Antibodies to vertebrate serrate proteins and fragments

• Main Authors: Ish-Horowicz, David, Henrique, Domingos Manuel Pinto, Lewis, Julian Hart, Myat, Anna Mary, Fleming, Robert J, Artavanis-Tsakonas, Spyridon, Mann, Robert S, Gray, Grace E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.03.2004

The present invention relates to Serrate genes and their encoded protein products, as well as derivatives and analogs thereof. Production of Serrate proteins, derivatives, and antibodies is also provided. The invention further relates to therapeutic compositions and methods of diagnosis and therapy. The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of Serrate genes, and amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins, as well as derivatives (e.g., fragments) and analogs thereof. In a specific embodiment, the Serrate protein is a human protein. The invention further relates to fragments (and derivatives and analogs thereof) of Serrate which comprise one or more domains of the Serrate protein, including but not limited to the intracellular domain, extracellular domain, DSL domain, cysteine rich domain, transmembrane region, membrane-associated region, or one or more EGF-like repeats of a Serrate protein, or any combination of the foregoing. Antibodies to Serrate, its derivatives and analogs, are additionally provided. Methods of production of the Serrate proteins, derivatives and analogs, e.g., by recombinant means, are also provided. Therapeutic and diagnostic methods and pharmaceutical compositions are provided. In specific examples, isolated Serrate genes, from Drosophila, chick, mouse, Xenopus and human, are provided.