or nucleotides. The use of adeno-associated viral gene delivery vehicles in vitro is described in Chatterjee et al, Science 258: 1485-1488 (1992), Walsh etal, Proc. Nat'l Acad Sci. 89: 7257-7261 (1992), Walsh etal, J. Clin. Invest. 94: 1440-1448 (1994), Flotte etal, J. Biol Chem. 268: 3781-3790 (1993), Ponnazhagan et al, J. Exp. Med 179: 733-738 (1994), Miller et al, Proc.

Nat'l Aca Sci. 91: 10183-10187 (1994), Einerhand etal, Gene Ther. 2: 336-343 (1995), Luo et al, Exp. Hematol 23: 1261-1267 (1995), and Zhou etal, Gene Therapy 3: 223-229 (1996). In vivo use of these vehicles is described in Flotte et al, Proc. Nat'l Acad Sci. 90: 10613-10617 (1993), and Kaplitt etal, Nature Genet. 5:148-153 (1994). In another embodiment of the invention, & RIF gene delivery vehicle is derived from a togavirus. Preferred togaviruses include alphaviruses, in particular those described in U.S. Serial No. 08/405,627, filed March 15, 1995, WO 95/07994. Alpha viruses, including Sindbis and ELVS viruses can be gene delivery vehicles for RIF polynucleotides. Alpha viruses are described in WO 94/21792,

WO 92/10578 and WO 95/07994. Several different alphavirus gene delivery vehicle systems can be constructed and used to deliver RIF subgenomic polynucleotides to a cell according to the present invention. Representative examples of such systems include those described in U.S. Patents 5,091,309 and 5,217,879. Particularly preferred alphavirus gene delivery vehicles for use in the present invention include those which are described in WO 95/07994, and U.S. Serial No. 08/405,627.

Preferably, the recombinant viral vehicle is a recombinant alphavirus viral vehicle based on a Sindbis virus. Sindbis constructs, as well as numerous similar constructs, can be readily prepared essentially as described in U.S. Serial No.

08/198,450. Sindbis viral gene delivery vehicles typically comprise a 5' sequence capable of initiating Sindbis virus transcription, a nucleotide sequence encoding Sindbis non-structural proteins, a viral junction region inactivated so as to prevent subgenomic fragment transcription, and a Sindbis RNA polymerase recognition sequence. Optionally, the viral junction region can be modified so that subgenomic polynucleotide transcription is reduced, increased, or maintained. As will be appreciated by those in the art, corresponding regions from other alphaviruses can be used in place of those described above.

The viral junction region of an alphavirus-derived gene delivery vehicle can comprise a first viral junction region which has been inactivated in order to prevent transcription of the subgenomic polynucleotide and a second viral junction region which has been modified such that subgenomic polynucleotide transcription is reduced. An alphavirus-derived vehicle can also include a 5* promoter capable of initiating synthesis of viral RNA from cDNA and a 3' sequence which controls transcription termination. Other recombinant togaviral gene delivery vehicles which can be utilized in the present invention include those derived from Semliki Forest virus (ATCC VR- 67; ATCC VR-1247), Middleberg virus (ATCC VR-370), Ross River virus (ATCC VR-373; ATCC VR-1246), Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (ATCC VR923; ATCC VR-1250; ATCC VR-1249; ATCC NR-532), and those described in U.S.

Patents 5,091,309 and 5,217,879 and in WO 92/10578. The Sindbis vehicles described above, as well as numerous similar constructs, can be readily prepared essentially as described in U.S. Serial No. 08/198,450.

Other viral gene delivery vehicles suitable for use in the present invention include, for example, those derived from poliovirus (Evans et al, Nature 359:385,

1989, and Sabin etal, J. Biol Standardization 7:115, 1973) (ATCC VR-58); rhinovirus (Arnold et al, J. Cell Biochem. L401, 1990) (ATCC VR-1110); pox viruses, such as canary pox virus or vaccinia virus (Fisher-Hoch et al, PNAS 86:317, 1989; Flexner etal, Ann. NY. Acad Sci. 569:86, 1989; Flexner etal, Vaccine 8:17, 1990; U.S. 4,603,112 and U.S. 4,769,330; WO 89/01973) (ATCC

VR-111; ATCC VR-2010); SV40 (Mulligan etal, Nature 277.T08, 1979) (ATCC VR-305), (Madzak et /., J. Gen. Vir. 73:1533, 1992); influenza virus (Luytjes et al, Cell 59:1107, 1989; McMicheal et α/., The New England Journal of Medicine 309:13, 1983; and Yap etal, Nature 273:23%, 1978) (ATCC VR-797); parvovirus such as adeno-associated virus (Samulski etal, J. Vir. 63:3822, 1989, and

Mendelson et al, Virology 166:154, 1988) (ATCC VR-645); herpes simplex virus (Kit etal, Adv. Exp. Med Biol 275:219, 1989) (ATCC VR-977; ATCC VR-260); Nature 277: 108, 1979); human immunodeficiency virus (EPO 386,882, Buchschacher erα/., ./. Vir. 66:2731, 1992); measles virus (EPO 440,219) (ATCC VR-24); A (ATCC VR-67; ATCC VR-1247), Aura (ATCC VR-368), Bebaru virus

(ATCC VR-600; ATCC VR-1240), Cabassou (ATCC VR-922), Chikungunya virus (ATCC VR-64; ATCC VR-1241), Fort Morgan (ATCC VR-924), Getah virus (ATCC VR-369; ATCC VR-1243), Kyzylagach (ATCC VR-927), Mayaro (ATCC VR-66), Mucambo virus (ATCC VR-580; ATCC VR-1244), Ndumu (ATCC VR- 371), Pixuna virus (ATCC VR-372; ATCC VR-1245), Tonate (ATCC VR-925), Triniti (ATCC VR-469), Una (ATCC VR-374), Whataroa (ATCC VR-926), Y-62- 33 (ATCC VR-375), ONyong virus, Eastern encephalitis virus (ATCC VR-65; ATCC VR-1242), Western encephalitis virus (ATCC VR-70; ATCC VR-1251; ATCC VR-622; ATCC VR-1252), and coronavirus (Hamre et al, Proc. Soc. Exp. 7i/o/. Med 121:190, 1966) (ATCC VR-740).

A subgenomic RIF polynucleotide of the invention can also be combined with a condensing agent to form a gene delivery vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the condensing agent is a polycation, such as polylysine, polyarginine, polyornithine, protamine, spermine, spermidine, and putrescine. Many suitable methods for making such linkages are known in the art (see, for example, Serial No.

08/366,787, filed December 30, 1994).

In an alternative embodiment, a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide is associated with a liposome to form a gene delivery vehicle. Liposomes are small, lipid vesicles comprised of an aqueous compartment enclosed by a lipid bilayer, typically spherical or slightly elongated structures several hundred Angstroms in diameter. Under appropriate conditions, a liposome can fuse with the plasma membrane of a cell or with the membrane of an endocytic vesicle within a cell which has internalized the liposome, thereby releasing its contents into the cytoplasm. Prior to interaction with the surface of a cell, however, the liposome membrane acts as a relatively impermeable barrier which sequesters and protects its contents, for example, from degradative enzymes. Additionally, because a liposome is a synthetic structure, specially designed liposomes can be produced which incorporate desirable features. See Stryer, Biochemistry, pp. 236-240, 1975 (W.H. Freeman, San Francisco, CA); Szoka et al, Biochim. Biophys. Ada 600:1, 1980; Bayer etal, Biochim. Biophys. Ada. 550:464, 1979; Rivnay etal, Meth. Enzymol 149:119,

19S7; Vfang et al., PNAS 84: 7851, 1987, Plant etal, Anal Biochem. 176:420, 1989, and U.S. Patent 4,762,915. Liposomes can encapsulate a variety of nucleic acid molecules including DNA, RNA, plasmids, and expression constructs comprising RIF subgenomic polynucleotides such those disclosed in the present invention. Liposomal preparations for use in the present invention include cationic (positively charged), anionic (negatively charged) and neutral preparations. Cationic liposomes have been shown to mediate intracellular delivery of plasmid DNA (Feigner etal, Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 54:7413-7416, 1987), mRNA (Malone et al, Proc. Natl Acad Sci. USA 56:6077-6081, 1989), and purified transcription factors (Debs etal, J. Biol Chem. 265:10189-10192, 1990), in functional form. Cationic liposomes are readily available. For example, N[l-2,3- dioleyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-triethylammonium (DOTMA) liposomes are available under the trademark Lipofectin, from GTBCO BRL, Grand Island, NY. See also Feigner etal, Proc. Natl Acad Sci. USA 91: 5148-5152.87, 1994. Other commercially available liposomes include Transfectace (DDAB/DOPE) and DOTAP/DOPE (Boerhinger). Other cationic liposomes can be prepared from readily available materials using techniques well known in the art. See, e.g., Szoka et al, Proc. Natl Acad Sci. USA 75:4194-4198, 1978; and WO 90/11092 for descriptions of the synthesis of DOTAP (l,2-bis(oleoyloxy)-3-

(trimethylammonio)propane) liposomes.

Similarly, anionic and neutral liposomes are readily available, such as from Avanti Polar Lipids (Birmingham, AL), or can be easily prepared using readily available materials. Such materials include phosphatidyl choline, cholesterol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, dioleoylphosphatidyl choline (DOPC), dioleoylphosphatidyl glycerol (DOPG), dioleoylphoshatidyl ethanolamine (DOPE), among others. These materials can also be mixed with the DOTMA and DOTAP starting materials in appropriate ratios. Methods for making liposomes using these materials are well known in the art. The liposomes can comprise multilammelar vesicles (MLVs), small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs), or large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs). The various liposome-nucleic acid complexes are prepared using methods known in the art. See, e.g., Straubinger et al, METHODS OF IMMUNOLOGY (1983), Vol. 101, pp. 512-527; Szoka etal, Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 57:3410-3414, 1990; Papahadjopoulos et al , Biochim. Biophys. Ada 394:483, 1975; Wilson et al. , Cell 17:77, 1979; Deamer and Bangham, Biochim. Biophys. Ada 443:629, 1976; Ostro etal, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 76:836 , 1977; Fraley et al, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 76:3348, 1979; Enoch and Strittmatter, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 76: 145, 1979; Fraley et al, J. Biol. Chem. 255: 10431, 1980; Szoka and Papahadjopoulos, Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 75:145, 1979; and Schaefer-Ridder et al, Science 215:166, 1982.

In addition, lipoproteins can be included with a 7?7F subgenomic polynucleotide for delivery to a cell. Examples of such lipoproteins include chylomicrons, HDL, TDL, LDL, and VLDL. Mutants, fragments, or fusions of these proteins can also be used. Modifications of naturally occurring lipoproteins can also be used, such as acetylated LDL. These lipoproteins can target the delivery of polynucleotides to cells expressing lipoprotein receptors. Preferably, if lipoproteins are included with a polynucleotide, no other targeting ligand is included in the composition. In another embodiment, naked RIF subgenomic polynucleotide molecules are used as gene delivery vehicles, as described in WO 90/11092 and U.S. Patent 5,580,859. Such gene delivery vehicles can be either RZFDNA or RNA and, in certain embodiments, are linked to killed adenovirus. Curiel et al, Hum. Gene. Ther. 3:147-154, 1992. Other suitable vehicles include DNA-ligand (Wu et al, J. Biol. Chem. 264: 16985-16987, 1989), lipid-DNA combinations (Feigner et al,

Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 54:7413 7417, 1989), liposomes (Wang etal, Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. 54:7851-7855, 1987) and microprojectiles (Williams et al, Proc. Natl Acad Sci. 55:2726-2730, 1991).

One can increase the efficiency of naked RIF subgenomic polynucleotide uptake into cells by coating the polynucleotides onto biodegradable latex beads.

This approach takes advantage of the observation that latex beads, when incubated with cells in culture, are efficiently transported and concentrated in the perinuclear region of the cells. The beads will then be transported into cells when injected into muscle. RIF subgenomic polynucleotide-coated latex beads will be efficiently transported into cells after endocytosis is initiated by the latex beads and thus increase gene transfer and expression efficiency. This method can be improved further by treating the beads to increase their hydrophobicity, thereby facilitating the disruption of the endosome and release of RIF subgenomic polynucleotides into the cytoplasm. According to the present invention, apoptosis of a cell can be prevented by contacting the cell with a composition which can decrease the level of RIF. Apoptosis of cells which are dying prematurely in a disease state such as Alzheimer's Disease, AIDS, muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or other muscle wasting diseases, autoimmune diseases, or a disease in which the cell is infected with a pathogen, such as a virus, bacterium, fungus, mycoplasm, or protozoan, can be prevented using such a composition. The composition comprises a reagent which specifically binds to a wild-type human RTF expression product so as to decrease the level of RTF in the cell.

In one embodiment of the invention, the reagent is a ribozyme, an RNA molecule with catalytic activity. See, e.g., Cech, Science 236: 1532-1539; 1987;

Cech, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 59:543-568; 1990, Cech, Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol 2: 605-609; 1992, Couture and Stinchcomb, Trends Genet. 12: 510-515, 1996. Ribozymes can be used to inhibit gene function by cleaving an RNA sequence, as is known in the art (e.g., Haseloff etal, U.S. Patent 5,641,673). The coding sequence of a RIF gene can be used to generate ribozymes which will specifically bind to mRNA transcribed from the RIF gene. Methods of designing and constructing ribozymes which can cleave other RNA molecules in trans in a highly sequence specific manner have been developed and described in the art (see Haseloff, J. et al. Nature 354:585-591, 1988). For example, the cleavage activity of ribozymes can be targeted to specific RIFϊ NAs by engineering a discrete "hybridization" region into the ribozyme. The hybridization region contains a sequence complementary to the target RIF "RNA and thus specifically hybridizes with the target (see, for example, Gerlach, et al, EP 321,201). The nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NOT provides a source of suitable hybridization region sequences. Longer complementary sequences can be used to increase the affinity of the hybridization sequence for the target. The hybridizing and cleavage regions of the RIF ribozyme can be integrally related; thus, upon hybridizing to the target RIF RNA through the complementary regions, the catalytic region of the ribozyme can cleave the target. RIF ribozymes can be introduced into cells as part of a DNA construct, as is known in the art and described above. Mechanical methods, such as microinjection, liposome-mediated transfection, electroporation, or calcium phosphate precipitation, can be used to introduce the ribozyme-containing DNA construct into cells in which it is desired to decrease RIF expression, as described above. Alternatively, if it is desired that the cells stably retain the DNA construct, it can be supplied on a plasmid and maintained as a separate element or integrated into the genome of the cells, as is known in the art. The DNA construct can include transcriptional regulatory elements, such as a promoter element, an enhancer or UAS element, and a transcriptional terminator signal, for controlling transcription of RIF ribozymes in the cells.

As taught in Haseloff et al, U.S. Patent 5,641,673, RIF ribozymes can be engineered so that ribozyme expression will occur in response to factors which induce expression of the RIF gene. Ribozymes can also be engineered to provide an additional level of regulation, so that destruction of7?ZFmRNA occurs only when both a RIF ribozyme and a RIF gene are induced in the cells.

In another embodiment of the invention, the level of RTF is decreased using an antisense oligonucleotide sequence. The antisense sequence is complementary to at least a portion of the sequence encoding RTF selected from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ TD NOT. Preferably, the antisense oligonucleotide sequence is at least 11 nucleotides in length, but can be at least 12, 15, 20, 25, 30,

35, 40, 45, or 50 or more nucleotides long. Longer sequences can also be used. RIF antisense oligonucleotide molecules can be provided in a DNA construct and introduced into cells as described above to decrease the level of RTF in the cells. RIF antisense oligonucleotides can be deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, or a combination of both. Oligonucleotides can be synthesized manually or by an automated synthesizer, by covalently linking the 5' end of one nucleotide with the 3' end of another nucleotide with non-phosphodiester internucleotide linkages such alkylphosphonates, phosphorothioates, phosphorodithioates, alkylphosphonothioates, alkylphosphonates, phosphoramidates, phosphate esters, carbamates, acetamidate, carboxymethyl esters, carbonates, and phosphate triesters. See Brown, Meth. Mol. Biol. 20: 1-8, 1994; Sonveaux, Meth. Mol Biol. 26:1-72, 1994; Uhlmann etal, Chem. Rev. 90:543-583, 1990.

Although precise complementarity is not required for successful duplex formation between a RIF antisense molecule and the complementary coding sequence of & RIF gene, antisense molecules with no more than one mismatch are preferred. One skilled in the art can easily use the calculated melting point of a RIF antisense-sense pair to determine the degree of mismatching which will be tolerated between a particular antisense oligonucleotide and a particular RIF coding sequence.

RIF antisense oligonucleotides can be modified without affecting their ability to hybridize to a RIF coding sequence. These modifications can be internal or at one or both ends of the antisense molecule. For example, internucleoside phosphate linkages can be modified by adding cholesteryl or diamine moieties with varying numbers of carbon residues between the amino groups and terminal ribose.

Modified bases and/or sugars, such as arabinose instead of ribose, or a 3', 5'-substituted oligonucleotide in which the 3' hydroxyl group or the 5' phosphate group are substituted, can also be employed in a modified antisense oligonucleotide. These modified oligonucleotides can be prepared by methods well known in the art. See, e.g., Agrawal et al, Trends Biotechnol 70:152-158, 1992; Uhlmann etal,

Chem. Rev. 90:543-584, 1990; Uhlmann etal, Tetrahedron. Lett. 275:3539-3542, 1987.

Antibodies of the invention which specifically bind to RTF, particularly single-chain antibodies, can also be used to alter levels of RTF. The antibodies bind to RIF and prevent the protein from inducing apoptosis. Polynucleotides encoding single-chain antibodies of the invention can be introduced into cells as described above.

Preferably, the mechanism used to decrease the level of RTF, whether ribozyme, antisense oligonucleotide sequence, or antibody, decreases the level of RTF by at least 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80%. Most preferably, the level of RIF is decreased by at least 90%, 95%, 99%, or 100%. The effectiveness of the mechanism chosen to decrease the level of RTF can be assessed using methods well known in the art, such as hybridization of nucleotide probes to RIF mRNA, quantitative RT-PCR, or detection of RTF protein using RTF-specific antibodies of the invention.

Compositions comprising RTF antibodies, ribozymes, or antisense oligonucleotides can optionally comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are well known to those in the art. Such carriers include, but are not limited to, large, slowly metabolized macromolecules, such as proteins, polysaccharides, polylactic acids, polyglycolic acids, polymeric amino acids, amino acid copolymers, and inactive virus particles. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts can also be used in RTF compositions, for example, mineral salts such as hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, phosphates, or sulfates, as well as salts of organic acids such as acetates, proprionates, malonates, or benzoates. RIF compositions can also contain liquids, such as water, saline, glycerol, and ethanol, as well as substances such as wetting agents, emulsifying agents, or pH buffering agents. Liposomes, such as those described in U.S. Patent 5,422, 120, WO 95/13796, WO 91/14445, orEP 524,968 Bl, can also be used as a carrier for a RTF composition. Typically, a RIF composition is prepared as an injectable, either as a liquid solution or suspension; however, solid forms suitable for solution or suspension in liquid vehicles prior to injection can also be prepared. A RTF composition can also be formulated into an enteric coated tablet or gel capsule according to known methods in the art, such as those described in U.S. Patent 4,853,230, EP 225,189, AU 9,224,296, and AU 9,230,801. Alternatively, a composition comprising all or a portion of RTF or a nucleotide sequence encoding RTF can be introduced into a cell in order to induce apoptosis in cells which are proliferating abnormally in a disease state such as neoplasia. Such compositions can also comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable " carrier, as described above. Proliferative disorders, such as neoplasias, dysplasias, and hyperplasias, and their symptoms can be treated by administration of a RTF composition comprising coding sequences for RIF or comprising RTF protein or polypeptide fragments. Neoplasias which can be treated with such RTF compositions include, but are not limited to, melanomas, squamous cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, hepatocellular carcinomas, renal cell carcinomas, sarcomas, myosarcomas, non-small cell lung carcinomas, leukemias, lymphomas, osteosarcomas, central nervous system tumors such as gliomas, astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, and neuroblastomas, tumors of mixed origin, such as Wilms' tumor and teratocarcinomas, and metastatic tumors. Proliferative disorders, such as anhydric hereditary ectodermal dysplasia, congenital alveolar dysplasia, epithelial dysplasia of the cervix, fibrous dysplasia of bone, and mammary dysplasia, can also be treated according to the invention. Hyperplasias, for example, endometrial, adrenal, breast, prostate, or thyroid hyperplasias, or pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia of the skin can be treated with such RTF compositions. An entire RTF coding sequence or protein can be introduced, as described above. Alternatively, a portion of a RIF protein which induces apoptosis can be identified, and that portion or a nucleotide sequence encoding it can be introduced into the cell. Portions of a RTF which induce apoptosis can be identified by introducing expression constructs which express different portions of the protein into cells and observing increased apoptosis, as is known in the art.

Administration of RTF compositions of the invention can include local or systemic administration, including injection, oral administration, particle gun, or catheterized administration, and topical administration. Various methods can be used to administer a RTF composition directly to a specific site in the body. For inducing apoptosis in a tumor, for example, an appropriate RTF composition injected several times in several different locations within the body of the tumor. Alternatively, arteries which serve the tumor can be identified, and a RIF composition can be injected into such an artery in order to deliver the composition to the tumor. A tumor which has a necrotic center can be aspirated, and a RIF composition can be injected directly into the now empty center of the tumor. A RIF composition can also be administered directly to the surface of a tumor, for example, by topical application of the composition. X-ray imaging can be used to assist in certain of these delivery methods. Combination therapeutic agents, including a RIF or polypeptide or a subgenomic RIF polynucleotide, can be administered simultaneously or sequentially together with other therapeutic agents.

RIF compositions can be delivered to specific tissues using receptor- mediated targeted delivery. Receptor-mediated DNA delivery techniques are taught in, for example, Findeis et al. Trends in Biotechnol 11, 202-05, (1993); Chiou et al, GENE THERAPE ΠCS: METHODS AND APPLICAΉONS OF DIRECT GENE

TRANSFER (J.A. Wolff, ed.) (1994); Wu & Wu, J. Biol Chem. 263, 621-24, 1988; Wu et al, J. Biol. Chem. 269, 542-46, 1994; Zenke etal, Proc. Natl Acad Sci. USA. 87, 3655-59, 1990; Wu etal, J. Biol Chem. 266, 338-42, 1991. Both the dose of a particular RIF composition and the means of administering the composition can be determined based on specific qualities of the

RTF composition, the condition, age, and weight of the patient, the progression of the particular disease being treated, and other relevant factors. If the composition contains RIF proteins, polypeptides, or antibodies, effective dosages of the composition are in the range of about 5 μg to about 50 μg/kg of patient body weight, about 50 μg to about 5 mg/kg, about 100 μg to about 500 μg/kg of patient body weight, and about 200 to about 250 μg/kg.

Compositions containing RIF subgenomic polynucleotides, including antisense oligonucleotides and ribozyme-or antibody-encoding sequences, can be administered in a range of about 100 ng to about 200 mg of DNA for local administration. Suitable concentrations range from about 500 ng to about 50 mg, about 1 μg to about 2 mg, about 5 μg to about 500 μg, and about 20 μg to about 100 μg of DNA. Factors such as method of action and efficacy of transformation and expression are considerations which will affect the dosage required for ultimate efficacy of the RTF composition. If greater expression is desired over a larger area of tissue, larger amounts of a RTF composition or the same amount administered successively, or several administrations to different adjacent or close tissue portions of, for example, a tumor site, may be required to effect a positive therapeutic outcome. In all cases, routine experimentation in clinical trials will determine specific ranges for optimal therapeutic effect. Expression of an endogenous RIF gene in a cell can be altered by introducing in frame with the endogenous RIF gene a DNA construct comprising a RIF targeting sequence, a regulatory sequence, an exon, and an unpaired splice donor site by homologous recombination, such that a homologously recombinant cell comprising a new RIF transcription unit is formed. The new transcription unit can be used to turn the RIF gene on or off as desired. This method of affecting endogenous gene expression is taught in U.S. Patent 5,641,670, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The targeting sequence is a segment of at least 10, 12, 15, 20, or 50 contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NOT. The transcription unit is located upstream of a coding sequence of the endogenous RIF gene. The exogenous regulatory sequence directs transcription of the coding sequence of the 7?ZF gene.

The present invention provides assays which can be used to screen test compounds for the ability to prevent binding of RIP to RIP and thereby affect or alter apoptosis. Either full-length RTF or portions of full-length RIF which bind to

RTP can be used in the following methods. The test compounds can be pharmacologic agents already known in the art or can be compounds previously unknown to have any pharmacological activity. The compounds can be naturally occurring or designed in the laboratory. They can be isolated from microorganisms, animals, or plants. Test compounds can be produced recombinantly or synthesized by chemical methods known in the art.

In one embodiment of the invention, a cell is contacted with a test compound. The cell can be any cell capable of being maintained in vitro. It cairbe freshly isolated from a human tissue or can be obtained from a cell line such as

HeLa cells. Methods of culturing cells, for example as monolayers, explants, or cellular reaggregates, are well-known in the art. The test compound can be a component of the culture medium or can be added separately.

At the time of contacting, the cell comprises two expression constructs. The first expression construct comprises a subgenomic polynucleotide encoding at least a portion of RIP selected from the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:4. The portion of RIP binds to a portion of RTF. The second expression construct comprises a subgenomic polynucleotide encoding at least a portion of REF selected from the sequence shown in SEQ TD NO:2. The portion of RIF binds to RIP. RTP- and RTF-binding sites on RTF and RIP, respectively, can be determined using techniques such as site-directed mutagenesis to construct, for example, deletion or truncation mutants of RIF and REP and using the mutant proteins in routine binding assays. The expression constructs can be assembled using standard recombinant DNA techniques. The expression constructs are introduced into the cell by methods well known in the art, as disclosed above.

The ability of the test compound to decrease the binding of the portion of RTF to the portion of RTP is then measured. A number of methods can be used to measure the binding. For example, the relative concentration of RTF-RIP complexes can be detected by examining the apparent molecular masses of the molecules by size exclusion chromatography or by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under non-reducing conditions. The complexes can be visualized using antibodies that specifically bind to RTF or to RTP epitopes. Antibodies which specifically bind to RTP epitopes can be prepared, for example, using standard polyclonal or monoclonal antibody techniques. If expression constructs encoding RTF or RTP fusion proteins are used, binding can be monitored by means of radioactive, fluorescent, or enzymatic tags on at least one of the fusion proteins. Other methods of measuring the amount binding will readily occur to those of ordinary skill in the art and can be used.

A test compound which increases or decreases the amount of binding is a potential drug for altering apoptosis. A drug which induces apoptosis can be used, for example, to treat biological conditions or disease states which are characterized by an abnormal proliferation of cells, such as neoplasias. A drug which prevents or decreases apoptosis can be used to treat biological conditions or disease states which are characterized by abnormal levels of cell death, such as Alzheimer's Disease, ATDS, muscle wasting diseases, autoimmune diseases, or diseases in which a cell is infected with a pathogen, such as a bacterium, virus, mycoplasm, fungus, or protozoan. Preferably, the test compound increases or decreases binding by at least 30-40%. More preferably, the test compound increases or decreases binding by at least 40-60%, 50-70%, 60-80%, 70-90%, 75-95%, or 80-98%. According to one particular embodiment of the present invention, the yeast two-hybrid technique can be used to screen for test compounds which affect binding of RTF to RTP. The yeast two-hybrid technique is generically taught in Fields, S. and Song, O., Nature 340, 245-46, 1989. In a preferred embodiment, a cell is contacted with a test compound. The test compound can be part of the cell culture medium or it can be added separately. The cell comprises two expression constructs. Each expression construct encodes a fusion protein. The first expression construct encodes a fusion protein comprising a DNA binding domain and either (1) all or at least a portion of a human RIF protein comprising a contiguous sequence of amino acids selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 and capable of binding to RTF or (2) all or at least a portion of a human RTP protein with the sequence shown in SEQ TD NO:4.

The second expression construct encodes a fusion protein comprising a transcriptional activating domain and either (1) all or at least a portion of a human RIP protein with the sequence shown in SEQ TD NO:4 or (2) all or a portion of a human RTF protein with the sequence shown in SEQ TD NO:2. When the first expression construct encodes REF amino acids, the second expression construct encodes RTP amino acids. When the first expression construct encodes RIP amino acids, the second expression construct encodes RTF amino acids. The cell also comprises a reporter gene comprising a DNA sequence to which the DNA binding domain specifically binds.

When the portions of RTF and RTP bind, the DNA binding domain and the transcriptional activating domain will be in close enough proximity to reconstitute a transcriptional activator capable of initiating transcription of the detectable reporter gene in the cell. The expression of the reporter gene in the presence of the test compound is then measured. A test compound which increases or decreases the expression of the reporter gene is a potential drug for altering apoptosis. Preferably, the test compound increases or decreases reporter gene expression by at least 30-40%. More preferably, the test compound increases or decreases reporter gene expression by at least 40-60%, 50-70%, 60-80%, 70-90%, 75-95%, or 80- 98%.

Many DNA binding domains and transcriptional activating domains can be used in this system, including the DNA binding domains of GAL4, LexA, and the human estrogen receptor paired with the acidic transcriptional activating domains of GAL4 or the herpes virus simplex protein VP16 (See, e.g., G.J. Hannon et al., GenesDev. 7, 2378, 1993; A.S. Zervos etal, Cell 72, 223, 1993; A.B.Votjet et al, Cell 74, 205, 1993; J.W. Harper et al, Cell 75, 805, 1993; B. Le Douarin et al, Nucl. Acids Res. 23, 876, 1995). A number of plasmids known in the art can be constructed to contain the coding sequences for the fusion proteins using standard laboratory techniques for manipulating DNA (see Example 1, infra). Suitable detectable reporter genes include the E. coli lacZ gene, whose expression can be measured colorimetrically (e.g., Fields and Song, supra), and yeast selectable genes such as HIS3 (Harper et al, supra; Votjet et al, supra; Hannon et al, supra) or URA3 (Le Douarin et al, supra). Methods for transforming cells are also well known in the art. See, e.g., Hinnen et al, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 1929- 1933, 1978. In another embodiment of the invention, a test compound is contacted with a first polypeptide comprising a RTF-binding site and a second polypeptide comprising a RIP-binding site. Contacting can occur in vitro. Polypeptides comprising the binding sites can be produced recombinantly, isolated from human cells, or synthesized by standard chemical methods. The binding sites can be located on full-length proteins, fusion proteins, polypeptides, or protein fragments. Binding or dissociation of the first and second polypeptides in the presence of the test compound can be measured as described above. Proteins or polypeptides comprising the RTF and/or RIP binding sites can be radiolabeled or labeled with fluorescent or enzymatic tags and can be detected, for example, by scintillation counting, fluorometric assay, monitoring the generation of a detectable product, or by measuring the apparent molecular mass of the bound or unbound proteins by gel filtration or electrophoretic mobility. Proteins or polypeptides comprising either a RTF- or a RTP-binding site can be bound to a solid support, such as a column matrix or a nylon membrane.

A test compound which increases or decreases the amount of binding between the first and second polypeptides is a potential drug for affecting apoptosis. Preferably, the test compound increases or decreases binding by at least 30-40%. More preferably, the test compound increases or decreases binding by at least 40- 60%, 50-70%, 60-80%, 70-90%, 75-95%, or 80-98%.

A RIF subgenomic polynucleotide can also be delivered to subjects for the purpose of screening test compounds for those which are useful for enhancing transfer of RIF subgenomic polynucleotides to the cell or for enhancing subsequent biological effects of RIF subgenomic polynucleotides within the cell. Such biological effects include hybridization to complementary RIF mRNA and inhibition of its translation, expression of a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide to form RIF mRNA and/or RIF protein, and replication and integration of a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide. The subject can be a cell culture or an animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a human. Test compounds which can be screened include any substances, whether natural products or synthetic, which can be administered to the subject. Libraries or mixtures of compounds can be tested. The compounds or substances can be those for which a pharmaceutical effect is previously known or unknown. The compounds or substances can be delivered before, after, or concomitantly with a

RIF subgenomic polynucleotide. They can be administered separately or in admixture with a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide.

Integration of a delivered 7?ZF subgenomic polynucleotide can be monitored by any means known in the art. For example, Southern blotting of the delivered RIF subgenomic polynucleotide can be performed. A change in the size of the fragments of a delivered polynucleotide indicates integration. Replication of a delivered polynucleotide can be monitored inter alia by detecting incorporation of labeled nucleotides combined with hybridization to a RIF probe. Expression of a RIF subgenomic polynucleotide can be monitored by detecting production of RIF mRNA which hybridizes to the delivered polynucleotide or by detecting RIF protein. RTF protein can be detected immunologically. Thus, the delivery of RIF subgenomic polynucleotides according to the present invention provides an excellent system for screening test compounds for their ability to enhance transfer of RIF subgenomic polynucleotides to a cell, by enhancing delivery, integration, hybridization, expression, replication or integration in a cell in vitro or in an animal, preferably a mammal, more preferably a human.

The following are provided for exemplification purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which has been described above.

EXAMPLE 1

This example demonstrates the cloning of RTF cDNA.

The C-terminal part of mouse RTP (mRIP), comprising α-helix and death domain (nucleotides 1219-2019 of SEQ ID NO: 12), was amplified by PCR from a pBKS clone containing full length rip using the following oligonucleotides: 5'-CATGTCCCATATGGCAGAGAAACAGACA-3' (SEQ TD NO:5) and 5'-CCTGGATCCGCAGAGAAACAGACAAAAC-3' (SEQ TD NO:6). The product was cloned into pASl-CYCH as an Ndel-BamHI fragment in a C-terminal fiision with the first 147 amino acids of GAL4 DNA binding domain. The sequence of the resulting plasmid, referred to as pASl/C-termRTP, was verified by the Sanger dideoxy sequencing method.

Yeast transformation with a human placenta library (Clontech, amplified on plates) was performed using a yeast two-hybrid kit supplied by Dr. Stephen Elledge of Baylor College of Medicine at Houston, TX.

Transformation of yeast Y190 cells was carried out by mixing 2 μg bait DNA (pAS 1/C-term RTP), 5 μg DNA library, 200 μg boiled salmon sperm DNA

(Boehringer), 100 μl competent yeasts, and incubating the mixture in a 30 °C water bath for 1 hour. Cells were heat shocked at 42 °C for 15 min., then pelleted. The supernatant was removed, and the pellet was resuspended in 200 μl Tris. Recombinants were plated on - HIS, LEU, TRP media with 30 mM 3 -AT (Sigma) to select for cells in which the human placental cone encodes a protein which interacts with RTP. Such an interaction reconstitutes the GAL4 transcription transactivator, which induces both a histidine biosynthetic enzyme and β- galactosidase expression.

Two million recombinants were screened using pAS 1/C-term RTP. For clones growing in selective media, library DNA was recovered as follows. Colonies were grown in 4 ml of - LEU media. Cells were pelleted and resuspended in residual liquid, and 200 μg yeast lysis buffer (2% triton, 1% SDS, 100 mMNaCl, 10 mM Tris, pH 8, 1 mM EDTA), 200 μl phenol/chloroform and 0.3 g of glass beads were added. Cells were vortexed for 5 min. After another centrifugation, the DNA was precipitated from the supernatant, resuspended into 10 μl H₂O and transformed into high cloning efficiency bacteria.

Growing clones were tested for specificity of interaction using β-gal assays. Co-transformation of both bait and DNA library were carried out with only 1 μg of each plasmid DNA. Recombinant cells were plated on - LEU, TRP plates. Colonies were lifted on Whatman 1450-082 filter paper. Cells were permeabilized by soaking filters in liquid nitrogen for 30 seconds. The β-galactosidase assay was performed by incubating the filter on paper soaked with Z buffer supplemented with 1 mg/ml X-gal (dissolved in DMF at 100 mg/ml). Blue colonies were considered positive. Among the positive colonies one specific clone turned reproducibly blue in β-gal assays using C-terminus RIP as a bait. This colony was negative with any irrelevant bait tested as controls (laminin, RTP, Fas, A20, TNFR-1). Thus, the colony contained DNA encoding a RTP interacting factor.

EXAMPLE 2

This example demonstrates the detection of REF mRNA in human tissue.

A random prime probe (Rediprime; Amersham) was generated using the RIF clone as a template. Using this probe on a multiple tissue Northern Blot (Clonetech) showed a single 2 kb band after overnight exposure in all tissues analyzed (spleen, thymus, prostate, ovary, small intestine, colon, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and testis). In addition, a 2.2 kb band of similar intensity was present in the testis.

EXAMPLE 3 This example demonstrates the nuclear localization of RIF.

Full length glu glu-tagged RTF was obtained as an Xbal-BamHI fragment by PCR on human spleen cDNA library (Gibco) using the following oligonucleotides: 5'-CGGGTCTAGAGAATACATGCCAATGGAAATGAACCACAAG-3' (SEQ ID NO:7) and 5'-CCGGGATCCGATCAAATCCTATACCAT-3' (SEQ ID NO:8). The fragment was cloned into the expression vector pCG. pCG is described in

Giese et al, Genes and Development 9:995-1008 (1995), and is a pEVRF derivative. pEVRF is described in Matthias et al, Nucleic Acids Res. (1989) 77:6418. The sequence was determined by Sanger dideoxy sequencing method. Using pCG/RTF as template, full length RTF was obtained by PCR as an HindTTI-BamHI fragment and cloned in frame at either the N-terminus or the C- terminus of GFP in both pEGFP-N2 and pEGFP-C2 vectors (Clonetech). The following oligonucleotides were used:

5'-CCGCGCCAAGCTTCATGAACCACAAGAGCAAGAA-3' (SEQ ID NO:9) and and 5'-CCGGGATCCGATCAAATCCTATACCAT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 10), for cloning into pEGFP-C2, and 5'-

CCGCGCCAAGCTTCATGAACCACAAGAGCAAGAA-3' (SEQ TD NO:9) and 5'-CGGGATCTGGATCCCAATCCTATACCATTTCCTT-3' (SEQ ID NOT 1) for cloning into pEGFP-N2. The sequence of all these constructs was verified by the Sanger dideoxy sequencing method.

HeLa cells were plated the night before transfection in 2-chamber slides (Lab TekQ; Nalge Nunc) at about 60% confluency. Transfection with constructs was carried out in OptiMEM media for 5 h with a mixture of 6 μl TransIT-LTl (Pan Vera Corp.) and about 1 μg of each plasmid. Expression of constructs was analyzed 24 hours later. Cells were rinsed, then fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde.

The nuclei were stained with DAPI.

Expression of RTF-GFP fusions were checked directly under a fluorescence microscope (Zeiss). Pictures were taken using an MClOOspot camera system connected to the fluorescence microscope. Both N-terminus- and C-terminus-RIF- GFP fusion proteins were located in the nucleus, as detected by green fluorescent aggregated areas. These areas were distinct from DAPI-stained chromatin. A small amount of green fluorescence was seen as a haze in the cytoplasm.

Immunostaining for glu glu-tagged RTF was performed after 24 hours of expression. Cells were permeabilized using 0.2% Triton X-100 for 2 minutes on ice, rinsed 3 times and blocked for 45 minutes with 10% donkey serum. The cells were incubated for 2-3 hours with 25 μg ml anti-glu glu monoclonal antibodies in 0.1% donkey serum. After several washes the cells were incubated with anti-mouse Ig secondary antibodies coupled to rhodamine, Texas Red, or CY3. Cells were washed thoroughly and observed under a fluorescence microscope. Similar results to those obtained with the RTF-green fluorescent protein fusion proteins was obtained. Thus, these experiments demonstrate that RIF protein is located in the nuclei of human cells.

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Brunner, T., et al. (1995) Nature 373, 441-44 Cariello (1988) Human Genetics 42, 726

Chinnaiyan, A.M., et al. (1995) Cell 81, 505-12

Cohen, J.J. (1993) Immunol. Today 14, 126-30

Dhein, J., et al. (1995) Nature 373, 438-41

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Yonehara, S., et al. (1989) J. Exp. Med. 169, 1747-56

Yuan, J., et al. (1993) Cell 75, 641-52 SEQUENCE LISTING

(1) GENERAL INFORMATION:

(i) APPLICANT: Shamoon, Blanche (ii) TITLE OF INVENTION: Human RIP-interacting Factor (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 12

(iv) CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS:

(A) ADDRESSEE: Chiron Corporation

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(A) APPLICATION NUMBER: US

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(viii) ATTORNEY/AGENT INFORMATION:

(A) NAME: Jane Potter

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(C) REFERENCE/DOCKET NUMBER: 1381.001

(ix) TELECOMMUNICATION INFORMATION:

(A) TELEPHONE: 202-508-9100

(B) TELEFAX: 202-508-9299

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:l:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 948 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: double

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: CDNA (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO (iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

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

ATGAACCACA AGAGCAAGAA GCGCATCCGC GAGGCCAAGC GGAGTGCGCG GCCGGAGCTC 60

AAGGACTCGC TGGATTGGAC CCGGCACAAC TACTACGAGA GCTTCTCGCT GAGCCCGGCG 120

GCCGTGGCGG ATAACGTGGA AAGGGCAGAT GCTTTACAGC TGTCTGTGGA AGAATTTGTG 180

GAGCGGTATG AAAGACCTTA CAAGCCCGTG GTTTTGTTGA ATGCGCAAGA GGGCTGGTCT 240

GCGCAGGAGA AATGGACTCT GGAGCGCCTA AAAAGGAAAT ATCGGAACCA GAAGTTCAAG 300

TGTGGTGAGG ATAACGATGG CTACTCAGTG AAGATGAAGA TGAAATACTA CATCGAGTAC 360

ATGGAGAGCA CTCGAGATGA TAGTCCCCTT TACATCTTTG ACAGCAGCTA TGGTGAACAC 420

CCTAAAAGAA GGAAACTTTT GGAAGACTAC AAGGTGCCAA AGTTTTTCAC TGATGACCTT 480

TTCCAGTATG CTGGGGAGAA GCGCAGGCCC CCTTACAGGT GGTTTGTGAT GGGGCCACCA 540

CGCTCCGGAA CTGGGATTCA CATCGACCCT CTGGGAACCA GTGCCTGGAA TGCCTTAGTT 600

CAGGGCCACA AGCGCTGGTG CCTGTTTCCT ACCAGCACTC CCAGGGAACT CATCAAAGTG 660

ACCCGAGACG AAGGAGGGAA CCAGCAAGAC GAAGCTATTA CCTGGTTTAA TGTTATTTAT 720

CCCCGGACAC AGCTTCCAAC CTGGCCACCT GAATTCAAAC CCCTGGAAAT CTTACAAAAA 780

CCAGGAGAGA CTGTCTTTGT ACCAGGAGGC TGGTGGCATG TTGTCCTCAA TCTCGACACT 840

ACTATCGCCA TCACCCAAAA TTTTGCCAGC AGCACCAACT TCCCTGTGGT ATGGCACAAG 900

ACGGTAAGAG GGAGACCAAA GTTATCAAGG AAATGGTATA GGATTTGA 948 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 2:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 315 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS : single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 2:

Met Asn His Lys Ser Lys Lys Arg lie Arg Glu Ala Lys Arg Ser Ala 1 5 10 15

Arg Pro Glu Leu Lys Asp Ser Leu Asp Trp Thr Arg His Asn Tyr Tyr 20 25 30

Glu Ser Phe Ser Leu Ser Pro Ala Ala Val Ala Asp Asn Val Glu Arg 35 40 45

Ala Asp Ala Leu Gin Leu Ser Val Glu Glu Phe Val Glu Arg Tyr Glu 50 55 60

Arg Pro Tyr Lys Pro Val Val Leu Leu Asn Ala Gin Glu Gly Trp Ser 65 70 75 80

Ala Gin Glu Lys Trp Thr Leu Glu Arg Leu Lys Arg Lys Tyr Arg Asn 85 90 95

Gin Lys Phe Lys Cys Gly Glu Asp Asn Asp Gly Tyr Ser Val Lys Met 100 105 110

Lys Met Lys Tyr Tyr lie Glu Tyr Met Glu Ser Thr Arg Asp Asp Ser 115 120 125

Pro Leu Tyr lie Phe Asp Ser Ser Tyr Gly Glu His Pro Lys Arg Arg 130 135 140

Lys Leu Leu Glu Asp Tyr Lys Val Pro Lys Phe Phe Thr Asp Asp Leu 145 150 155 160

Phe Gin Tyr Ala Gly Glu Lys Arg Arg Pro Pro Tyr Arg Trp Phe Val 165 170 175

Met Gly Pro Pro Arg Ser Gly Thr Gly lie His lie Asp Pro Leu Gly 180 185 190

Thr Ser Ala Trp Asn Ala Leu Val Gin Gly His Lys Arg Trp Cys Leu 195 200 205

Phe Pro Thr Ser Thr Pro Arg Glu Leu lie Lys Val Thr Arg Asp Glu 210 215 220

Gly Gly Asn Gin Gin Asp Glu Ala lie Thr Trp Phe Asn Val lie Tyr 225 230 235 240

Pro Arg Thr Gin Leu Pro Thr Trp Pro Pro Glu Phe Lys Pro Leu Glu 245 250 255 lie Leu Gin Lys Pro Gly Glu Thr Val Phe Val Pro Gly Gly Trp Trp 260 265 270 His Val Val Leu Asn Leu Asp Thr Thr lie Ala lie Thr Gin Asn Phe 275 280 285

Ala Ser Ser Thr Asn Phe Pro Val Val Trp His Lys Thr Val Arg Gly 290 295 300

Arg Pro Lys Leu Ser Arg Lys Trp Tyr Arg lie 305 310 315

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 3:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 3750 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: double

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (partial)

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

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

CATACTGAGC AAGAACCAAA AGTGGTGTGT TGGAGATTCT GAGCAATCAA AATGCAACCA 60

GACATGTCCT TGGACAATAT TAAGATGGCA TCCAGTGACC TGCTGGAGAA GACAGACCTA 120

GACAGCGGAG GCTTCGGGAA GGTGTCCTTG TGTTACCACA GAAGCCATGG ATTTGTCATC 180

CTGAAAAAAG TATACACAGG GCCCAACCGC GCTGAGTACA ATGAGGTTCT CTTGGAAGAG 240

GGGAAGATGA TGCACAGACT GAGACACAGT CGAGTGGTGA AGCTACTGGG CATCATCATA 300

GAAGAAGGGA ACTATTCGCT GGTGATGGAG TACATGGAGA AGGGCAACCT GATGCACGTG 360

CTAAAGACCC AGATAGATGT CCCACTTTCA TTGAAAGGAA GGATAATCGT GGAGGCCATA 420

GAAGGCATGT GCTACTTACA TGACAAAGGT GTGATACACA AGGACCTGAA GCCTGAGAAT 480

ATCCTCGTTG ATCGTGACTT TCACATTAAG ATAGCCGATC TTGGTGTGGC TTCCTTTAAG 540

ACATGGAGCA AACTGACTAA GGAGAAAGAC AACAAGCAGA AAGAAGTGAG CAGCACCACT 600

AAGAAGAACA ATGGTGGTAC CCTTTACTAC ATGGCACCCG AACACCTGAA TGACATCAAT 660

GCAAAGCCCA CGGAGAAGTC GGACGTGTAC AGCTTTGGCA TTGTCCTTTG GGCAATATTT 720 GCAAAAAAGG AGCCCTATGA GAATGTCATC TGTACTGAGC AGTTCGTGAT CTGCATAAAA 780

TCTGGGAACA GGCCAAATGT AGAGGAAATC CTTGAGTACT GTCCAAGGGA GATCATCAGC 840

CTCATGGAGC GGTGCTGGCA GGCGATCCCA GAAGACAGGC CAACATTTCT TGGCATTGAA 900

GAAGAATTTA GGCCTTTTTA CTTAAGTCAT TTTGAAGAAT ATGTAGAAGA GGATGTGGCA 960

AGTTTAAAGA AAGAGTATCC AGATCAAAGC CCAGTGCTGC AGAGAATGTT TTCACTGCAG 1020

CATGACTGTG TACCCTTACC TCCGAGCAGG TCAAATTCAG AACAACCTGG ATCGCTGCAC 1080

AGTTCCCAGG GGCTCCAGAT GGGTCCTGTG GAGGAGTCCT GGTTTTCTTC CTCCCCAGAG 1140

TACCCACAGG ACGAGAATGA TCGCAGTGTG CAGGCTAAGC TGCAAGAGGA AGCCAGCTAT 1200

CATGCTTTTG GAATATTTGC AGAGAAACAG ACAAAACCGC AGCCAAGGCA GAATGAGGCT 1260

TACAACAGAG AGGAGGAAAG GAAACGAAGG GTCTCTCATG ACCCCTTTGC ACAGCAGAGA 1320

GCTCGTGAGA ATATTAAGAG TGCAGGAGCA AGAGGTCATT CTGATCCCAG CACAACGAGT 1380

CGTGGAATTG CAGTGCAACA GCTGTCATGG CCAGCCACCC AAACAGTTTG GAACAATGGA 1440

TTGTATAATC AGCATGGATT TGGAACTACA GGTACAGGAG TTTGGTATCC GCCAAATCTA 1500

AGCCAAATGT ATAGTACTTA TAAAACTCCA GTGCCAGAGA CCAACATACC GGGAAGCACA 1560

CCCACCATGC CATACTTCTC TGGGCCAGTA GCAGATGACC TCATAAAATA TACTATATTC 1620

AATAGTTCTG GTATTCAGAT TGGAAACCAC AATTATATGG ATGTTGGACT GAATTCACAA 1680

CCACCAAACA ATACTTGCAA AGAAGAGTCG ACTTCCAGAC ACCAAGCCAT CTTTGATAAC 1740

ACCACTAGTC TGACTGATGA ACACCTGAAC CCTATCAGGG AAAACCTGGG AAGGCAGTGG 1800

AAAAACTGTG CCCGCAAGCT GGGCTTCACT GAGTCTCAGA TCGATGAAAT CGACCATGAC 1860

TATGAAAGAG ATGGACTGAA AGAGAAAGTT TACCAAATGC TTCAGAAGTG GCTGATGCGG 1920

GAAGGCACCA AAGGGGCCAC AGTGGGAAAG TTGGCCCAGG CACTTCACCA ATGTTGCAGG 1980

ATAGACCTGC TGAACCACTT GATTCGTGCC AGCCAGAGCT AAGCCTGGGC AGGCTCTGGC 2040

AGTGGGAAGC AAACTATTTG TCTGGTGCAC AAACCCCGTT TGCCCACTAG CCTTCAGAAC 2100

TCTATCTCAG CATGAGCTCT GCATTTGAGC ACACAGGGTC ATGCAGTTTG GAACTGGTGG 2160

ATGGGAAGAG AAATCTGAAG CCCACAGTGA TTCTTCAGAA CATGCAAGCA TAAAGACCGC 2220

TGAATGAATG GTCGGTCCAT GACCAGTAGG AGAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAGCA ATACATTAAT 2280

ACACCGATCT CAGAAATATC AATTAACATA TATATAATCA TAACATATTA GTATTATCTA 2340 GAATATATTA CTTAACATAC ACATACCATA TTAGTTCTAT TATAGGTCAA CACGATAAAT 2400

CATACGAAGG CGCTATCTAT ACTGTCATCT GTAATACAAT GGGGAAGTAA TGGTAAGAGT 2460

GGGTGTAGTG TTTTGGAGGT TTAAATTTGC AGTGGGATGA ACACTACGTG GACGTGAAGA 2520

GTTTAAAGAA AGAGTATTCA AACGAAAATG CAGTTGTGAA GAGAATGCAG TCTCTTCAAC 2^*580

TTGATTGTGT GGCAGTACCT TCAAGCCGGT CAAATTCAGC CACAGAACAG CCTGGTTCAC 2640

TGCACAGTTC CCAGGGACTT GGGATGGGTC CTGTGGAGGA GTCCTGGTTT GCTCCTTCCC 2700

TGGAGCACCC ACAAGAAGAG AATGAGCCCA GCCTGCAGAG TAAACTCCAA GACGAAGCCA 2760

ACTACCATCT TTATGGCAGC CGCATGGACA GGCAGACGAA ACAGCAGCCC AGACAGAATG 2820

TGGCTTACAA CAGAGAGGAG GAAAGGAGAC GCAGGGTCTC CCATGACCCT TTTGCACAGC 2880

AAAGACCTTA CGAGAATTTT CAGAATACAG AGGGAAAAGG CACTGTTTAT TCCAGTGCAG 2940

CCAGTCATGG TAATGCAGTG CACCAGCCAT CAGGGCTCAC CAGCCAACCT CAAGTACTGT 3000

ATCAGAACAA TGGATTATAT AGCTCACATG GCTTTGGAAC AAGACCACTG GATCCAGGAA 3060

CAGCAGGTCC CAGAGTTTGG TACAGGCCAA TTCCAAGTCA TATGCCTAGT CTGCATAATA 3120

TCCCAGTGCC TGAGACCAAC TATCTAGGAA ATTCTCCCAC CATGCCATTC AGCTCCTTGC 3180

CACCAACAGA TGAATCTATA AAATATACCA TATACAATAG TACTGGCATT CAGATTGGAG 3240

CCTACAATTA TATGGAGATT GGTGGGACGA GTTCATCACT ACTAGACAGC ACAAATACGA 3300

ACTTCAAAGA AGAGCCAGCT GCTAAGTACC AAGCTATCTT TGATAATACC ACTAGTCTGA 3360

CGGATAAACA CCTGGACCCA ATCAGGGAAA ATCTGGGAAA GCACTGGAAA AACTGTGCCC 3420

GTAAACTGGG CTTCACACAG TCTCAGATTG ATGAAATTGA CCATGACTAT GAGCGAGATG 3480

GACTGAAAGA AAAGGTTTAC CAGATGCTCC AAAAGTGGGT GATGAGGGAA GGCATAAAGG 3540

GAGCCACGGT GGGGAAGCTG GCCCAGGCGC TCCACCAGTG TTCCAGGATC GACCTTCTGA 3600

GCAGCTTGAT TTACGTCAGC CAGAACTAAC CCTGGATGGG CTACGGCAGC TGAAGTGGAC 3660

GCCTCACTTA GTGGATAACC CCAGAAAGTT GGCTGCCTCA GAGCATTCAG AATTCTGTCC 3720

TCACTGATAG GGGTTCTGTG TCTGCAGAAA 3750 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 656 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Homo sapiens

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

Met Gin Pro Asp Met Ser Leu Asp Asn lie Lys Met Ala Ser Ser Asp 1 5 10 15

Leu Leu Glu Lye Thr Asp Leu Asp Ser Gly Gly Phe Gly Lys Val Ser 20 25 30

Leu Cys Tyr His Arg Ser His Gly Phe Val He Leu Lys Lys Val Tyr 35 40 45

Thr Gly Pro Asn Arg Ala Glu Tyr Asn Glu Val Leu Leu Glu Glu Gly 50 55 60

Lys Met Met His Arg Leu Arg His Ser Arg Val Val Lys Leu Leu Gly 65 70 75 80

He He He Glu Glu Gly Asn Tyr Ser Leu Val Met Glu Tyr Met Glu 85 90 95

Lys Gly Asn Leu Met His Val Leu Lys Thr Gin He Asp Val Pro Leu 100 105 110

Ser Leu Lys Gly Arg He He Val Glu Ala He Glu Gly Met Cys Tyr 115 120 125

Leu His Asp Lys Gly Val He His Lys Asp Leu Lys Pro Glu Asn He 130 135 140

Leu Val Asp Arg Asp Phe His He Lys He Ala Asp Leu Gly Val Ala 145 150 155 160

Ser Phe Lys Thr Trp Ser Lys Leu Thr Lys Glu Lys Asp Asn Lys Gin 165 170 175

Lys Glu Val Ser Ser Thr Thr Lys Lys Asn Asn Gly Gly Thr Leu Tyr 180 185 190

Tyr Met Ala Pro Glu His Leu Asn Asp He Asn Ala Lys Pro Thr Glu 195 200 205

Lys Ser Asp Val Tyr Ser Phe Gly He Val Leu Trp Ala He Phe Ala 210 215 220

Lys Lys Glu Pro Tyr Glu Asn Val .He Cys Thr Glu Gin Phe Val He 225 230 235 240

Cys He Lys Ser Gly Asn Arg Pro Asn Val Glu Glu He Leu Glu Tyr 245 250 255

Cys Pro Arg Glu He He Ser Leu Met Glu Arg Cys Trp Gin Ala He 260 265 270

Pro Glu Asp Arg Pro Thr Phe Leu Gly He Glu Glu Glu Phe Arg Pro 275 280 285

Phe Tyr Leu Ser His Phe Glu Glu Tyr Val Glu Glu Asp Val Ala Ser 290 295 300

Leu Lys Lys Glu Tyr Pro Asp Gin Ser Pro Val Leu Gin Arg Met Phe 305 310 315 320

Ser Leu Gin His Asp Cys Val Pro Leu Pro Pro Ser Arg Ser Asn Ser 325 330 335

Glu Gin Pro Gly Ser Leu His Ser Ser Gin Gly Leu Gin Met Gly Pro 340 345 350

Val Glu Glu Ser Trp Phe Ser Ser Ser Pro Glu Tyr Pro Gin Asp Glu 355 360 365

Asn Asp Arg Ser Val Gin Ala Lys Leu Gin Glu Glu Ala Ser Tyr His 370 375 380

Ala Phe Gly He Phe Ala Glu Lys Gin Thr Lys Pro Gin Pro Arg Gin 385 390 395 400

Asn Glu Ala Tyr Asn Arg Glu Glu Glu Arg Lys Arg Arg Val Ser His 405 410 415

Asp Pro Phe Ala Gin Gin Arg Ala Arg Glu Asn He Lys Ser Ala Gly 420 425 430

Ala Arg Gly His Ser Asp Pro Ser Thr Thr Ser Arg Gly He Ala Val 435 440 445

Gin Gin Leu Ser Trp Pro Ala Thr Gin Thr Val Trp Asn Asn Gly Leu 450 455 460

Tyr Asn Gin His Gly Phe Gly Thr Thr Gly Thr Gly Val Trp Tyr Pro 465 470 475 480

Pro Asn Leu Ser Gin Met Tyr Ser Thr Tyr Lys Thr Pro Val Pro Glu 485 490 495

Thr Asn He Pro Gly Ser Thr Pro Thr Met Pro Tyr Phe Ser Gly Pro 500 505 510

Val Ala Asp Asp Leu He Lys Tyr Thr He Phe Asn Ser Ser Gly He 515 520 525

Gin He Gly Asn His Asn Tyr Met Asp Val Gly Leu Asn Ser Gin Pro 530 535 540

Pro Asn Asn Thr Cys Lys Glu Glu Ser Thr Ser Arg His Gin Ala He 545 550 555 560

Phe Asp Asn Thr Thr Ser Leu Thr Asp Glu His Leu Asn Pro He Arg 565 570 575

Glu Asn Leu Gly Arg Gin Trp Lys Asn Cys Ala Arg Lys Leu Gly Phe 580 585 590

Thr Glu Ser Gin He Asp Glu He Asp His Asp Tyr Glu Arg Asp Gly 595 600 605

Leu Lys Glu Lys Val Tyr Gin Met Leu Gin Lys Trp Leu Met Arg Glu 610 615 620

Gly Thr Lys Gly Ala Thr Val Gly Lys Leu Ala Gin Ala Leu His Gin 625 630 635 640

Cys Cys Arg He Asp Leu Leu Asn His Leu He Arg Ala Ser Gin Ser 645 650 655

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 5:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 28 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO (iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 5: CATGTCCCAT ATGGCAGAGA AACAGACA 28

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 6:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 28 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO (iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 6: CCTGGATCCG CAGAGAAACA GACAAAAC 28

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 7:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 40 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nuj-leic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO (iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 7: CGGGTCTAGA GAATACATGC CAATGGAAAT GAACCACAAG 40

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 8:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS :

(A) LENGTH: 27 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO (iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 8: CCGGGATCCG ATCAAATCCT ATACCAT ^~27

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 9:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 34 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO (iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 9: CCGCGCCAAG CTTCATGAAC CACAAGAGCA AGAA 34

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 10:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 34 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO (iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 10: CCGCGCCAAG CTTCATGAAC CACAAGAGCA AGAA 34

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 11:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 34 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO (iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 11: CGGGATCTGG ATCCCAATCC TATACCATTT CCTT 34

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 12:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 2268 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: double

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(A) ORGANISM: Mus musculus

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 12:

CATACTGAGC AAGAACCAAA AGTGGTGTGT TGGAGATTCT GAGCAATCAA AATGCAACCA 60

GACATGTCCT TGGACAATAT TAAGATGGCA TCCAGTGACC TGCTGGAGAA GACAGACCTA 120

GACAGCGGAG GCTTCGGGAA GGTGTCCTTG TGTTACCACA GAAGCCATGG ATTTGTCATC 180

CTGAAAAAAG TATACACAGG GCCCAACCGC GCTGAGTACA ATGAGGTTCT CTTGGAAGAG 240

GGGAAGATGA TGCACAGACT GAGACACAGT CGAGTGGTGA AGCTACTGGG CATCATCATA 300

GAAGAAGGGA ACTATTCGCT GGTGATGGAG TACATGGAGA AGGGCAACCT GATGCACGTG 360

CTAAAGACCC AGATAGATGT CCCACTTTCA TTGAAAGGAA GGATAATCGT GGAGGCCATA 420

GAAGGCATGT GCTACTTACA TGACAAAGGT GTGATACACA AGGACCTGAA GCCTGAGAAT 480

ATCCTCGTTG ATCGTGACTT TCACATTAAG ATAGCCGATC TTGGTGTGGC TTCCTTTAAG 540

ACATGGAGCA AACTGACTAA GGAGAAAGAC AACAAGCAGA AAGAAGTGAG CAGCACCACT 600 AAGAAGAACA ATGGTGGTAC CCTTTACTAC ATGGCACCCG AACACCTGAA TGACATCAAT 660

GCAAAGCCCA CGGAGAAGTC GGACGTGTAC AGCTTTGGCA TTGTCCTTTG GGCAATATTT 720

GCAAAAAAGG AGCCCTATGA GAATGTCATC TGTACTGAGC AGTTCGTGAT CTGCATAAAA 780

TCTGGGAACA GGCCAAATGT AGAGGAAATC CTTGAGTACT GTCCAAGGGA GATCATCAGC 840

CTCATGGAGC GGTGCTGGCA GGCGATCCCA GAAGACAGGC CAACATTTCT TGGCATTGAA 900

GAAGAATTTA GGCCTTTTTA CTTAAGTCAT TTTGAAGAAT ATGTAGAAGA GGATGTGGCA 960

AGTTTAAAGA AAGAGTATCC AGATCAAAGC CCAGTGCTGC AGAGAATGTT TTCACTGCAG 1020

CATGACTGTG TACCCTTACC TCCGAGCAGG TCAAATTCAG AACAACCTGG ATCGCTGCAC 1080

AGTTCCCAGG GGCTCCAGAT GGGTCCTGTG GAGGAGTCCT GGTTTTCTTC CTCCCCAGAG 1140

TACCCACAGG ACGAGAATGA TCGCAGTGTG CAGGCTAAGC TGCAAGAGGA AGCCAGCTAT 1200

CATGCTTTTG GAATATTTGC AGAGAAACAG ACAAAACCGC AGCCAAGGCA GAATGAGGCT 1260

TACAACAGAG AGGAGGAAAG GAAACGAAGG GTCTCTCATG ACCCCTTTGC ACAGCAGAGA 1320

GCTCGTGAGA ATATTAAGAG TGCAGGAGCA AGAGGTCATT CTGATCCCAG CACAACGAGT 1380

CGTGGAATTG CAGTGCAACA GCTGTCATGG CCAGCCACCC AAACAGTTTG GAACAATGGA 1440

TTGTATAATC AGCATGGATT TGGAACTACA GGTACAGGAG TTTGGTATCC GCCAAATCTA 1500

AGCCAAATGT ATAGTACTTA TAAAACTCCA GTGCCAGAGA CCAACATACC GGGAAGCACA 1560

CCCACCATGC CATACTTCTC TGGGCCAGTA GCAGATGACC TCATAAAATA TACTATATTC 1620

AATAGTTCTG GTATTCAGAT TGGAAACCAC AATTATATGG ATGTTGGACT GAATTCACAA 1680

CCACCAAACA ATACTTGCAA AGAAGAGTCG ACTTCCAGAC ACCAAGCCAT CTTTGATAAC 1740

ACCACTAGTC TGACTGATGA ACACCTGAAC CCTATCAGGG AAAACCTGGG AAGGCAGTGG 1800

AAAAACTGTG CCCGCAAGCT GGGCTTCACT GAGTCTCAGA TCGATGAAAT CGACCATGAC 1860

TATGAAAGAG ATGGACTGAA AGAGAAAGTT TACCAAATGC TTCAGAAGTG GCTGATGCGG 1920

GAAGGCACCA AAGGGGCCAC AGTGGGAAAG TTGGCCCAGG CACTTCACCA ATGTTGCAGG 1980

ATAGACCTGC TGAACCACTT GATTCGTGCC AGCCAGAGCT AAGCCTGGGC AGGCTCTGGC 2040

AGTGGGAAGC AAACTATTTG TCTGGTGCAC AAACCCCGTT TGCCCACTAG CCTTCAGAAC 2100

TCTATCTCAG CATGAGCTCT GCATTTGAGC ACACAGGGTC ATGCAGTTTG GAACTGGTGG 2160

ATGGGAAGAG AAATCTGAAG CCCACAGTGA TTCTTCAGAA CATGCAAGCA TAAAGACCGC 2220 TGAATGAATG GTCGGTCCAT GACCAGTAGG AGAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAG 2268

Claims

1. An isolated and purified human RIP-interacting Factor (RIF protein) having an amino acid sequence which is at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

2. An isolated and purified human RTF polypeptide comprising at least 6 contiguous amino acids selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ TD NO:2.

3. A fusion protein comprising a first protein segment and a second protein segment fused to each other by means of a peptide bond, wherein the first protein segment comprises at least 6 contiguous amino acids of a human RTF protein selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ TD NO:2.

4. A preparation of antibodies which specifically bind to a human RTF protein.

5. An isolated and purified subgenomic polynucleotide encoding an amino acid sequence of a human RTF protein or a human RTF protein variant, wherein the nucleotide sequence of the subgenomic polynucleotide is at least 85% identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ TD NOT.

6. An expression construct, comprising: a subgenomic polynucleotide, wherein the subgenomic polynucleotide comprises at least 11 contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NOT; and a promoter, wherein the subgenomic polynucleotide is located downstream from the promoter, and wherein transcription of the subgenomic polynucleotide initiates at the promoter.

7. A homologously recombinant cell having incorporated therein a new transcription initiation unit, wherein the new transcription initiation unit comprises:

(a) an exogenous regulatory sequence;

(b) an exogenous exon; and (c) a splice donor site, wherein the transcription initiation unit is located upstream of a coding sequence of a. RIF gene, wherein the exogenous regulatory sequence directs transcription of the coding sequence of the 7?Z gene.

8. A host cell which comprises an expression construct, wherein the expression construct comprises (a) a subgenomic polynucleotide comprising at least 11 contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ TD NO: 1 and (b) a promoter, wherein the subgenomic polynucleotide is located downstream from the promoter, and wherein transcription of the subgenomic polynucleotide initiates at the promoter.

9. A method of inducing apoptosis in a cell, comprising the step of: contacting the cell with all or a portion of RTF protein, wherein the RTF protein has an amino acid sequence which is at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ TD NO:2, wherein the all or a portion of RTF protein is capable of inducing apoptosis in the cell, whereby apoptosis of the cell is induced.

10. A method of preventing apoptosis of a cell, comprising the step of: contacting the cell with a composition comprising (a) a polynucleotide encoding a reagent which specifically binds to a wild-type human

RIF expression product and (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, whereby apoptosis of the cell is prevented.

11. A composition comprising: a polynucleotide encoding a reagent which specifically binds to a wild-type human RIF expression product; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

12. A composition, comprising: all or a portion of a protein having an amino acid sequence which is at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ TD NO:2 or all or a portion of a gene having a nucleotide sequence which is at least 85% identical to the nucleotide shown in SEQ TD NOT; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

13. A method of detecting human cell nuclei, comprising the steps f: contacting human cells with a preparation of antibodies that specifically bind to a human REF protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2; and detecting antibodies of the preparation which are specifically bound to the cells, wherein bound antibodies indicate nuclei within the cells.

14. A method of expressing a 7?7 subgenomic polynucleotide in a cell, comprising the step of: delivering the RIF subgenomic polynucleotide to the cell, whereby the RIF subgenomic polynucleotide is expressed.