Patent Publication Number: US-2003225021-A1

Title: Methods of inducing the expression of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and transforming growth factor-beta proteins (TGF-betas) in cells

Description:
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/292,951, filed Nov. 13, 2002, pending, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/331,321, filed Nov. 14, 2001, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.  
     [0002] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/124,238, filed Jul. 29, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,127, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/959,578, filed Apr. 28, 2000, pending. Each of these applications is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0004] The field of the invention relates generally to methods for transfecting cells with genetic material. More specifically, the field of the invention relates to methods of inducing the expression of one or more bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and/or transforming growth factor-β proteins (TGF-βs) by transfecting a cell with a nucleic acid encoding a LIM mineralization protein (LMP).  
       [0005] 2. Background of the Technology  
       [0006] Osteoblasts are thought to differentiate from pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells. The maturation of an osteoblast results in the secretion of an extracellular matrix which can mineralize and form bone. The regulation of this complex process is not well understood but is thought to involve a group of signaling glycoproteins known as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). These proteins have been shown to be involved with embryonic dorsal-ventral patterning, limb bud development, and fracture repair in adult animals. B. L. Hogan, Genes &amp; Develop., 10, 1580 (1996). This group of transforming growth factor-beta superfamily secreted proteins has a spectrum of activities in a variety of cell types at different stages of differentiation; differences in physiological activity between these closely related molecules have not been clarified. D. M. Kingsley, Trends Genet., 10, 16 (1994).  
       [0007] To better discern the unique physiological role of different BMP signaling proteins, we recently compared the potency of BMP-6 with that of BMP-2 and BMP-4, for inducing rat calvarial osteoblast differentiation. Boden, et al., Endocrinology, 137, 3401 (1996). We studied this process in first passage (secondary) cultures of fetal rat calvaria that require BMP or glucocorticoid for initiation of differentiation. In this model of membranous bone formation, glucocorticoid (GC) or a BMP will initiate differentiation to mineralized bone nodules capable of secreting osteocalcin, the osteoblast-specific protein. This secondary culture system is distinct from primary rat osteoblast cultures which undergo spontaneous differentiation. In this secondary system, glucocorticoid resulted in a ten-fold induction of BMP-6 mRNA and protein expression which was responsible for the enhancement of osteoblast differentiation. Boden, et al., Endocrinology, 138, 2920 (1997).  
       [0008] In addition to extracellular signals, such as the BMPs, intracellular signals or regulatory molecules may also play a role in the cascade of events leading to formation of new bone. One broad class of intracellular regulatory molecules are the LIM proteins, which are so named because they possess a characteristic structural motif known as the LIM domain. The LIM domain is a cysteine-rich structural motif composed of two special zinc fingers that are joined by a 2-amino acid spacer. Some proteins have only LIM domains, while others contain a variety of additional functional domains. LIM proteins form a diverse group, which includes transcription factors and cytoskeletal proteins. The primary role of LIM domains appears to be in mediating protein-protein interactions, through the formation of dimers with identical or different LIM domains, or by binding distinct proteins.  
       [0009] In LIM homeodomain proteins, that is, proteins having both LIM domains and a homeodomain sequence, the LIM domains function as negative regulatory elements. LIM homeodomain proteins are involved in the control of cell lineage determination and the regulation of differentiation, although LIM-only proteins may have similar roles. LIM-only proteins are also implicated in the control of cell proliferation since several genes encoding such proteins are associated with oncogenic chromosome translocations.  
       [0010] Humans and other mammalian species are prone to diseases or injuries that require the processes of bone repair and/or regeneration. For example, treatment of fractures would be improved by new treatment regimens that could stimulate the natural bone repair mechanisms, thereby reducing the time required for the fractured bone to heal. In another example, individuals afflicted with systemic bone disorders, such as osteoporosis, would benefit from treatment regimens that would results in systemic formation of new bone. Such treatment regimens would reduce the incidence of fractures arising from the loss of bone mass that is a characteristic of this disease.  
       [0011] For at least these reasons, extracellular factors, such as the BMPs, have been investigated for the purpose of using them to stimulate formation of new bone in vivo. Despite the early successes achieved with BMPs and other extracellular signalling molecules, their use entails a number of disadvantages. For example, relatively large doses of purified BMPs are required to enhance the production of new bone, thereby increasing the expense of such treatment methods. Furthermore, extracellular proteins are susceptible to degradation following their introduction into a host animal. In addition, because they are typically immunogenic, the possibility of stimulating an immune response to the administered proteins is ever present.  
       [0012] Due to such concerns, it would be desirable to have available treatment regimens that use an intracellular signaling molecule to induce new bone formation. Advances in the field of gene therapy now make it possible to introduce into osteogenic precursor cells, that is, cells involved in bone formation, or peripheral blood leukocytes, nucleotide fragments encoding intracellular signals that form part of the bone formation process. Gene therapy for bone formation offers a number of potential advantages: (1) lower production costs; (2) greater efficacy, compared to extracellular treatment regiments, due to the ability to achieve prolonged expression of the intracellular signal; (3) it would by-pass the possibility that treatment with extracellular signals might be hampered due to the presence of limiting numbers of receptors for those signals; (4) it permits the delivery of transfected potential osteoprogenitor cells directly to the site where localized bone formation is required; and (5) it would permit systemic bone formation, thereby providing a treatment regimen for osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases.  
       [0013] In addition to diseases of the bone, humans and other mammalian species are also subject to intervertebral disc degeneration, which is associated with, among other things, low back pain, disc herniations, and spinal stenosis. Disc degeneration is associated with a progressive loss of proteoglycan matrix. This may cause the disc to be more susceptible to bio-mechanical injury and degeneration. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a method of stimulating proteoglycan and/or collagen synthesis by the appropriate cells, such as, for example, cells of the nucleous pulposus, cells of the annulus fibrosus, and cells of the intervertebral disc.  
       [0014] Additionally, there still exists a need to develop a better understanding of the mechanisms of LMP action in the induction of bone formation. By gaining a better understanding of the intracellular signaling pathways involved with osteoblast differentiation, bone formation in a clinical setting could be improved.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015] According to one aspect of the invention, a method of inducing the expression of one or more bone morphogenetic proteins or transforming growth factor-β proteins (TGF-βs) in a cell is provided. The method includes transfecting a cell with an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a LIM mineralization protein operably linked to a promoter. The expression of one or more proteins selected from the group consisting of BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7, TGF-β1 and combinations thereof can be induced according to the invention. The isolated nucleic acid according to this aspect of the invention can be a nucleic acid which can hybridize under standard conditions to a nucleic acid molecule complementary to the full length of SEQ. ID NO: 25; and/or a nucleic acid molecule which can hybridize under highly stringent conditions to a nucleic acid molecule complementary to the full length of SEQ. ID NO: 26 The cell can be any somatic cell such including, but not limited to, buffy coat cells, stem cells and intervertebral disc cells.  
       [0016] According to a second aspect of the invention, a cell which overexpresses one or more bone morphogenetic proteins or transforming growth factory proteins is provided. The cell can be a cell which overexpresses one or more proteins selected from the group consisting of BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7, TGF-β1 and combinations thereof. The cell can be a buffy coat cell, an intervertebral disc cell, a mesenchymal stem cell or a pluripotential stem cell. An implant comprising a cell as set forth above and a carrier material is also provided. Also provided according to the invention is a method of inducing bone formation in a mammal comprising introducing a cell or an implant as set forth above into the mammal and a method of treating intervertebral disc disease in a mammal comprising introducing a cell as set forth above into an intervertebral disc of the mammal.  
       [0017] Additional advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or upon learning by practice of the invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0018] The present invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
     [0019]FIG. 1 is a graph showing the production of sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) after expression of HLMP-1 by rat intervertebral disc cells transfected with different MOIs;  
     [0020]FIG. 2 is a chart showing the dose response of rat intervertebral disc cells six days after infection with different MOI of AdHLMP-1;  
     [0021]FIG. 3 is a chart showing the expression of Aggrecan and BMP-2 mRNA by AdHLMP-1 transfected rat intervertebral disc cells six days following transfection with an MOI of 250 virions/cell;  
     [0022]FIG. 4A is a chart showing HLMP-1 mRNA expression 12 hours after infection with Ad-hLMP-1 at different MOIs;  
     [0023]FIG. 4B is a chart showing the production of sGAG in medium from 3 to 6 days after infection;  
     [0024]FIG. 5 is a chart showing time course changes of the production of sGAG;  
     [0025]FIG. 6A is a chart showing gene response to LMP-1 over-expression in rat annulus fibrosus cells for aggrecan  
     [0026]FIG. 6B is a chart showing gene response to LMP-1 over-expression in rat annulus fibrosus cells for BMP-2;  
     [0027]FIG. 7 is a graph showing the time course of HLMP-1 mRNA levels in rat annulus fibrosus cells after infection with AdLMP-1 at MOI of 25;  
     [0028]FIG. 8 is a chart showing changes in mRNA levels of BMPs and aggrecan in response to HLMP-1 over-expression;  
     [0029]FIG. 9 is a graph showing the time course of sGAG production enhancement in response to HLMP-1 expression;  
     [0030]FIG. 10 is a chart showing that the LMP-1 mediated increase in sGAG production is blocked by noggin;  
     [0031]FIG. 11 is a graph showing the effect of LMP-1 on sGAG in media after day 6 of culture in monolayer.  
     [0032] FIGS.  12 A- 12 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining for LMP-1 protein in A549 cells;  
     [0033] FIGS.  13 A- 13 F are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining of A549 cells 48 hours after infection with AdLMP-1 (upper panels) or Adβgal (lower panels);  
     [0034] FIGS.  14 A- 14 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining of A549 cells 48 hours after infection with either AdLMP-1 (upper panels) or Adβgal (lower panels);  
     [0035] FIGS.  15 A- 15 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining for the leukocyte surface marker CD45 in human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels) or Adβgal (lower panels) excised at 3 days (FIGS. 15A and 15C) or 5 days (FIGS. 15B and 15D) following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat;  
     [0036] FIGS.  16 A- 16 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining for BMP-4 in human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels) or Adβgal (lower panels) excised at 3 days (FIGS. 16A and 16C) or 5 days (FIGS. 16B and 16D) following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat;  
     [0037] FIGS.  17 A- 17 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining for BMP-7 in human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels) or Adβgal (lower panels) excised at 3 days (FIGS. 17A and 17C) or 5 days (FIGS. 17B and 17D) following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat;  
     [0038]FIG. 18 is a high power photomicrograph of immunohistochemical staining for BMP-7 in human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 excised at 14 days following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat;  
     [0039] FIGS.  19 A- 19 D are photomicrographs of human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels) or Adβgal (lower panels) excised at 1 day (FIGS. 19A and 19C) or 3 days (FIGS. 19B and 19D) following implantation in a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat;  
     [0040]FIGS. 20A and 20B are high power photomicrographs of human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 or Adβgal excised at 1 day following implantation in a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat;  
     [0041] FIGS.  21 A- 21 J are photomicrographs of human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels-FIGS.  21 A- 21 E) or Adβgal (lower panels—FIGS.  21 F- 21 J) excised at various time points following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat; and  
     [0042] FIGS.  22 A- 22 C are high power photomicrographs of human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 excised at various time points following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0043] LMP-1 is a novel LIM domain protein associated with early osteoblast differentiation. LMP-1 transcripts are first detectable in mesenchymal cells adjacent to the hypertrophic cartilage cells in developing embryonic long bones just before osteoblasts appear at the center of the cartilage anlage. See Boden et al., “LMP-1, A LIM-Domain Protein, Mediates BMP-6 Effects on Bone Formation”, Endocrinology, 139, 5125-5134 (1998). The LMP-1 protein is a member of the heterogeneous family of LIM domain proteins, many of which are involved with growth and differentiation in a variety of cell types. However, the precise mechanisms of action of LIM-domain proteins remain poorly understood. See Kong, et al., “Muscle LIM Protein Promotes Myogenesis by Enhancing the Activity of MyoD.”, Mol. Cell. Biol., 17, 4750-4760 (1997); Sadler et al., “Zyxin and cCRP: Two Interactive LIM Domain Proteins Associated with the Cytoskeleton”, J. Cell Biol., 119, 1573-1587 (1992); Salgia, et al., “Molecular Cloning of Human Paxillin, a Focal Adhesion Protein Phosphorylated by P210(BCCR/ABL)”, J. Biol. Chem., 270, 5039-5047 (1995); and Way, et al., “Mec-3, A Homeobox-Containing Gene that Specifies the Differentiation of the Touch Receptor Neurons in  C. Elegans  ”, Cell., 54, 5-16 (1988).  
     [0044] Although LMP-1 is a LIM domain protein, it has recently been shown that the LIM domains themselves are not necessary for osteoblast differentiation. See Liu, et al., “Overexpressed LIM Mineralization Proteins do not Require LIM Domains to Induce Bone”, J. Bone Min. Res., 17, 406-414 (2002). LMP-1 is thought to be a potent intracellular signalling molecule that is capable, at very low doses, of inducing osteoblast differentiation in vitro and de novo bone formation in vivo—yet its mechanism of action remains unknown. Boden, et al., Endocrinology, 139, 5125-5134 (1998), supra.  
     [0045] Four important results have emerged from this series of experiments concerning the mechanism of action of LMP-1. There is now compelling evidence from two separate experimental systems that LMP-1 induces the expression of several BMPs. The evidence is most compelling for BMP-4 and BMP-7 which can be detected as early as 48 hours after insertion of the LMP-I cDNA in vitro and 72 hours in vivo. In vivo studies showed that most of the implanted buffy coat cells expressing LMP-1 survived for less than a week in vivo, but there was indirect evidence of an influx of host cells that differentiated into bone forming cells. Lastly, LMP-1 appears to induce membranous bone formation without a clear cartilage interphase, which is common with many of the BMPs.  
     [0046] In the present study, it has also been shown that cells treated with AdLMP-1 produced LMP-1, BMP-2, and to lesser extent BMP-6 and TGF-β1 protein in vitro. Additionally, BMP-4 and BMP-7 remain two strong candidates for secreted osteoinductive factors induced by LMP-1. We have performed preliminary antisense oligonucleotide experiments which suggest that BMP-4 and BMP-7 were necessary for the osteoinductive effects of LMP-1 to transfer to other cells (unpublished data), but these experiments did not demonstrate whether LMP-1 induced the synthesis of these BMPs.  
     [0047] The A549 experiments described below show that the BMPs were not induced by the adenovirus itself nor were the BMPs expressed in untreated the cells. The A549 experiments also show that two proteins not related to osteoblast differentiation (i.e., type II collagen and MyoD) were not induced by LMP-1.  
     [0048] A549 lung carcinoma cells were chosen rather than osteoblasts because the A549 cells had no basal expression of BMPs. The use of osteoblasts in our experiments we would not have permitted as direct a link between LMP expression and BMP induction to be made. In osteoblasts, any non-specific initiation of osteoblast differentiation would ultimately result in BMP expression and the link to LMP expression would have been less clear. Finally, the in vivo experiments in human buffy coat cells confirmed these observations in cells and in an environment in which bone was actually forming to insure that the observations were true in a physiologic bone formation setting.  
     [0049] The authors recognize that there may be other proteins induced by LMP-1 that include other BMPs or possibly helper proteins that facilitate the action/activity of very small amounts of BMPs as seen in physiologic bone healing situations. This phenomenon would not be surprising given the high potency of small doses of LMP-1 and the difficulty observing its induction of individual BMP proteins by less sensitive techniques such as Western blotting.  
     [0050] The use of buffy coat cells from ordinary venous blood for ex vivo gene therapy is a relatively new concept. See Viggeswarapu et al., “Adenoviral Delivery of LIM Mineralization Protein-1 Induces New-Bone Formation in vitro and in vivo”, J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., 83-A, 364-376 (2001). One relevant question raised has been how long the buffy coat cells transfected with LMP-1 cDNA survive in vivo and enhance the synthesis, secretion and activity of BMPs. To attempt to answer this question, the CD-45 antigen, which is well-known as a marker of white blood cells, was examined in the present study. See Kurtin, et al., “Leukocyte Common Antigen—A Diagnostic Discriminant Between Hematopoietic and Nonhematopoietic Neoplasms in Paraffin Sections using Monoclonal Antibodies: Correlation with Immunologic Studies and Ultrastructural Localization”, Hum. Pathol., 16, 353-365 (1985); and Pulido et al., “Comparative Biochemical and Tissue Distribution Study of Four Distinct CD45 Antigen Specificities”, J. Immunol., 140, 3851-3857 (1988). The number of cells specifically reacting with the anti-CD-45 primary antibody decreased progressively and was minimal by 10 days following implantation. The loss of anti-CD-45 staining, the dropout of cells in the center of the implant by seven days, and the centripetal pattern of bone formation all suggested that the transplanted cells, including those expressing the LMP-1 cDNA, may not survive long. This observation suggests, but does not confirm, the notion that LMP-expressing cells may only participate indirectly in the bone formation process through induction of secreted factors that subsequently recruit host progenitor cells and modulate their differentiation into mature osteoblasts. LMP-1 seems to start a cascade of events, including the secretion of several osteoinductive proteins (BMPs), and therefore we believe that the expression of LMP-1 does not need to occur in very many cells or need to persist for very long in vivo.  
     [0051] These studies demonstrated the histologic healing sequence of bone induced by ex vivo gene transfer of LMP-1 cDNA to peripheral blood buffy coat cells implanted in an ectopic location. This work has begun to answer some of the questions as to the mechanism of bone formation with LMP-1 at the macroscopic level. A better understanding of the mechanism of action of LMP-1 will facilitate its translation to the clinical setting and improve the understanding of intracellular signalling pathways involved in LMP action.  
     [0052] The present invention relates to the transfection of non-osseous cells with nucleic acids encoding LIM mineralization proteins. The present inventors have discovered that transfection of non-osseous cells such as intervertebral disc cells with nucleic acids encoding LIM mineralization proteins can result in the increased synthesis of proteoglycan, collagen and other intervertebral disc components and tissue. The present invention also provides a method for treating intervertebral disc disease associated with the loss of proteoglycan, collagen, or other intervertebral disc components.  
     [0053] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.  
                                                      BMP   Bone Morphogenetic Protein           HLMP-1   Human LMP-1, also designated as Human LIM               Protein or HLMP           HLMP-1s   Human LMP-1 Short (truncated) protein           HLMPU   Human LIM Protein Unique Region           LMP   LIM mineralization protein           MEM   Minimal essential medium           Trm   Triamcinolone           β-GlyP   Beta-glycerolphosphate           RACE   Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends           RLMP   Rat LIM mineralization protein, also designated               as RLMP-1           RLMPU   Rat LIM Protein Unique Region           RNAsin   RNase inhibitor           ROB   Rat Osteoblast           10-4   Clone containing cDNA sequence for RLMP               (SEQ ID NO: 2)           UTR   Untranslated Region           HLMP-2   Human LMP Splice Variant 2           HLMP-3   Human LMP Splice Variant 3           MOI   multiplicity of infection           sGAG   sulfated glycosaminoglycan           AdHLMP-1   Recombinant Type 5 Adenovirus comprising               nucleotide sequence encoding HLMP-1                      
 
     [0054] A LIM gene (10 −4 /RLMP) has been isolated from stimulated rat calvarial osteoblast cultures (SEQ. ID NO: 1, SEQ. ID NO: 2). See U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,127. This gene has been cloned, sequenced and assayed for its ability to enhance the efficacy of bone mineralization in vitro. The protein RLMP has been found to affect the mineralization of bone matrix as well as the differentiation of cells into the osteoblast lineage. Unlike other known cytokines (e.g., BMPs), RLMP is not a secreted protein, but is instead an intracellular signaling molecule. This feature has the advantage of providing intracellular signaling amplification as well as easier assessment of transfected cells. It is also suitable for more efficient and specific in vivo applications. Suitable clinical applications include enhancement of bone repair in fractures, bone defects, bone grafting, and normal homeostasis in patients presenting with osteoporosis.  
     [0055] The amino acid sequence of a corresponding human protein, named human LMP-1 (“HLMP1”), has also been cloned, sequenced and deduced. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,127. The human protein has been found to demonstrate enhanced efficacy of bone mineralization in vitro and in vivo.  
     [0056] Additionally, a truncated (short) version of HLMP-1, termed HLMP-1s, has been characterized. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,127. This short version resulted from a point mutation in one source of a cDNA clone, providing a stop codon which truncates the protein. HLMP-Is has been found to be fully functional when expressed in cell culture and in vivo.  
     [0057] Using PCR analysis of human heart cDNA library, two alternative splice variants (referred to as HLMP-2 and HLMP-3) have been identified that differ from HLMP-1 in a region between base pairs 325 and 444 in the nucleotide sequence encoding HLMP-1. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/959,578, filed Apr. 28, 2000, pending. The HLMP-2 sequence has a 119 base pair deletion and an insertion of 17 base pairs in this region. Compared to HLMP-1, the nucleotide sequence encoding HLMP-3 has no deletions, but it does have the same 17 base pairs as HLMP-2, which are inserted at position 444 in the HLMP-1 sequence.  
     [0058] LMP is a pluripotent molecule, which regulates or influences a number of biological processes. The different splice variants of LMP are expected to have different biological functions in mammals. They may play a role in the growth, differentiation, and/or regeneration of various tissues. For example, some form of LMP is expressed not only in bone, but also in muscle, tendons, ligaments, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and cartilage.  
     [0059] According to one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of stimulating proteoglycan and/or collagen synthesis in a mammalian cell by providing an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding LIM mineralization protein operably linked to a promoter; transfecting said isolated nucleic acid sequence into a mammalian cell capable of producing proteoglycan; and expressing said nucleotide sequence encoding LIM mineralization protein, whereby proteoglycan synthesis is stimulated. The mammalian cell may be a non-osseous cell, such as an intervertebral disc cell, a cell of the annulus fibrosus, or a cell of the nucleus pulposus. Transfection may occur either ex vivo or in vivo by direct injection of virus or naked DNA, such as, for example, a plasmid. In certain embodiments, the virus is a recombinant adenovirus, preferably AdHLMP-1.  
     [0060] Another embodiment of the invention comprises a non-osseous mammalian cell comprising an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a LIM mineralization protein. The non-osseous mammalian cell may be a stem cell (e.g., a pluripotential stem cell or a mesenchymal stem cell) or an intervertebral disc cell, preferably a cell of the nucleus pulposus or a cell of the annulus fibrosus.  
     [0061] In a different aspect, the invention is directed to a method of expressing an isolated nucleotide sequence encoding LIM mineralization protein in a non-osseous mammalian cell, comprising providing an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding LIM mineralization protein operably linked to a promoter; transfecting said isolated nucleic acid sequence into a non-osseous mammalian cell; and expressing said nucleotide sequence encoding LIM mineralization protein. The non-osseous mammalian cell may be a stem cell or an intervertebral disc cell (e.g., a cell of the nucleus pulposus or annulus fibrosus). Transfection may occur either ex vivo or in vivo by direct injection of virus or naked DNA, such as, for example, a plasmid. The virus can be a recombinant adenovirus, preferably AdHLMP-1.  
     [0062] In yet another embodiment, the invention is directed to a method of treating intervertebral disc disease by reversing, retarding or slowing disc degeneration, comprising providing an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding LIM mineralization protein operably linked to a promoter; transfecting said isolated nucleic acid sequence into a mammalian cell capable of producing proteoglycan; and stimulating proteoglycan synthesis in said cell by expressing said nucleotide sequence encoding LIM mineralization protein, whereby disc degeneration is reversed, halted or slowed. The disc disease may involve lower back pain, disc herniation, or spinal stenosis. The mammalian cell may be a non-osseous cell, such as a stem cell or an intervertebral disc cell (e.g., a cell of the annulus fibrosus, or a cell of the nucleus pulposus).  
     [0063] Transfection may occur either ex vivo or in vivo by direct injection of virus or naked DNA, such as, for example, a plasmid. In certain embodiments, the virus is a recombinant adenovirus, preferably AdHLMP-1.  
     [0064] The present invention relates to novel mammalian LIM proteins, herein designated LIM mineralization proteins, or LMPs. The invention relates more particularly to human LMP, known as HLMP or HLMP-1, or alternative splice variants of human LMP, which are known as HLMP-2 or HLMP-3. The Applicants have discovered that these proteins enhance bone mineralization in mammalian cells grown in vitro. When produced in mammals, LMP also induces bone formation in vivo.  
     [0065] Ex vivo transfection of bone marrow cells, osteogenic precursor cells, peripheral blood cells, and stem cells (e.g., pluripotential stem cells or mesenchymal stem cells) with nucleic acid that encodes a LIM mineralization protein (e.g., LMP or HLMP), followed by reimplantation of the transfected cells in the donor, is suitable for treating a variety of bone-related disorders or injuries. For example, one can use this method to: augment long bone fracture repair; generate bone in segmental defects; provide a bone graft substitute for fractures; facilitate tumor reconstruction or spine fusion; and provide a local treatment (by injection) for weak or osteoporotic bone, such as in osteoporosis of the hip, vertebrae, or wrist. Transfection with LMP or HLMP-encoding nucleic acid is also useful in: the percutaneous injection of transfected marrow cells to accelerate the repair of fractured long bones; treatment of delayed union or non-unions of long bone fractures or pseudoarthrosis of spine fusions; and for inducing new bone formation in avascular necrosis of the hip or knee.  
     [0066] In addition to ex vivo methods of gene therapy, transfection of a recombinant DNA vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence that encodes LMP or HLMP can be accomplished in vivo. When a DNA fragment that encodes LMP or HLMP is inserted into an appropriate viral vector, for example, an adenovirus vector, the viral construct can be injected directly into a body site were endochondral bone formation is desired. By using a direct, percutaneous injection to introduce the LMP or HLMP sequence stimulation of bone formation can be accomplished without the need for surgical intervention either to obtain bone marrow cells (to transfect ex vivo) or to reimplant them into the patient at the site where new bone is required. Alden et al., Neurosurgical Focus (1998), have demonstrated the utility of a direct injection method of gene therapy using a cDNA that encodes BMP-2, which was cloned into an adenovirus vector.  
     [0067] It is also possible to carry out in vivo gene therapy by directly injecting into an appropriate body site, a naked, that is, unencapsulated, recombinant plasmid comprising a nucleic acid sequence that encodes HLMP. In this embodiment of the invention, transfection occurs when the naked plasmid DNA is taken up, or internalized, by the appropriate target cells, which have been described. As in the case of in vivo gene therapy using a viral construct, direct injection of naked plasmid DNA offers the advantage that little or no surgical intervention is required. Direct gene therapy, using naked plasmid DNA that encodes the endothelial cell mitogen VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), has been successfully demonstrated in human patients. Baumgartner, et al., Circulation, 97, 12, 1114-1123 (1998).  
     [0068] For intervertebral disc applications, ex vivo transfection may be accomplished by harvesting cells from an intervertebral disc, transfecting the cells with nucleic acid encoding LMP in vitro, followed by introduction of the cells into an intervertebral disc. The cells may be harvested from or introduced back into the intervertebral disc using any means known to those of skill in the art, such as, for example, any surgical techniques appropriate for use on the spine. In one embodiment, the cells are introduced into the intervertebral disc by injection.  
     [0069] Also according to the invention, stem cells (e.g., pluripotential stem cells or mesenchymal stem cells) can be transfected with nucleic acid encoding a LIM Mineralization Protein ex vivo and introduced into the intervertebral disc (e.g., by injection).  
     [0070] The cells transfected ex vivo can also be combined with a carrier to form an intervertebral disc implant. The carrier comprising the transfected cells can then be implanted into the intervertebral disc of a subject. Suitable carrier materials are disclosed in Helm, et al., “Bone Graft Substitutes for the Promotion of Spinal Arthrodesis”, Neurosurg Focus, 10 (4) (2001). The carrier preferably comprises a biocompatible porous matrix such as a demineralized bone matrix (DBM), a biocompatible synthetic polymer matrix or a protein matrix. Suitable proteins include extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen. The cells transfected with the LMP ex vivo can be incorporated into the carrier (i.e., into the pores of the porous matrix) prior to implantation.  
     [0071] Similarly, for intervertebral disc applications where the cells are transfected in vivo, the DNA may be introduced into the intevertebral disc using any suitable method known to those of skill in the art. In one embodiment, the nucleic acid is directly injected into the intervertebral space.  
     [0072] By using an adenovirus vector to deliver LMP into osteogenic cells, transient expression of LMP is achieved. This occurs because adenovirus does not incorporate into the genome of target cells that are transfected. Transient expression of LMP, that is, expression that occurs during the lifetime of the transfected target cells, is sufficient to achieve the objects of the invention. Stable expression of LMP, however, can occur when a vector that incorporates into the genome of the target cell is used as a delivery vehicle. Retrovirus-based vectors, for example, are suitable for this purpose.  
     [0073] Stable expression of LMP is particularly useful for treating various systemic bone-related disorders, such as osteoporosis and osteogenesis imperfecta. For this embodiment of the invention, in addition to using a vector that integrates into the genome of the target cell to deliver an LMP-encoding nucleotide sequence into target cells, LMP expression can be placed under the control of a regulatable promoter. For example, a promoter that is turned on by exposure to an exogenous inducing agent, such as tetracycline, is suitable.  
     [0074] Using this approach, one can stimulate formation of new bone on a systemic basis by administering an effective amount of the exogenous inducing agent. Once a sufficient quantity of bone mass is achieved, administration of the exogenous inducing agent can be discontinued. This process may be repeated as needed to replace bone mass lost, for example, as a consequence of osteoporosis. Antibodies specific for HLMP are particularly suitable for use in methods for assaying the osteoinductive, that is, bone-forming, potential of patient cells. In this way one can identify patients at risk for slow or poor healing of bone repair. Also, HLMP-specific antibodies are suitable for use in marker assays to identify risk factors in bone degenerative diseases, such as, for example, osteoporosis.  
     [0075] Following well known and conventional methods, the genes of the present invention are prepared by ligation of nucleic acid segments that encode LMP to other nucleic acid sequences, such as cloning and/or expression vectors. Methods needed to construct and analyze these recombinant vectors, for example, restriction endonuclease digests, cloning protocols, mutagenesis, organic synthesis of oligonucleotides and DNA sequencing, have been described. For DNA sequencing DNA, the dieoxyterminator method is the preferred.  
     [0076] Many treatises on recombinant DNA methods have been published, including Sambrook, et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2 nd  edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, (1988), Davis, et al., Basic Methods in Molecular Biology, Elsevier (1986), and Ausubel, et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Wiley Interscience (1988). These reference manuals are specifically incorporated by reference herein.  
     [0077] Primer-directed amplification of DNA or cDNA is a common step in the expression of the genes of this invention. It is typically performed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,159 to Mullis, et al. and other published sources. The basic principle of PCR is the exponential replication of a DNA sequence by successive cycles of primer extension. The extension products of one primer, when hybridized to another primer, becomes a template for the synthesis of another nucleic acid molecule. The primer-template complexes act as substrate for DNA polymerase, which in performing its replication function, extends the primers. The conventional enzyme for PCR applications is the thermostable DNA polymerase isolated from  Thermus aqualicus , or Taq DNA polymerase.  
     [0078] Numerous variations of the basic PCR method exist, and a particular procedure of choice in any given step needed to construct the recombinant vectors of this invention is readily performed by a skilled artisan. For example, to measure cellular expression of 10-4/RLMP, RNA is extracted and reverse transcribed under standard and well known procedures. The resulting cDNA is then analyzed for the appropriate mRNA sequence by PCR.  
     [0079] The gene encoding the LIM mineralization protein is expressed in an expression vector in a recombinant expression system. Of course, the constructed sequence need not be the same as the original, or its complimentary sequence, but instead may be any sequence determined by the degeneracy of the DNA code that nonetheless expresses an LMP having bone forming activity. Conservative amino acid substitutions, or other modifications, such as the occurrence of an amino-terminal methionine residue, may also be employed.  
     [0080] A ribosome binding site active in the host expression system of choice is ligated to the 5′ end of the chimeric LMP coding sequence, forming a synthetic gene. The synthetic gene can be inserted into any one of a large variety of vectors for expression by ligating to an appropriately linearized plasmid. A regulatable promoter, for example, the  E. coli  lac promoter, is also suitable for the expression of the chimeric coding sequences. Other suitable regulatable promoters include trp, tac, recA, T7 and lambda promoters.  
     [0081] DNA encoding LMP is transfected into recipient cells by one of several standard published procedures, for example, calcium phosphate precipitation, DEAE-Dextran, electroporation or protoplast fusion, to form stable transformants. Calcium phosphate precipitation is preferred, particularly when performed as follows.  
     [0082] DNAs are coprecipitated with calcium phosphate according to the method of Graham, et al., Virology, 52, 456 (1973), before transfer into cells. An aliquot of 40-50 μg of DNA, with salmon sperm or calf thymus DNA as a carrier, is used for 0.5×10 6  cells plated on a 100 mm dish. The DNA is mixed with 0.5 ml of 2×Hepes solution (280 mM NaCl, 50 mM Hepes and 1.5 mM Na 2 HPO 4 , pH 7.0), to which an equal volume of 2× CaCl 2  (250 mM CaCl 2  and 10 mM Hepes, pH 7.0) is added. A white granular precipitate, appearing after 30-40 minutes, is evenly distributed dropwise on the cells, which are allowed to incubate for 4-16 hours at 37° C. The medium is removed and the cells shocked with 15% glycerol in PBS for 3 minutes. After removing the glycerol, the cells are fed with Dulbecco&#39;s Minimal Essential Medium (DMEM) containing 10% fetal bovine serum.  
     [0083] DNA can also be transfected using: the DEAE-Dextran methods of Kimura, et al., Virology, 49:394 (1972) and Sompayrac, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 78, 7575 (1981); the electroporation method of Potter, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81, 7161 (1984); and the protoplast fusion method of Sandri-Goddin et al., Molec. Cell. Biol., 1, 743 (1981).  
     [0084] Phosphoramidite chemistry in solid phase is the preferred method for the organic synthesis of oligodeoxynucleotides and polydeoxynucleotides. In addition, many other organic synthesis methods are available. Those methods are readily adapted by those skilled in the art to the particular sequences of the invention.  
     [0085] The present invention also includes nucleic acid molecules that hybridize under standard conditions to any of the nucleic acid sequences encoding the LIM mineralization proteins of the invention. “Standard hybridization conditions” will vary with the size of the probe, the background and the concentration of the nucleic acid reagents, as well as the type of hybridization, for example, in situ, Southern blot, or hybrization of DNA-RNA hybrids (Northern blot). The determination of “standard hybridization conditions” is within the level of skill in the art. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,775 to Fremeau, et al., herein incorporated by reference for this purpose. See also, Southern, J. Mol. Biol., 98:503 (1975), Alwine et al., Meth. Enzymol., 68:220 (1979), and Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2 nd  edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, 7.19-7.50 (1989).  
     [0086] One preferred set of standard hybrization conditions involves a blot that is prehybridized at 42° C. for 2 hours in 50% formamide, 5× SSPE (150 nM NaCl, 10 mM Na H 2 PO 4  [pH 7.4], 1 mM EDTA [pH 8.0])1 5× Denhardt&#39;s solution (20 mg Ficoll, 20 mg polyvinylpyrrolidone and 20 mg BSA per 100 ml water), 10% dextran sulphate, 1% SDS and 100 μg/ml salmon sperm DNA. A  32 P labeled cDNA probe is added, and hybridization is continued for 14 hours. Afterward, the blot is washed twice with 2× SSPE, 0.1% SDS for 20 minutes at 22° C., followed by a 1 hour wash at 65° C. in 0.1× SSPE, 0.1%SDS. The blot is then dried and exposed to x-ray film for 5 days in the presence of an intensifying screen.  
     [0087] Under “highly stringent conditions,” a probe will hybridize to its target sequence if those two sequences are substantially identical. As in the case of standard hybridization conditions, one of skill in the art can, given the level of skill in the art and the nature of the particular experiment, determine the conditions under which only susbstantialiy identical sequences will hybridize.  
     [0088] According to one aspect of the present invention, an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a LIM mineralization protein is provided. The nucleic acid molecule according to the invention can be a molecule which hybridizes under standard conditions to a nucleic acid molecule complementary to the full length of SEQ. ID NO: 25 and/or which hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to a nucleic acid molecule complementary to the full length of SEQ. ID NO: 26. More specifically, the isolated nucleic acid molecule according to the invention can encode HLMP-1, HLMP-1s, RLMP, HLMP-2, or HLMP-3.  
     [0089] Another aspect of the invention includes the proteins encoded by the nucleic acid sequences. In still another embodiment, the invention relates to the identification of such proteins based on anti-LMP antibodies. In this embodiment, protein samples are prepared for Western blot analysis by lysing cells and separating the proteins by SDS-PAGE. The proteins are transferred to nitrocellulose by electrobloffing as described by Ausubel, et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley and Sons (1987). After blocking the filter with instant nonfat dry milk (1 gm in 100 ml PBS), anti-LMP antibody is added to the filter and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. The filter is washed thoroughly with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and incubated with horseradish peroxidase (HRPO)-antibody conjugate for 1 hour at room temperature. The filter is again washed thoroughly with PBS and the antigen bands are identified by adding diaminobenzidine (DAB).  
     [0090] Monospecific antibodies are the reagent of choice in the present invention, and are specifically used to analyze patient cells for specific characteristics associated with the expression of LMP. “Monospecific antibody” as used herein is defined as a single antibody species or multiple antibody species with homogenous binding characteristics for LMP. “Homogeneous binding” as used herein refers to the ability of the antibody species to bind to a specific antigen or epitope, such as those associated with LMP, as described above. Monospecific antibodies to LMP are purified from mammalian antisera containing antibodies reactive against LMP or are prepared as monoclonal antibodies reactive with LMP using the technique of Kohler, et al. Kohler, et al., Nature, 256, 495-497 (1975). The LMP specific antibodies are raised by immunizing animals such as, for example, mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, goats or horses, with an appropriate concentration of LMP either with or without an immune adjuvant.  
     [0091] In this process, pre-immune serum is collected prior to the first immunization. Each animal receives between about 0.1 mg and about 1000 mg of LMP associated with an acceptable immune adjuvant, if desired. Such acceptable adjuvants include, but are not limited to, Freund&#39;s complete, Freund&#39;s incomplete, alum-precipitate, water in oil emulsion containing  Corynebacterium parvum  and tRNA adjuvants. The initial immunization consists of LMP in, preferably, Freund&#39;s complete adjuvant injected at multiple sites either subcutaneously (SC), intraperitoneally (IP) or both. Each animal is bled at regular intervals, preferably weekly, to determine antibody titer. The animals may or may not receive booster injections following the initial immunization. Those animals receiving booster injections are generally given an equal amount of the antigen in Freund&#39;s incomplete adjuvant by the same route. Booster injections are given at about three week intervals until maximal titers are obtained. At about 7 days after each booster immunization or about weekly after a single immunization, the animals are bled, the serum collected, and aliquots are stored at about −20° C.  
     [0092] Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) reactive with LMP are prepared by immunizing inbred mice, preferably Balb/c mice, with LMP. The mice are immunized by the IP or SC route with about 0.1 mg to about 10 mg, preferably about 1 mg, of LMP in about 0.5 ml buffer or saline incorporated in an equal volume of an acceptable adjuvant, as discussed above. Freund&#39;s complete adjuvant is preferred. The mice receive an initial immunization on day 0 and are rested for about 3-30 weeks. Immunized mice are given one or more booster immunizations of about 0.1 to about 10 mg of LMP in a buffer solution such as phosphate buffered saline by the intravenous (IV) route. Lymphocytes from antibody-positive mice, preferably splenic lymphocytes, are obtained by removing the spleens from immunized mice by standard procedures known in the art. Hybridoma cells are produced by mixing the splenic lymphocytes with an appropriate fusion partner, preferably myeloma cells, under conditions which will allow the formation of stable hybridomas. Fusion partners may include, but are not limited to: mouse myelomas P3/NSI/Ag 4-1; MPC-11; S-194 and Sp 2/0, with Sp 2/0 being preferred. The antibody producing cells and myeloma cells are fused in polyethylene glycol, about 1,000 mol. wt., at concentrations from about 30% to about 50%. Fused hybridoma cells are selected by growth in hypoxanthine, thymidine and aminopterin in supplemented Dulbecco&#39;s Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM) by procedures known in the art. Supernatant fluids are collected from growth positive wells on about days 14, 18, and 21, and are screened for antibody production by an immunoassay such as solid phase immunoradioassay (SPIRA) using LMP as the antigen. The culture fluids are also tested in the Ouchterlony precipitation assay to determine the isotype of the mAb. Hybridoma cells from antibody positive wells are cloned by a technique such as the soft agar technique of MacPherson, “Soft Agar Techniques: Tissue Culture Methods and Applications”, Kruse and Paterson (eds.), Academic Press (1973). See, also, Harlow, et al., Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Laboratory (1988).  
     [0093] Monoclonal antibodies may also be produced in vivo by injection of pristane-primed Balb/c mice, approximately 0.5 ml per mouse, with about 2×10 6  to about 6×10 6  hybridoma cells about 4 days after priming. Ascites fluid is collected at approximately 8-12 days after cell transfer and the monoclonal antibodies are purified by techniques known in the art.  
     [0094] In vitro production in anti-LMP mAb is carried out by growing the hydridoma cell line in DMEM containing about 2% fetal calf serum to obtain sufficient quantities of the specific mAb. The mAb are purified by techniques known in the art.  
     [0095] Antibody titers of ascites or hybridoma culture fluids are determined by various serological or immunological assays, which include, but are not limited to, precipitation, passive agglutination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent antibody (ELISA) technique and radioimmunoassay (RIA) techniques. Similar assays are used to detect the presence of the LMP in body fluids or tissue and cell extracts.  
     [0096] It is readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the above described methods for producing monospecific antibodies may be utilized to produce antibodies specific for polypeptide fragments of LMP, full-length nascent LMP polypeptide, or variants or alleles thereof.  
     [0097] In another embodiment, the invention is directed to alternative splice variants of HLMP-1. PCR analysis of human heart cDNA revealed mRNA for two HLMP alternative splice variants, named HLMP-2 and HLMP-3, that differ from HLMP-1 in a region between base pairs 325 and 444 in the HLMP-1 sequence. The HLMP-2 sequence has a 119 base pair deletion and an insertion of 17 base pairs in this region. These changes preserve the reading frame, resulting in a 423 amino acid protein, which compared to HLMP-1, has a net loss of 34 amino acids (40 amino acids deleted plus 6 inserted amino acids). HLMP-2 contains the c-terminal LIM domains that are present in HLMP-1.  
     [0098] Compared to HLMP-1, HLMP-3 has no deletions, but it does have the same 17 base pair insertion at position 444. This insertion shifts the reading frame, causing a stop codon at base pairs 459-461. As a result, HLMP-3 encodes a protein of 153 amino acids. This protein lacks the c-terminal LIM domains that are present in HLMP-1 and HLMP-2. The predicted size of the proteins encoded by HLMP-2 and HLMP-3 was confirmed by western blot analysis.  
     [0099] PCR analysis of the tissue distribution of the three splice variants revealed that they are differentially expressed, with specific isoforms predominating in different tissues. HLMP-1 is apparently the predominant form expressed in leukocytes, spleen, lung, placenta, and fetal liver. HLMP-2 appears to be the predominant isoform in skeletal muscle, bone marrow, and heart tissue. HLMP-3, however, was not the predominant isoform in any tissue examined.  
     [0100] Over-expression of HLMP-3 in secondary rat osteoblast cultures induced bone nodule formation (287±56) similar to the effect seen for glucicorticoid (272±7) and HLMP-1 (232±200). Since HLMP-3 lacks the C-terminal LIM domains, there regions are not required for osteoinductive activity.  
     [0101] Over-expression of HLMP-2, however, did not induce nodule formation (11±3). These data suggest that the amino acids encoded by the deleted 119 base pairs are necessary for osteoinduction. The data also suggest that the distribution of HLMP splice variants may be important for tissue-specific function. Surprisingly, we have shown that HLMP-2 inhibits steroid-induced osteoblast formation in secondary rat osteoblast cultures. Therefore, HLMP-2 may have therapeutic utility in clinical situations where bone formation is not desirable.  
     [0102] On Jul. 22, 1997, a sample of 10-4/RLMP in a vector designated pCMV2/RLMP (which is vector pRc/CMV2 with insert 10-4 clone/RLMP) was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852. The culture accession number for that deposit is 209153. On Mar. 19, 1998, a sample of the vector pHis-A with insert HLPM-1s was deposited at the American Type Culture Collection (“ATCC”). The culture accession number for that deposit is 209698. On Apr. 14, 2000, samples of plasmids pHAhLMP-2 (vector pHisA with cDNA insert derived from human heart muscle cDNA with HLMP-2) and pHAhLMP-3 (vector pHisA with cDNA insert derived from human heart muscle cDNA with HLMP-3) were deposited with the ATCC, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va., 20110-2209, USA, under the conditions of the Budapest treaty. The accession numbers for these deposits are PTA-1698 and PTA-1699, respectively. These deposits, as required by the Budapest Treaty, will be maintained in the ATCC for at least 30 years and will be made available to the public upon the grant of a patent disclosing them. It should be understood that the availability of a deposit does not constitute a license to practice the subject invention in derogation of patent rights granted by government action.  
     [0103] In assessing the nucleic acids, proteins, or antibodies of the invention, enzyme assays, protein purification, and other conventional biochemical methods are employed. DNA and RNA are analyzed by Southern blofting and Northern blotting techniques, respectively. Typically, the samples analyzed are size fractionated by gel electrophoresis. The DNA or RNA in the gels are then transferred to nitrocellulose or nylon membranes. The blots, which are replicas of sample patterns in the gels, were then hybridized with probes. Typically, the probes are radio-labeled, preferably with  32 P, although one could label the probes with other signal-generating molecules known to those in the art. Specific bands of interest can then be visualized by detection systems, such as autoradiography.  
     [0104] For purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention, the following, non-limiting examples are included. These results demonstrate the feasibility of inducing or enhancing the formation of bone using the LIM mineralization proteins of the invention, and the isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding those proteins.  
     EXAMPLE 1  
     Calvarial Cell Culture  
     [0105] Rat calvarial cells, also known as rat osteoblasts (“ROB”), were obtained from 20-day pre-parturition rats as previously described. Boden, et al., Endocrinology, 137, 8, 3401-3407 (1996). Primary cultures were grown to confluence (7 days), trypsinized, and passed into 6-well plates (1×10 5  cells/35 mm well) as first subculture cells. The subculture cells, which were confluent at day 0, were grown for an additional 7 days. Beginning on day 0, media were changed and treatments (Trm and/or BMPs) were applied, under a laminar flow hood, every 3 or 4 days. The standard culture protocol was as follows: days 1-7, MEM, 10% FBS, 50 μg/ml ascorbic acid, ±stimulus; days 8-14, BGJb medium, 10% FBS, 5 mM β-GlyP (as a source of inorganic phosphate to permit mineralization). Endpoint analysis of bone nodule formation and osteocalcin secretion was performed at day 14. The dose of BMP was chosen as 50 ng/ml based on pilot experiments in this system that demonstrated a mid-range effect on the dose-response curve for all BMPs studied.  
     EXAMPLE 2  
     Antisense Treatment and Cell Culture  
     [0106] To explore the potential functional role of LMP-1 during membranous bone formation, we synthesized an antisense oligonucleotide to block LMP-1 mRNA translation and treated secondary osteoblast cultures that were undergoing differentiation initiated by glucocorticoid. Inhibition of RLMP expression was accomplished with a highly specific antisense oligonucleotide (having no significant homologies to known rat sequences) corresponding to a 25 bp sequence spanning the putative translational start site (SEQ. ID NO: 42). Control cultures either did not receive oligonucleotide or they received sense oligonucleotide. Experiments were performed in the presence (preincubation) and absence of lipofectamine. Briefly, 22 μg of sense or antisense RLMP oligonucleotide was incubated in MEM for 45 minutes at room temperature. Following that incubation, either more MEM or pre-incubated lipofectamine/MEM (7% v/v; incubated 45 minutes at room temperature) was added to achieve an oligonucleotide concentration of 0.2 μM. The resulting mixture was incubated for 15 minutes at room temperature. Oligonucleotide mixtures were then mixed with the appropriate medium, that is, MEM/Ascorbate/±Trm, to achieve a final oligonucleotide concentration of 0.1 μM.  
     [0107] Cells were incubated with the appropriate medium (±stimulus) in the presence or absence of the appropriate oligonucleotides. Cultures originally incubated with lipofectamine were re-fed after 4 hours of incubation (37° C.; 5% CO 2 ) with media containing neither lipofectamine nor oligonucleotide. All cultures, especially cultures receiving oligonucleotide, were re-fed every 24 hours to maintain oligonucleotide levels.  
     [0108] LMP-1 antisense oligonucleotide inhibited mineralized nodule formation and osteocalcin secretion in a dose-dependent manner, similar to the effect of BMP-6 oligonucleotide. The LMP-1 antisense block in osteoblast differentiation could not be rescued by addition of exogenous BMP-6, while the BMP-6 antisense oligonucleotide inhibition was reversed with addition of BMP-6. This experiment further confirmed the upstream position of LMP-1 relative to BMP-6 in the osteoblast differentiation pathway. LMP-1 antisense oligonucleotide also inhibited spontaneous osteoblast differentiation in primary rat osteoblast cultures.  
     EXAMPLE 3  
     Ouantitation of Mineralized Bone Nodule Formation  
     [0109] Cultures of ROBs prepared according to Examples 1 and 2 were fixed overnight in 70% ethanol and stained with von Kossa silver stain. A semi-automated computerized video image analysis system was used to quantitate nodule count and nodule area in each well. Boden et al., Endocrinology, 137, 8, 3401-3407 (1996). These values were then divided to calculate the area per nodule values. This automated process was validated against a manual counting technique and demonstrated a correlation coefficient of 0.92 (p&lt;0.000001). All data are expressed as the mean±standard error of the mean (S.E.M.) calculated from 5 or 6 wells at each condition. Each experiment was confirmed at least twice using cells from different calvarial preparations.  
     EXAMPLE 4  
     Ouantitation of Osteocalcin Secretion  
     [0110] Osteocalcin levels in the culture media were measured using a competitive radioimmunoassay with a monospecific polygonal antibody (Pab) raised in our laboratory against the C-terminal nonapeptide of rat osteocalcin as described in Nanes, et al., Endocrinology, 127:588 (1990). Briefly, 1 μg of nonapeptide was iodinated with 1 mCi  125 I-Na by the lactoperoxidase method. Tubes containing 200 gl of assay buffer (0.02 M sodium phosphate, 1 mM EDTA, 0.001% thimerosal, 0.025% BSA) received media taken from cell cultures or osteocalcin standards (0-12,000 fmole) at 100 μl/tube in assay buffer. The Pab (1:40,000; 100 μl) was then added, followed by the iodinated peptide (12,000 cpm; 100 μl). Samples tested for non-specific binding were prepared similarly but contained no antibody.  
     [0111] Bound and free PAbs were separated by the addition of 700 μl goat antirabbit IgG, followed by incubation for 18 hours at 4° C. After samples were centrifuged at 1200 rpm for 45 minutes, the supernatants were decanted and the precipitates counted in a gamma counter. Osteocalcin values were reported in fmole/100 μl, which was then converted to pmole/ml medium (3-day production) by dividing those values by 100. Values were expressed as the mean±S.E.M. of triplicate determinations for 5-6 wells for each condition. Each experiment was confirmed at least two times using cells from different calvarial preparations.  
     EXAMPLE 5  
     Effect of Trm and RLMP on Mineralization In Vitro  
     [0112] There was little apparent effect of either the sense or antisense oligonucleotides on the overall production of bone nodules in the non-stimulated cell culture system. When ROBs were stimulated with Trm, however, the antisense oligonucleotide to RLMP inhibited mineralization of nodules by &gt;95%. The addition of exogenous BMP-6 to the oligonucleotide-treated cultures did not rescue the mineralization of RLMP-antisense-treated nodules.  
     [0113] Osteocalcin has long been synonymous with bone mineralization, and osteocalcin levels have been correlated with nodule production and mineralization. The RLMP-antisense oligonucleotide significantly decreases osteocalcin production, but the nodule count in antisense-treated cultures does not change significantly. In this case, the addition of exogenous BMP-6 only rescued the production of osteocalcin in RLMP-antisense-treated cultures by 10-15%. This suggests that the action of RLMP is downstream of, and more specific than, BMP-6.  
     EXAMPLE 6  
     Harvest and Purification of RNA  
     [0114] Cellular RNA from duplicate wells of ROBs (prepared according to Examples 1 and 2 in 6-well culture dishes) was harvested using 4M guanidine isothiocyanate (GIT) solution to yield statistical triplicates. Briefly, culture supernatant was aspirated from the wells, which were then overlayed with 0.6 ml of GIT solution per duplicate well harvest. After adding the GIT solution, the plates were swirled for 5-10 seconds (being as consistent as possible). Samples were saved at −70° C. for up to 7 days before further processing.  
     [0115] RNA was purified by a slight modification of standard methods according to Sambrook et al. Molecular Cloning: a Laboratory Manual, Chapter 7.19, 2 nd  Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press (1989). Briefly, thawed samples received 60 μl 2.0 M sodium acetate (pH 4.0), 550 μl phenol (water saturated) and 150 μl chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (49:1). After vortexing, the samples were centrifuged (10000×g; 20 minutes; 4° C.), the aqueous phase transferred to a fresh tube, 600 μl isopropanol was added and the RNA precipitated overnight at −20° C.  
     [0116] Following the overnight incubation, the samples were centrifuged (10000×g; 20 minutes) and the supernatant was aspirated gently. The pellets were resuspended in 400 μl DEPC-treated water, extracted once with phenol:chloroform (1:1), extracted with chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (24:1) and precipitated overnight at −20° C. after addition of 40 μl sodium acetate (3.0 M; pH 5.2) and 1.0 ml absolute ethanol. To recover the cellular RNA, the samples were centrifuged (10000×g; 20 min), washed once with 70% ethanol, air dried for 5-10 minutes and resuspended in 20 μl of DEP C-treated water. RNA concentrations were calculated from optical densities that were determined with a spectrophotometer.  
     EXAMPLE 7  
     Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction  
     [0117] Heated total RNA (5 μg in 10.5 μl total volume DEPC-H 2 O at 65° C. for 5 minutes) was added to tubes containing 4 μl 5× MMLV-RT buffer, 2 μl dNTPs, 2 μl dT17 primer (10 pmol/ml), 0.5 μl RNAsin (40 U/ml) and 1 μMMLV-RT (200 units/μl). The samples were incubated at 37° C. for 1 hour, then at 95° C. for 5 minutes to inactivate the MMLV-RT. The samples were diluted by addition of 80 μl of water.  
     [0118] Reverse-transcribed samples (5 μl) were subjected to polymerase-chain reaction using standard methodologies (50 μl total volume). Briefly, samples were added to tubes containing water and appropriate amounts of PCR buffer, 25 mM MgCl 2 , dNTPs, forward and reverse primers for glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAP, a housekeeping gene) and/or BMP-6,  32 P-dCTP, and Taq polymerase. Unless otherwise noted, primers were standardized to run consistently at 22 cycles (94° C., 30″; 58° C., 30″; 72° C., 20″).  
     EXAMPLE 8  
     Ouantitation of RT-PCR Products by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE) and PhosphorImager Analysis  
     [0119] RT-PCR products received 5 μl/tube loading dye, were mixed, heated at 65° C. for 10 min and centrifuged. Ten μl of each reaction was subjected to PAGE (12% polyacrylamide:bis; 15 V/well; constant current) under standard conditions. Gels were then incubated in gel preserving buffer (10% v/v glycerol, 7% v/v acetic acid, 40% v/v methanol, 43% deionized water) for 30 minutes, dried (80° C.) in vacuo for 1-2 hours and developed with an electronically-enhanced phosphoresence imaging system for 6-24 hours. Visualized bands were analyzed. Counts per band were plotted graphically.  
     EXAMPLE 9  
     Differential Display PCR  
     [0120] RNA was extracted from cells stimulated with glucocorticoid (Trm, 1 nM). Heated, DNase-treated total RNA (5 μg in 10.5 μl total volume in DEPC-H 2 O at 65° C. for 5 minutes) was reverse transcribed as described in Example 7, but H-T 11  M (SEQ. ID. NO: 4) was used as the MMLV-RT primer. The resulting cDNAs were PCR-amplified as described above, but with various commercial primer sets (for example, H-T 11 G (SEQ. ID NO: 4) and H-AP-10 (SEQ. ID NO: 5); GenHunter Corp, Nashville, Tenn.). Radio-labeled PCR products were fractionated by gel electrophoresis on a DNA sequencing gel. After electrophoresis, the resulting gels were dried in vacuo and autoradiographs were exposed overnight. Bands representing differentially-expressed cDNAs were excised from the gel and reamplified by PCR using the method of Conner, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88, 278 (1983). The products of PCR reamplification were cloned into the vector PCR-11 (TA cloning kit; InVitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.).  
     EXAMPLE 10  
     Screening of a UMR 106 Rat Osteosarcoma Cell cDNA Library  
     [0121] A UMR 106 library (2.5×10 10  pfu/ml) was plated at 5×10 4  pfu/ml onto agar plates (LB bottom agar) and the plates were incubated overnight at 37° C. Filter membranes were overlaid onto plates for two minutes. Once removed, the filters were denatured, rinsed, dried and UV cross-linked. The filters were then incubated in pre-hyridization buffer (2× PIPES [pH 6.5], 5% formamide, 1% SDS and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA) for 2 h at 42° C. A 260 base-pair radio-labeled probe (SEQ. ID NO: 3;  32 P labeled by random priming) was added to the entire hybridization mix/filters, followed by hybridization for 18 hours at 42° C. The membranes were washed once at room temperature (10 min, 1×SSC, 0.1% SDS) and three times at 55° C. (15 min, 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS).  
     [0122] After they were washed, the membranes were analyzed by autoradiography as described above. Positive clones were plaque purified. The procedure was repeated with a second filter for four minutes to minimize spurious positives. Plaque-purified clones were rescued as lambda SK(−) phagemids. Cloned cDNAs were sequenced as described below.  
     EXAMPLE 11  
     Sequencing of Clones  
     [0123] Cloned cDNA inserts were sequenced by standard methods. Ausubel, et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Wiley Interscience (1988). Briefly, appropriate concentrations of termination mixture, template and reaction mixture were subjected to an appropriate cycling protocol (95° C., 30 s; 68° C., 30 s; 72° C., 60 s; x 25). Stop mixture was added to terminate the sequencing reactions. After heating at 92° C. for 3 minutes, the samples were loaded onto a denaturing 6% polyacrylamide sequencing gel (29:1 acrylamide:bisacrylamide). Samples were electrophoresed for about 4 hours at 60 volts, constant current. After electrophoresis, the gels were dried in vacuo and autoradiographed.  
     [0124] The autoradiographs were analyzed manually. The resulting sequences were screened against the databases maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NIH, Bethesda, Md.; hftp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) using the BLASTN program set with default parameters. Based on the sequence data, new sequencing primers were prepared and the process was repeated until the entire gene had been sequenced. All sequences were confirmed a minimum of three times in both orientations.  
     [0125] Nucleotide and amino acid sequences were also analyzed using the PCGENE software package (version 16.0). Percent homology values for nucleotide sequences were calculated by the program NALIGN, using the following parameters: weight of non-matching nucleotides, 10; weight of non-matching gaps, 10; maximum number of nucleotides considered, 50; and minimum number of nucleotides considered, 50.  
     [0126] For amino acid sequences, percent homology values were calculated using PALIGN. A value of 10 was selected for both the open gap cost and the unit gap cost.  
     EXAMPLE 12  
     Cloning of RLMP cDNA  
     [0127] The differential display PCR amplification products described in Example 9 contained a major band of approximately 260 base pairs. This sequence was used to screen a rat osteosarcoma (UMR 106) cDNA library. Positive clones were subjected to nested primer analysis to obtain the primer sequences necessary for amplifying the full length cDNA. (SEQ. ID NOs: 11, 12, 29, 30 and 31). One of those positive clones selected for further study was designated clone 10-4.  
     [0128] Sequence analysis of the full-length cDNA in clone 10-4, determined by nested primer analysis, showed that clone 10-4 contained the original 260 base-pair fragment identified by differential display PCR. Clone 10-4 (1696 base pairs; SEQ ID NO: 2) contains an open reading frame of 1371 base pairs encoding a protein having 457 amino acids (SEQ. ID NO: 1). The termination codon, TGA, occurs at nucleotides 1444-1446. The polyadenylation signal at nucleotides 1675-1680, and adjacent poly(A) +  tail, was present in the 3′ noncoding region. There were two potential N-glycosylation sites, Asn-Lys-Thr and Asn-Arg-Thr, at amino acid positions 113-116 and 257-259 in SEQ. ID NO: 1, respectively. Two potential cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites, Ser and Thr, were found at amino acid positions 191 and 349, respectively. There were five potential protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, Ser or Thr, at amino acid positions 3, 115, 166, 219, 442. One potential ATP/GTP binding site motif A (P-loop), Gly-Gly-Ser-Asn-Asn-Gly-Lys-Thr, was determined at amino acid positions 272-279.  
     [0129] In addition, two highly conserved putative LIM domains were found at amino acid positions 341-391 and 400-451. The putative LIM domains in this newly identified rat cDNA clone showed considerable homology with the LIM domains of other known LIM proteins. However, the overall homology with other rat LIM proteins was less than 25%. RLMP (also designated 10-4) has 78.5% amino acid homology to the human enigma protein (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,192), but only 24.5% and 22.7% amino acid homology to its closest rat homologs, CLP-36 and RIT-18, respectively.  
     EXAMPLE 13  
     Northern Blot Analysis of RLMP Expression  
     [0130] Thirty μg of total RNA from ROBs, prepared according to Examples 1 and 2, was size fractionated by formaldehyde gel electrophoresis in 1% agarose flatbed gels and osmotically transblotted to nylon membranes. The blot was probed with a 600 base pair EcoR1 fragment of full-length 10-4 cDNA labeled with  32 P-dCTP by random priming.  
     [0131] Northern blot analysis showed a 1.7 kb mRNA species that hybridized with the RLMP probe. RLMP mRNA was up-regulated approximately 3.7-fold in ROBs after 24 hours exposure to BMP-6. No up-regulation of RMLP expression was seen in BMP-2 or BMP-4-stimulated ROBs at 24 hours.  
     EXAMPLE 14  
     Statistical Methods  
     [0132] For each reported nodule/osteocalcin result, data from 5-6 wells from a representative experiment were used to calculate the mean±S.E.M. Graphs may be shown with data normalized to the maximum value for each parameter to allow simultaneous graphing of nodule counts, mineralized areas and osteocalcin.  
     [0133] For each reported RT-PCR, RNase protection assay or Western blot analysis, data from triplicate samples of representative experiments, were used to determine the mean±S.E.M. Graphs may be shown normalized to either day 0 or negative controls and expressed as fold-increase above control values.  
     [0134] Statistical significance was evaluated using a one-way analysis of variance with post-hoc multiple comparison corrections of Bonferroni as appropriate. D. V. Huntsberger, “The Analysis of Variance”, Elements of Statistical Variance, P. Billingsley (ed.), Allyn &amp; Bacon Inc., Boston, Mass., 298-330 (1977) and SigmaStat, Jandel Scientific, Corte Madera, Calif. Alpha levels for significance were defined as p&lt;0.05.  
     EXAMPLE 15  
     Detection of Rat LIM Mineralization Protein by Western Blot Analysis  
     [0135] Polyclonal antibodies were prepared according to the methods of England, et al., Biochim.Biophys. Acta, 623, 171 (1980) and Timmer, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 268, 24863 (1993).  
     [0136] HeLa cells were transfected with pCMV2/RLMP. Protein was harvested from the transfected cells according to the method of Hair, et al., Leukemia Research, 20, 1 (1996). Western Blot Analysis of native RLMP was performed as described by Towbin, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 76:4350 (1979).  
     EXAMPLE 16  
     Synthesis of the Rat LMP-Unique (RLMPU) derived Human PCR Product  
     [0137] Based on the sequence of the rat LMP-1 cDNA, forward and reverse PCR primers (SEQ. ID NOS: 15 and 16) were synthesized and a unique 223 base-pair sequence was PCR amplified from the rat LMP-1 cDNA. A similar PCR product was isolated from human MG63 osteosarcoma cell cDNA with the same PCR primers.  
     [0138] RNA was harvested from MG63 osteosarcoma cells grown in T-75 flasks. Culture supernatant was removed by aspiration and the flasks were overlayed with 3.0 ml of GIT solution per duplicate, swirled for 5-10 seconds, and the resulting solution was transferred to 1.5 ml eppendorf tubes (6 tubes with 0.6 ml/tube). RNA was purified by a slight modification of standard methods, for example, see Sambrook, et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Chapter 7, page 19, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1989) and Boden, et al., Endocrinology, 138, 2820-2828 (1997). Briefly, the 0.6 ml samples received 60 μl 2.0 M sodium acetate (pH 4.0), 550 μl water saturated phenol and 150 μl chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (49:1). After addition of those reagents, the samples were vortexed, centrifuged (10000×g; 20 min; 4C) and the aqueous phase transferred to a fresh tube. Isopropanol (600 μl) was added and the RNA was precipitated overnight at −20° C. The samples were centrifuged (10000×g; 20 minutes) and the supernatant was aspirated gently. The pellets were resuspended in 400 μl of DEPC-treated water, extracted once with phenol:chloroform (1:1), extracted with chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (24:1) and precipitated overnight at −20° C. in 40 μl sodium acetate (3.0 M; pH 5.2) and 1.0 ml absolute ethanol. After precipitation, the samples were centrifuged (10000×g; 20 min), washed once with 70% ethanol, air dried for 5-10 minutes and resuspended in 20 μl of DEPC-treated water. RNA concentrations were derived from optical densities.  
     [0139] Total RNA (5 μg in 10.5 μl total volume in DEPC-H 2 O) was heated at 65° C. for 5 minutes, and then added to tubes containing 4 μl 5× MMLV-RT buffer, 2 μl dNTPS, 2μdT17 primer (10 pmol/ml), 0.5 μl RNAsin (40 U/ml) and 1 μl MMLV-RT (200 units/μl). The reactions were incubated at 37° C. for 1 hour. Afterward, the MMLV-RT was inactivated by heating at 95° C. for 5 minutes. The samples were diluted by addition of 80 μl water.  
     [0140] Transcribed samples (5 μl) were subjected to polymerase-chain reaction using standard methodologies (50 μl total volume). Boden, et al., Endocrinology, 138, 2820-2828 (1997); Ausubel, et al., “Quantitation of Rare DNAs by the Polymerase Chain Reaction”, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Chapter 15.31-1, Wiley &amp; Sons, Trenton, N.J. (1990). Briefly, samples were added to tubes containing water and appropriate amounts of PCR buffer (25 mM MgCl 2  dNTPs, forward and reverse primers (for RLMPU; SEQ. ID NOS: 15 and 16),  32 P-dCTP, and DNA polymerase. Primers were designed to run consistently at 22 cycles for radioactive band detection and 33 cycles for amplification of PCR product for use as a screening probe (94° C., 30 sec, 58° C., 30 sec; 72° C., 20 see).  
     [0141] Sequencing of the agarose gel-purified MG63 osteosarcoma-derived PCR product gave a sequence more than 95% homologous to the RLMPU PCR product. That sequence is designated HLMP unique region (HLMPU; SEQ. ID NO: 6).  
     EXAMPLE 17  
     Screening of Reverse-Transcriptase-Derived MG63 cDNA  
     [0142] Screening was performed with PCR using specific primers (SEQ. ID NOS:16 and 17) as described in Example 7. A 717 base-pair MG63 PCR product was agarose gel purified and sequenced with the given primers (SEQ. ID NOs: 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 27 and 28). Sequences were confirmed a minimum of two times in both directions. The MG63 sequences were aligned against each other and then against the full-length rat LMP cDNA sequence to obtain a partial human LMP cDNA sequence (SEQ. ID NO: 7).  
     EXAMPLE 18  
     Screening of a Human Heart cDNA Library  
     [0143] Based on Northern blot experiments, it was determined that LMP-1 is expressed at different levels by several different tissues, including human heart muscle. A human heart cDNA library was therefore examined. The library was plated at 5×10 4  pfu/ml onto agar plates (LB bottom agar) and plates were grown overnight at 37° C. Filter membranes were overlaid onto the plates for two minutes. Afterward, the filters denatured, rinsed, dried, UV cross-linked and incubated in pre-hyridization buffer (2× PIPES [pH 6.5]; 5% formamide, 1% SDS, 100 g/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA) for 2 h at 42° C. A radio-labeled, LMP-unique, 223 base-pair probe ( 32 P, random primer labeling; SEQ ID NO: 6) was added and hybridized for 18 h at 42° C. Following hybridization, the membranes were washed once at room temperature (10 min, 1×SSC, 0.1% SDS) and three times at 55° C. (15 min, 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS). Double-positive plaque-purified heart library clones, identified by autoradiography, were rescued as lambda phagemids according to the manufacturers&#39; protocols (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.).  
     [0144] Restriction digests of positive clones yielded cDNA inserts of varying sizes. Inserts greater than 600 base-pairs in length were selected for initial screening by sequencing. Those inserts were sequenced by standard methods as described in Example 11.  
     [0145] One clone, number 7, was also subjected to automated sequence analysis using primers corresponding to SEQ. ID NOS: 11-14, 16 and 27. The sequences obtained by these methods were routinely 97-100% homologous. Clone 7 (Partial Human LMP-1 cDNA from a heart library; SEQ. ID NO: 8) contained a sequence that was more than 87% homologous to the rat LMP cDNA sequence in the translated region.  
     EXAMPLE 19  
     Determination of Full-Length Human LMP-1 cDNA  
     [0146] Overlapping regions of the MG63 human osteosarcoma cell cDNA sequence and the human heart cDNA clone 7 sequence were used to align those two sequences and derive a complete human cDNA sequence of 1644 base-pairs. NALIGN, a program in the PCGENE software package, was used to align the two sequences. The overlapping regions of the two sequences constituted approximately 360 base-pairs having complete homology except for a single nucleotide substitution at nucleotide 672 in the MG63 cDNA (SEQ. ID NO: 7) with clone 7 having an “A” instead of a “G” at the corresponding nucleotide 516 (SEQ. ID NO: 8).  
     [0147] The two aligned sequences were joined using SEQIN, another subprogram of PCGENE, using the “G” substitution of the MG63 osteosarcoma cDNA clone. The resulting sequence is shown in SEQ. ID NO: 9. Alignment of the novel human-derived sequence with the rat LMP-1 cDNA was accomplished with NALIGN. The full-length human LMP-1 cDNA sequence (SEQ. ID NO: 9) is 87.3% homologous to the translated portion of rat LMP-1 cDNA sequence.  
     EXAMPLE 20  
     Determination of Amino Acid Sequence of Human LMP-1  
     [0148] The putative amino acid sequence of human LMP-1 was determined with the PCGENE subprogram TRANSL. The open reading frame in SEQ. ID NO: 9 encodes a protein comprising 457 amino acids (SEQ. ID NO: 10). Using the PCGENE subprogram Palign, the human LMP-1 amino acid sequence was found to be 94.1% homologous to the rat LMP-1 amino acid sequence.  
     EXAMPLE 21  
     Determination of the 5 Prime Untranslated Region of the Human LMP cDNA  
     [0149] MG63 5′ cDNA was amplified by nested RT-PCR of MG63 total RNA using a 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5′ RACE) protocol. This method included first strand cDNA synthesis using a lock-docking oligo (dT) primer with two degenerate nucleotide positions at the 3′ end (Chenchik et al., CLONTECHniques, X:5 (1995); Borson et al., PC Methods Applic., 2, 144 (1993)). Second-strand synthesis is performed according to the method of Gubler, et al., Gene, 2, 263 (1983), with a cocktail of  Escherichia coli  DNA polymerase 1, RNase H, and  E. coli  DNA ligase. After creation of blunt ends with T4 DNA polymerase, double-stranded cDNA was ligated to the fragment (5′-CTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGCTCGAGCGGCCGCCCGGGCAGGT-3′) (SEQ. ID NO: 19). Prior to RACE, the adaptor-ligated cDNA was diluted to a concentration suitable for Marathon RACE reactions (1:50). Adaptor-ligated double-stranded cDNA was then ready to be specifically cloned.  
     [0150] First-round PCR was performed with the adaptor-specific oligonucleotide, 5′-CCATCCTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGC-3′ (API) (SEQ. ID NO: 20) as sense primer and a Gene Specific Primer (GSP) from the unique region described in Example 16 (HLMPU). The second round of PCR was performed using a nested primers GSP1-HLMPU (antisense/reverse primer) (SEQ. ID NO: 23) and GSP2-HLMPUF (SEQ. ID NO: 24) (see Example 16; sense/forward primer). PCR was performed using a commercial kit (Advantage cDNA PCR core kit; CloneTech Laboratories Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.) that utilizes an antibody-mediated, but otherwise standard, hot-start protocol. PCR conditions for MG63 cDNA included an initial hot-start denaturation (94° C., 60 sec) followed by: 94° C., 30 sec; 60° C., 30 sec; 68° C., 4 min; 30 cycles. The firstround PCR product was approximately 750 base-pairs in length whereas the nested PCR product was approximately 230 base-pairs. The first-round PCR product was cloned into linearized pCR 2.1 vector (3.9 Kb). The inserts were sequenced in both directions using Ml 13 Forward and Reverse primers (SEQ. ID NO: 11; SEQ. ID NO: 12).  
     EXAMPLE 22  
     Determination of Full-Length Human LMP-1 cDNA with 5 Prime UTR  
     [0151] Overlapping MG63 human osteosarcoma cell cDNA 5′-UTR sequence (SEQ. ID NO: 21), MG63717 base-pair sequence (Example 17; SEQ. ID NO: 8) and human heart cDNA clone 7 sequence (Example 18) were aligned to derive a novel human cDNA sequence of 1704 base-pairs (SEQ. ID NO: 22). The alignment was accomplished with NALIGN, (both PCGENE and Omiga 1.0; Intelligenetics). Over-lapping sequences constituted nearly the entire 717 base-pair region (Example 17) with 100% homology. Joining of the aligned sequences was accomplished with SEQIN.  
     EXAMPLE 23  
     Construction of LIM Protein Expression Vector  
     [0152] The construction of pHIS-5ATG LMP-1s expression vector was carried out with the sequences described in Examples 17 and 18. The 717 base-pair clone (Example 17; SEQ. ID NO: 7) was digested with ClaI and EcoRV. A small fragment (˜250 base-pairs) was gel purified. Clone 7 (Example 18; SEQ. ID NO: 8) was digested with ClaI and XbaI and a 1400 base-pair fragment was gel purified. The isolated 250 base-pair and 1400 base-pair restriction fragments were ligated to form a fragment of ˜1650 base-pairs.  
     [0153] Due to the single nucleotide substitution in Clone 7 (relative to the 717 base-pair PCR sequence and the original rat sequence) a stop codon at translated base-pair 672 resulted. Because of this stop codon, a truncated (short) protein was encoded, hence the name LMP-1s. This was the construct used in the expression vector (SEQ. ID NO: 32). The full length cDNA sequence with 5′ UTR (SEQ. ID NO: 33) was created by alignment of SEQ. ID NO: 32 with the 5′ RACE sequence (SEQ. ID NO: 21). The amino acid sequence of LMP-1s (SEQ. ID NO: 34) was then deduced as a 223 amino acid protein and confirmed by Western blot (as in Example 15) to run at the predicted molecular weight of ˜23.7 kD.  
     [0154] The pHis-ATG vector (InVitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.) was digested with EcoRV and XbaI. The vector was recovered and the 650 base-pair restriction fragment was then ligated into the linearized pHis-ATG. The ligated product was cloned and amplified. The pHis-ATG-LMP-1s Expression vector, also designated pHIS-A with insert HLMP-1s, was purified by standard methods.  
     EXAMPLE 24  
     Induction of Bone Nodule Formation and Mineralization In vitro with LMP Expression Vector  
     [0155] Rat Calvarial cells were isolated and grown in secondary culture according to Example 1. Cultures were either unstimulated or stimulated with glucocorticoid (GC) as described in Example 1. A modification of the Superfect Reagent (Qiagen, Valencia, Calif.) transfection protocol was used to transfect 3 μg/well of each vector into secondary rat calvarial osteoblast cultures according to Example 25.  
     [0156] Mineralized nodules were visualized by Von Kossa staining, as described in Example 3. Human LMP-1s gene product over expression alone induced bone nodule formation (˜203 nodules/well) in vitro. Levels of nodules were approximately 50% of those induced by the GC positive control (˜412 nodules/well). Other positive controls included the pHisA-LMP-Rat expression vector (˜152 nodules/well) and the pCMV2/LMP-Rat-Fwd Expression vector (˜206 nodules/well), whereas the negative controls included the pCMV2/LMP-Rat-Rev. expression vector (˜2 nodules/well) and untreated (NT) plates (˜4 nodules/well). These data demonstrate that the human cDNA was at least as osteoinductive as the rat cDNA. The effect was less than that observed with GC stimulation, most likely due to sub-optimal doses of Expression vector.  
     EXAMPLE 25  
     LMP-Induced Cell Differentiation In Vitro and In Vivo  
     [0157] The rat LMP cDNA in clone 10-4 (see Example 12) was excised from the vector by double-digesting the clone with NotI and ApaI overnight at 37° C. Vector pCMV2 MCS (InVitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.) was digested with the same restriction enzymes. Both the linear cDNA fragment from clone 10-4 and pCMV2 were gel purified, extracted and ligated with T4 ligase. The ligated DNA was gel purified, extracted and used to transform  E. coli  JM 109 cells for amplification. Positive agar colonies were picked, digested with NotI and ApaI and the restriction digests were examined by gel electrophoresis. Stock cultures were prepared of positive clones.  
     [0158] A reverse vector was prepared in analogous fashion except that the restriction enzymes used were XbaI and HindIII. Because these restriction enzymes were used, the LMP cDNA fragment from clone 10-4 was inserted into pRc/CMV2 in the reverse (that is, non-translatable) orientation. The recombinant vector produced is designated pCMV2/RLMP.  
     [0159] An appropriate volume of pCMV10-4 (60 nM final concentration is optimal [3 μg]; for this experiment a range of 0-600 nM/well [0-30 μg/well] final concentration is preferred) was resuspended in Minimal Eagle Media (MEM) to 450 μl final volume and vortexed for 10 seconds. Superfect was added (7.5 μl/ml final solution), the solution was vortexed for 10 seconds and then incubated at room temperature for 10 minutes. Following this incubation, MEM supplemented with 10% FBS (1 ml/well; 6 ml/plate) was added and mixed by pipetting.  
     [0160] The resulting solution was then promptly pipetted (1 ml/well) onto washed ROB cultures. The cultures were incubated for 2 hours at 37° C. in a humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO 2 . Afterward, the cells were gently washed once with sterile PBS and the appropriate normal incubation medium was added.  
     [0161] Results demonstrated significant bone nodule formation in all rat cell cultures which were induced with pCMV10-4. For example, pCMV10-4 transfected cells produced 429 nodules/well. Positive control cultures, which were exposed to Trm, produced 460 nodules/well. In contrast, negative controls, which received no treatment, produced 1 nodule/well. Similarly, when cultures were transfected with pCMV10-4 (reverse), no nodules were observed.  
     [0162] For demonstrating de novo bone formation in vivo, marrow was aspirated from the hind limbs of 4-5 week old normal rats (mu/+; heterozygous for recessive athymic condition). The aspirated marrow cells were washed in alpha MEM, centrifuged, and RBCs were lysed by resuspending the pellet in 0.83% NH 4 Cl in 10 mM Tris (pH 7.4). The remaining marrow cells were washed 3×with MEM and transfected for 2 hours with 9 μg of pCMV-LMP-1s (forward or reverse orientation) per 3×10 6  cells. The transfected cells were then washed 2× with MEM and resuspended at a concentration of 3×10 7  cells/ml.  
     [0163] The cell suspension (100 μl) was applied via sterile pipette to a sterile 2×5 mm type I bovine collagen disc (Sulzer Orthopaedics, Wheat Ridge, Colo.). The discs were surgically implanted subcutaneously on the skull, chest, abdomen or dorsal spine of 4-5 week old athymic rats (rnu/mu). The animals were scarified at 3-4 weeks, at which time the discs or surgical areas were excised and fixed in 70% ethanol. The fixed specimens were analyzed by radiography and undecalcified histologic examination was performed on 5 μm thick sections stained with Goldner Trichrome. Experiments were also performed using devitalized (guanidine extracted) demineralized bone matrix (Osteotech, Shrewsbury, N.J.) in place of collagen discs.  
     [0164] Radiography revealed a high level of mineralized bone formation that conformed to the form of the original collagen disc containing LMP-1s transfected marrow cells. No mineralized bone formation was observed in the negative control (cells transfected with a reverse-oriented version of the LMP-1s cDNA that did not code for a translated protein), and absorption of the carrier appeared to be well underway.  
     [0165] Histology revealed new bone trabeculae lined with osteoblasts in the LMP-1s transfected implants. No bone was seen along with partial resorption of the carrier in the negative controls.  
     [0166] Radiography of a further experiment in which 18 sets (9 negative control pCMV-LMP-REV &amp; 9 experimental pCMV-LMP-1s) of implants were added to sites alternating between lumbar and thoracic spine in athymic rats demonstrated 0/9 negative control implants exhibiting bone formation (spine fusion) between vertebrae. All nine of the pCMV-LMP-1s treated implants exhibited solid bone fusions between vertebrae.  
     EXAMPLE 26  
     The Synthesis of pHIS-5′ ATG LMP-1s Expression Vector from the Sequences Demonstrated in Examples 2 and 3  
     [0167] The 717 base-pair clone (Example 17) was digested with ClaI and EcoRV (New England Biologicals, city, Mass.). A small fragment (˜250 base pairs) was gel purified. Clone No. 7 (Example 18) was digested with ClaI and XbaI. A 1400 base-pair fragment was gel purified from that digest. The isolated 250 base-pair and 1400 base-pair cDNA fragments were ligated by standard methods to form a fragment of ˜1650 bp. The pHis-A vector (InVitrogen) was digested with EcoRV and XbaI. The linearized vector was recovered and ligated to the chimeric 1650 base-pair cDNA fragment. The ligated product was cloned and amplified by standard methods, and the phis-A-5′ ATG LMP-1s expression vector, also denominated as the vector pHis-A with insert HLMP-1s, was deposited at the ATCC as previously described.  
     EXAMPLE 27  
     The Induction of Bone Nodule Formation and Mineralization In Vitro With pHis-5′ ATG LMP-1s Expression Vector  
     [0168] Rat calvarial cells were isolated and grown in secondary culture according to Example 1. Cultures were either unstimulated or stimulated with glucocorticoid (GC) according to Example 1. The cultures were transfected with 3 μg of recombinant pHis-A vector DNA/well as described in Example 25. Mineralized nodules were visualized by Von Kossa staining according to Example 3.  
     [0169] Human LMP-1s gene product overexpression alone (i.e., without GC stimulation) induced significant bone nodule formation (˜203 nodules/well) in vitro. This is approximately 50% of the amount of nodules produced by cells lo exposed to the GC positive control (˜412 nodules/well). Similar results were obtained with cultures transfected with pHisA-LMP-Rat Expression vector (˜152 nodules/well) and pCMV2/LMP-Rat-Fwd (˜206 nodules/well). In contrast, the negative control pCMV2/LMP-Rat-Rev yielded (˜2 nodules/well), while approximately 4 nodules/well were seen in the untreated plates. These data demonstrate that the human LMP-1 cDNA was at least as osteoinductive as the rat LMP-1 cDNA in this model system. The effect in this experiment was less than that observed with GC stimulation; but in some the effect was comparable.  
     EXAMPLE 28  
     LMP Induces Secretion of a Soluble Osteoinductive Factor  
     [0170] Overexpression of RLMP-1 or HLMP-1s in rat calvarial osteoblast cultures as described in Example 24 resulted in significantly greater nodule formation than was observed in the negative control. To study the mechanism of action of LIM mineralization protein conditioned medium was harvested at different time points, concentrated to 10×, sterile filtered, diluted to its original concentration in medium containing fresh serum, and applied for four days to untransfected cells.  
     [0171] Conditioned media harvested from cells transfected with RLMP-1 or HLMP-1s at day 4 was approximately as effective in inducing nodule formation as direct overexpression of RLMP-1 in transfected cells. Conditioned media from cells transfected with RLMP-1 or HLMP-1 in the reverse orientation had no apparent effect on nodule formation. Nor did conditioned media harvested from LMP-1 transfected cultures before day 4 induce nodule formation. These data suggest that expression of LMP-1 caused the synthesis and/or secretion of a soluble factor, which did not appear in culture medium in effective amounts until 4 days post transfection.  
     [0172] Since overexpression of rLMP-1 resulted in the secretion of an osteoinductive factor into the medium, Western blot analysis was used to determine if LMP-1 protein was present in the medium. The presence of RLMP-1 protein was assessed using antibody specific for LMP-1 (QDPDEE) and detected by conventional means. LMP-1 protein was found only in the cell layer of the culture and not detected in the medium.  
     [0173] Partial purification of the osteoinductive soluble factor was accomplished by standard 25% and 100% ammonium sulfate cuts followed by DE-52 anion exchange batch chromatography (100 mM or 500 mM NACl). All activity was observed in the high ammonium sulfate, high NaCl fractions. Such localization is consistent with the possibility of a single factor being responsible for conditioning the medium.  
     EXAMPLE 29  
     Gene Therapy In Lumbar Spine Fusion Mediated by Low Dose Adenovirus  
     [0174] This study determined the optimal dose of adenoviral delivery of the LMP-1 cDNA (SEQ. ID NO: 2) to promote spine fusion—in normal, that is, immune competent, rabbits.  
     [0175] A replication-deficient human recombinant adenovirus was constructed with the LMP-1 cDNA (SEQ. ID NO: 2) driven by a CMV promoter using the Adeno-Quest™ Kit (Quantum Biotechnologies, Inc., Montreal). A commercially available (Quantum Biotechnologies, Inc., Montreal) recombinant adenovirus containing the beta-galactosidase gene was used as a control.  
     [0176] Initially, an in vitro dose response experiment was performed to determine the optimal concentration of adenovirus-delivered LMP-1 (“AdV-LMP-1”) to induce bone differentiation in rat calvarial osteoblast cultures using a 60-minute transduction with a multiplicity of infection (“MOI”) of 0.025, 0.25, 2.5, or 25 plaque-forming units (pfu) of virus per cell. Positive control cultures were differentiated by a 7-day exposure to 10 9  M glucocorticoid (“GC”). Negative control cultures were left untreated. On day 14, the number of mineralized bone nodules was counted after von Kossa staining of the cultures, and the level of osteocalcin secreted into the medium (pmol/mL) was measured by radioimmunoassay (mean±SEM).  
     [0177] The results of this experiment are shown in Table I, below. Essentially no spontaneous nodules formed in the untreated negative control cultures. The data show that a MOI equal to 0.25 pfu/cell is most effective for osteoinducing bone nodules, achieving a level comparable to the positive control (GC). Lower and higher doses of adenovirus were less effective.  
                           TABLE I                              Neg.       Adv-LMP-1 Dose (MOI)                                         Outcome   Ctrl.   GC   0.025   0.25   2.5   25               Bone   0.5 ± 0.2   188 ± 35   79.8 ± 13   145.1 ± 13   26.4 ± 15   87.6 ± 2       Nodules       Osteocalcin   1.0 ± .1    57.8 ± 9     28.6 ± 11   22.8 ± 1   18.3 ± 3    26.0 ± 2                  
 
     [0178] In vivo experiments were then performed to determine if the optimal in vitro dose was capable of promoting intertransverse process spine fusions in skeletally mature New Zealand white rabbits. Nine rabbits were anesthetized and 3 cc of bone marrow was aspirated from the distal femur through the intercondylar notch using an 18 gauge needle. The buffy coat was then isolated, a 10-minute transduction with AdV-LMP-1 was performed, and the cells were returned to the operating room for implantation. Single level posterolateral lumbar spine arthrodesis was performed with decortication of transverse processes and insertion of carrier (either rabbit devitalized bone matrix or a collagen sponge) containing 8-15 million autologous nucleated buffy coat cells transduced with either AdV-LMP-1 (MOI=0.4) or AdV-BGal (MOI=0.4). Rabbits were euthanized after 5 weeks and spine fusions were assessed by manual palpation, plain x-rays, CT scans, and undecalcified histology.  
     [0179] The spine fusion sites that received AdV-LMP-1 induced solid, continuous spine fusion masses in all nine rabbits. In contrast, the sites receiving AdV-BGal, or a lower dose of AdV-LMP-1 (MOI=0.04) made little or no bone and resulted in spine fusion at a rate comparable to the carrier alone (&lt;40%). These results were consistent as evaluated by manual palpation, CT scan, and histology. Plain radiographs, however, sometimes overestimated the amount of bone that was present, especially in the control sites. LMP-1 cDNA delivery and bone induction was successful with both of the carrier materials tested. There was no evidence of systemic or local immune response to the adenovirus vector.  
     [0180] These data demonstrate consistent bone induction in a previously validated rabbit spine fusion model which is quite challenging. Furthermore, the protocol of using autogenous bone marrow cells with intraoperative ex vivo gene transduction (10 minutes) is a more clinically feasible procedure than other methods that call for overnight transduction or cell expansion for weeks in culture. In addition, the most effective dose of recombinant adenovirus (MOI=0.25) was substantially lower than doses reported in other gene therapy applications (MOI 40-500). We believe this is due to the fact that LMP-1 is an intracellular signaling molecule and may have powerful signal amplification cascades. Moreover, the observation that the same concentration of AdV-LMP-1 that induced bone in cell culture was effective in vivo was also surprising given the usual required increase in dose of other growth factors when translating from cell culture to animal experiments. Taken together, these observations indicate that local gene therapy using adenovirus to deliver the LMP-1 cDNA is possible and the low dose required will likely minimize the negative effects of immune response to the adenovirus vector.  
     EXAMPLE 30  
     Use of Peripheral Venous Blood Nucleated Cells (Buffy Coat) for Gene Therapy With LMP-1 cDNA To Make Bone  
     [0181] In four rabbits we performed spine fusion surgery as above (Example 29) except the transduced cells were the buffy coat from venous blood rather than bone marrow. These cells were transfected with Adeno-LMP or pHIS-LMP plasmid and had equivalent successful results as when bone marrow cells were used. This discovery of using ordinary venous blood cells for gene delivery makes gene therapy more feasible clinically since it avoids painful marrow harvest under general anesthesia and yields two times more cells per mL of starting material.  
     EXAMPLE 31  
     Isolation of Human LMP-1 Splice Variants  
     [0182] Intron/Exon mRNA transcript splice variants are a relatively common regulatory mechanism in signal-transduction and cellular/tissue development. Splice variants of various genes have been shown to alter protein-protein, protein-DNA, protein-RNA, and protein-substrate interactions. Splice variants may also control tissue specificity for gene expression allowing different forms (and therefore functions) to be expressed in various tissues. Splice variants are a common regulatory phenomenon in cells. It is possible that the LMP splice variants may result in effects in other tissues such as nerve regeneration, muscle regeneration, or development of other tissues.  
     [0183] To screen a human heart cDNA library for splice variants of the HLMP-1 sequence, a pair of PCR primer corresponding to sections of SEQ. ID NO: 22 was prepared. The forward PCR primer, which was synthesized using standard techniques, corresponds to nucleotides 35-54 of SEQ. ID NO: 22. It has the following sequence:  
                                          5′ GAGCCGGCATCATGGATTCC 3′   (SEQ. ID NO: 35)              
 
     [0184] The reverse PCR primer, which is the reverse complement of nucleotides 820-839 in SEQ. ID NO: 22, has the following sequence:  
                                          5′ GCTGCCTGCACAATGGAGGT 3′   (SEQ. ID NO: 36)              
 
     [0185] The forward and reverse PCR primers were used to screen human heart cDNA (ClonTech, Cat No. 7404-1) for sequences similar to HLMP-1 by standard techniques, using a cycling protocol of 94° C. for 30 seconds, 64° C. for 30 seconds, and 72° C. for 1 minute, repeated 30 times and followed by a 10 minute incubation at 72° C. The amplification cDNA sequences were gel-purified and submitted to the Emory DNA Sequence Core Facility for sequencing. The clones were sequenced using standard techniques and the sequences were examined with PCGENE (intelligenetics; Programs SEQUIN and NALIGN) to determine homology to SEQ. ID NO: 22. Two homologous nucleotide sequences with putative alternative splice sites compared to SEQ. ID NO: 22 were then translated to their respective protein products with Intelligenetic&#39;s program TRANSL.  
     [0186] One of these two novel human cDNA sequences (SEQ. ID NO: 37) comprises 1456 bp:  
                              CGACGCAGAG CAGCGCCCTG GCCGGGCCAA GCAGGAGCCG GCATCATGGA TTCCTTCAAG   60                   GTAGTGCTGG AGGGGCCAGC ACCTTGGGGC TTCCGGCTGC AAGGGGGCAA GGACTTCAAT   120               GTGCCCCTCT CCATTTCCCG GCTCACTCCT GGGGGCAAAG CGGCGCAGGC CGGAGTGGCC   180               GTGGGTGACT GGGTGCTGAG CATCGATGGC GAGAATGCGG GTAGCCTCAC ACACATCGAA   240               GCTCAGAACA AGATCCGGGC CTGCGGGGAG CGCCTCAGCC TGGGCCTCAG CAGGGCCCAG   300                                         X                 X       CCGGTTCAGA GCAAACCGCA GAAG   GTGCAG ACCCCTGACA A   ACAGCCGCT CCGACCGCTG   360               GTCCCAGATG CCAGCAAGCA GCGGCTGATG GAGAACACAG AGGACTGGCG GCCGCGGCCG   420               GGGACAGGCC AGTCGCGTTC CTTCCGCATC CTTGCCCACC TCACAGGCAC CGAGTTCATG   480               CAAGACCCGG ATGAGGAGCA CCTGAAGAAA TCAAGCCAGG TGCCCAGGAC AGAAGCCCCA   540               GCCCCAGCCT CATCTACACC CCAGGAGCCC TGGCCTGGCC CTACCGCCCC CAGCCCTACC   600               AGCCGCCCGC CCTGGGCTGT GGACCCTGCG TTTGCCGAGC GCTATGCCCC GGACAAAACG   660               AGCACAGTGC TGACCCGGCA CAGCCAGCCG GCCACGCCCA CGCCGCTGCA GAGCCGCACC   720               TCCATTGTGC AGGCAGCTGC CGGAGGGGTG CCAGGAGGGG GCAGCAACAA CGGCAAGACT   780               CCCGTGTGTC ACCAGTGCCA CAAGGTCATC CGGGGCCGCT ACCTGGTGGC GTTGGGCCAC   840               GCGTACCACC CGGAGGAGTT TGTGTGTAGC CAGTGTGGGA AGGTCCTGGA AGAGGGTGGC   900               TTCTTTGAGG AGAAGGGCGC CATCTTCTGC CCACCATGCT ATGACGTGCG CTATGCACCC   960               AGCTGTGCCA AGTGCAAGAA GAAGATTACA GGCGAGATCA TGCACGCCCT GAAGATGACC   1020               TGGCACGTGC ACTGCTTTAC CTGTGCTGCC TGCAAGACGC CCATCCGGAA CAGGGCCTTC   1080               TACATGGAGG AGGGCGTGCC CTATTGCGAG CGAGACTATG AGAAGATGTT TGGCACGAAA   1140               TGCCATGGCT GTGACTTCAA GATCGACGCT GGGGACCGCT TCCTGGAGGC CCTGGGCTTC   1200               AGCTGGCATG ACACCTGCTT CGTCTGTGCG ATATGTCAGA TCAACCTGGA AGGAAAGACC   1260               TTCTACTCCA AGAAGGACAG GCCTCTCTGC AAGAGCCATG CCTTCTCTCA TGTGTGAGCC   1320               CCTTCTGCCC ACAGCTGCCG CGGTGGCCCC TAGCCTGAGG GGCCTGGAGT CGTGGCCCTG   1380               CATTTCTGGG TAGGGCTGGC AATGGTTGCC TTAACCCTGG CTCCTGGCCC GAGCCTGGGC   1440               TCCCGGGCCC TGCCCA 1456          
 
     [0187] Reading frame shifts caused by the deletion of a 119 bp fragment (between X) and the addition of a 17 bp fragment (underlined) results in a truncated gene product having the following derived amino acid sequence (SEQ. ID NO: 38):  
                                      Met Asp Ser Phe Lys Val Val Leu Glu Gly Pro Ala                 1               5                  10                       Pro Trp Gly Phe Arg Leu Gln Gly Gly Lys Asp Phe           15                  20                       Asn Val Pro Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg Leu Thr Pro Gly            25                  30                  35                       Gly Lys Ala Ala Gln Ala Gly Val Ala Val Gly Asp                        40                  45                       Trp Val Leu Ser Ile Asp Gly Glu Asn Ala Gly Ser                50                  55                  60                       Leu Thr His Ile Glu Ala Gln Asn Lys Ile Arg Ala                            65                  70                       Cys Gly Glu Arg Leu Ser Leu Gly Leu Ser Arg Ala                    75                  80                       Gln Pro Val Gln Asn Lys Pro Gln Lys    Val Gln Thr                85                  90                  95                           Pro Asp Lys    Gln Pro Leu Arg Pro Leu Val Pro Asp                       100                 105                       Ala Ser Lys Gln Arg Leu Met Glu Asn Thr Glu Asp               110                 115                 120                       Trp Arg Pro Arg Pro Gly Thr Gly Gln Ser Arg Ser                           125                 130                       Phe Arg Ile Leu Ala His Leu Thr Gly Thr Glu Phe                   135                 140                       Met Gln Asp Pro Asp Glu Glu His Leu Lys Lys Ser           145                 150                 155                       Ser Gln Val Pro Arg Thr Glu Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala                      160                165                       Ser Ser Thr Pro Gln Glu Pro Trp Pro Gly Pro Thr               170                 175                 180                       Ala Pro Ser Pro Thr Ser Arg Pro Pro Trp Ala Val                           185                 190                       Asp Pro Ala Phe Ala Glu Arg Tyr Ala Pro Asp Lys                   195                 200                       Thr Ser Thr Val Leu Thr Arg His Ser Gln Pro Ala           205                 210                 215                       Thr Pro Thr Pro Leu Gln Ser Arg Thr Ser Ile Val                       220                 225                       Gln Ala Ala Ala Gly Gly Val Pro Gly Gly Gly Ser               230                 235                 240                       Asn Asn Gly Lys Thr Pro Val Cys His Gln Cys His                           245                 250                       Gln Val Ile Arg Ala Arg Tyr Leu Val Ala Leu Gly                   255                 260                       His Ala Tyr His Pro Glu Glu Phe Val Cys Ser Gln           265                 270                 275                       Cys Gly Lys Val Leu Glu Glu Gly Gly Phe Phe Glu                       280                 285                       Glu Lys Gly Ala Ile Phe Cys Pro Pro Cys Tyr Asp               290                 295                 300                       Val Arg Tyr Ala Pro Ser Cys Ala Lys Cys Lys Lys                        305                 310                       Lys Ile Thr Gly Glu Ile Met His Ala Leu Lys Met                   315                 320                       Thr Trp His Val Leu Cys Phe Thr Cys Ala Ala Cys           325                 330                 335                       Lys Thr Pro Ile Arg Asn Arg Ala Phe Tyr Met Glu                       340                 345                       Glu Gly Val Pro Tyr Cys Glu Arg Asp Tyr Glu Lys               350                 355                 360                       Met Phe Gly Thr Lys Cys Gln Trp Cys Asp Phe Lys                           365                 370                       Ile Asp Ala Gly Asp Arg Phe Leu Glu Ala Leu Gly                   375                 380                       Phe Ser Trp His Asp Thr Cys Phe Val Cys Ala Ile           385                 390                 395                       Cys Gln Ile Asn Leu Glu Gly Lys Thr Phe Tyr Ser                       400                 405                       Lys Lys Asp Arg Pro Leu Cys Lys Ser His Ala Phe               410                 415                 420                       Ser His Val          
 
     [0188] This 423 amino acid protein demonstrates 100% homology to the protein shown in SEQ. ID NO. 10, except for the sequence in the highlighted area (amino acids 94-99), which are due to the nucleotide changes depicted above.  
     [0189] The second novel human heart cDNA sequence (SEQ. ID NO: 39) comprises 1575 bp:  
                              CGACGCAGAG CAGCGCCCTG GCCGGGCCAA GCAGGAGCCG GCATCATGGA TTCCTTCAAG   60                   GTAGTGCTGG AGGGGCCAGC ACCTTGGGGC TTCCGGCTGC AAGGGGGCAA GGACTTCAAT   120               GTGCCCCTCT CCATTTCCCG GCTCACTCCT GGGGGCAAAG CGGCGCAGGC CGGAGTGGCC   180               GTGGGTGACT GGGTGCTGAG CATCGATGGC GAGAATGCGG GTAGCCTCAC ACACATCGAA   240               GCTCAGAACA AGATCCGGGC CTGCGGGGAG CGCCTCAGCC TGGGCCTCAG CAGGGCCCAG   300               CCGGTTCAGA GCAAACCGCA GAAGGCCTCC GCCCCCGCCG CGGACCCTCC GCGGTACACC   360               TTTGCACCCA GCGTCTCCCT CAACAAGACG GCCCGGCCCT TTGGGGCGCC CCCGCCCGCT   420               GACAGCGCCC CGCAACAGAA TGG   GTGCAGA CCCCTGACAA    ACAGCCGCTC CGACCGCTGG   480               TCCCAGATGC CAGCAAGCAG CGGCTGATGG AGAACACAGA GGACTGGCGG CCGCGGCCGG   540               GGACAGGCCA GTCGCGTTCC TTCCGCATCC TTGCCCACCT CACAGGCACC GAGTTCATGC   600               AAGACCCGGA TGAGGAGCAC CTGAAGAAAT CAAGCCAGGT GCCCAGGACA GAAGCCCCAG   660               CCCCAGCCTC ATCTACACCC CAGGAGCCCT GGCCTGGCCC TACCGCCCCC AGCCCTACCA   720               GCCGCCCGCC CTGGGCTGTG GACCCTGCGT TTGCCGAGCG CTATGCCCCG GACAAAACGA   780               GCACAGTGCT GACCCGGCAC AGCCAGCCGG CCACGCCCAC GCCGCTGCAG AGCCGCACCT   840               CCATTGTGCA GGCAGCTGCC GGAGGGGTGC CAGGAGGGGG CAGCAACAAC GGCAAGACTC   900               CCGTGTGTCA CCAGTGCCAC AAGGTCATCC GGGGCCGCTA CCTGGTGGCG TTGGGCCACG   960               CGTACCACCC GGAGGAGTTT GTGTGTAGCC AGTGTGGGAA GGTCCTGGAA GAGGGTGGCT   1020               TCTTTGAGGA GAAGGGCGCC ATCTTCTGCC CACCATGCTA TGACGTGCGC TATGCACCCA   1080               GCTGTGCCAA GTGCAAGAAG AAGATTACAG GCGAGATCAT GCACGCCCTG AAGATGACCT   1140               GGCACGTGCA CTGCTTTACC TGTGCTGCCT GCAAGACGCC CATCCGGAAC AGGGCCTTCT   1200               ACATGGAGGA GGGCGTGCCC TATTGCGAGC GAGACTATGA GAAGATGTTT GGCACGAAAT   1260               GCCATGGCTG TGACTTCAAG ATCGACGCTG GGGACCGCTT CCTGGAGGCC CTGGGCTTCA   1320               GCTGGCATGA CACCTGCTTC GTCTGTGCGA TATGTCAGAT CAACCTGGAA GGAAAGACCT   1380               TCTACTCCAA GAAGGACAGG CCTCTCTGCA AGAGCCATGC CTTCTCTCAT GTGTGAGCCC   1440               CTTCTGCCCA CAGCTGCCGC GGTGGCCCCT AGCCTGAGGG GCCTGGAGTC GTGGCCCTGC   1500               ATTTCTGGGT AGGGCTGGCA ATGGTTGCCT TAACCCTGGC TCCTGGCCCG AGCCTGGGCT   1560               CCCGGGCCCT GCCCA   1575          
 
     [0190] Reading frame shifts caused by the addition of a 17 bp fragment (bolded, italicized and underlined) results in an early translation stop codon at position 565-567 (underlined).  
     [0191] The derived amino acid sequence (SEQ. ID NO: 40) consists of 153 amino acids:  
                                      Met Asp Ser Phe Lys Val Val Leu Glu Gly Pro Ala                 1               5                  10                       Pro Trp Gly Phe Arg Leu Gln Gly Gly Lys Asp Phe                    15                  20                       Asn Val Pro Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg Leu Thr Pro Gly            25                  30                  35                       Gly Lys Ala Ala Gln Ala Gly Val Ala Val Gly Asp                        40                  45                       Trp Val Leu Ser Ile Asp Gly Glu Asn Ala Gly Ser               50                  55                  60                       Leu Thr His Ile Glu Ala Gln Asn Lys Ile Arg Ala                            65                  70                       Cys Gly Glu Arg Leu Ser Leu Gly Leu Ser Arg Ala                    75                  80                       Gln Pro Val Gln Ser Lys Pro Gln Lys    Ala Ser Ala                85                  90                  95                           Pro Ala Ala Asp Pro Pro Arg Tyr Thr Phe Ala Pro                           100                 105                           Ser Val Ser Leu Asn Lys Thr Ala Arg Pro Phe Gly                   110                 115                 120                           Ala Pro Pro Pro Ala Asp Ser Ala Pro Gln Gln Asn                               125                 130                           Gly Cys Arg Pro Leu Thr Asn Ser Arg Ser Asp Arg                       135                 140                           Trp Ser Gln Met Pro Ala Ser Ser Gly               145                 150          
 
     [0192] This protein demonstrates 100% homology to SEQ. ID NO: 10 until amino acid 94, where the addition of the 17 bp fragment depicted in the nucleotide sequence results in a frame shift. Over amino acids 94-153, the protein is not homologous to SEQ. ID NO: 10. Amino acids 154-457 in SEQ. ID NO: 10 are not present due to the early stop codon depicted in nucleotide sequence.  
     EXAMPLE 32  
     Genomic HLMP-1 Nucleotide Sequence  
     [0193] Applicants have identified the genomic DNA sequence encoding HLMP-1, including putative regulatory elements associated with HLMP-1 expression. The entire genomic sequence is shown in SEQ. ID. NO: 41. This sequence was derived from AC023788 (clone RP11-564G9), Genome Sequencing Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Mo.  
     [0194] The putative promoter region for HLMP-1 spans nucleotides 2,660-8,733 in SEQ. ID NO: 41. This region comprises, among other things, at least ten potential glucocorticoid response elements (“GREs”) (nucleotides 6148-6153, 6226-6231, 6247-6252, 6336-6341, 6510-6515, 6552-6557, 6727-6732, 6752-6757, 7738-7743, and 8255-8260), twelve potential Sma-2 homologues to Mothers against Drosophilla decapentaplegic (“SMAD”) binding element sites (nucleotides 3569-3575, 4552-4558, 4582-4588, 5226-5232, 6228-6234, 6649-6655, 6725-6731, 6930-6936, 7379-7384, 7738-7742, 8073-8079, and 8378-8384), and three TATA boxes (nucleotides 5910-5913, 6932-6935, and 7380-7383). The three TATA boxes, all of the GREs, and eight of the SMAD binding elements (“SBEs”) are grouped in the region spanning nucleotides 5,841-8,733 in SEQ. ID NO: 41. These regulatory elements can be used, for example, to regulate expression of exogenous nucleotide sequences encoding proteins involved in the process of bone formation. This would permit systemic administration of therapeutic factors or genes relating to bone formation and repair, as well as factors or genes associated with tissue differentiation and development.  
     [0195] In addition to the putative regulatory elements, 13 exons corresponding to the nucleotide sequence encoding HLMP-1 have been identified. These exons span the following nucleotides in SEQ. ID NO: 41:  
                                                      Exon 1   8733-8767           Exon 2   9790-9895           Exon 3   13635-13787           Exon 4   13877-13907           Exon 5   14387-14502           Exon 6   15161-15297           Exon 7   15401-15437           Exon 8   16483-16545           Exon 9   16689-16923           Exon 10   18068-18248           Exon 11   22117-22240           Exon 12   22323-22440           Exon 13   22575-22911                      
 
     [0196] In HLMP-2 there is another exon (Exon 5A), which spans nucleotides 14887-14904.  
     EXAMPLE 33  
     Expression of HLMP-1 in Intervertebral Disc Cells  
     [0197] LIM mineralization protein-1 (LMP-1) is an intracellular protein that can direct cellular differentiation in osseous and non-osseous tissues. This example demonstrates that expressing human LMP-1 (“HLMP-1”) in intervertebral disc cells increases proteoglycan synthesis and promotes a more chondrocytic phenotype. In addition, the effect of HLMP-1 expression on cellular gene expression was demonstrated by measuring Aggrecan and BMP-2 gene expression. Lumbar intervertebral disc cells were harvested from Sprague-Dawley rats by gentle enzymatic digestion and cultured in monolayer in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% FBS. These cells were then split into 6 well plates at approximately 200,000 cells per well and cultured for about 6 days until the cells reached approximately 300,000 cells per well. The culture media was changed to 1% FBS DMEM/F12 and this was considered Day 0.  
     [0198] Replication deficient Type 5 adenovirus comprising a HLMP-1 cDNA operably linked to a cytomegalovirus (“CMV”) promoter has been previously described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,127. The negative control adenovirus was identical except the HLMP-1 cDNA was replaced by LacZ cDNA. For a positive control, uninfected cultures were incubated in the continuous presence of BMP-2 at a concentration of 100 nanograms/milliliter.  
     [0199] On Day 0, the cultures were infected with adenovirus for 30 minutes at 37° C. in 300 microliters of media containing 1% FBS. Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (“FACS”) analysis of cells treated with adenovirus containing the green fluorescent protein (“GFP”) gene (“AdGFP”) was performed to determine the optimal dose range for expression of transgene. The cells were treated with adenovirus containing the human LMP-1 cDNA (AdHLMP-1) (at MOIs of 0, 100, 300, 1000, or 3000) or with adenovirus containing the LacZ marker gene (AdLacZ MOI of 1000) (negative control). The culture media was changed at day 3 and day 6 after infection.  
     [0200] Proteoglycan production was estimated by measuring the sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG) present in the culture media (at day 0, 3, and 6) using a di-methyl-methylene blue (“DMMB”) calorimetric assay.  
     [0201] For quantification of Aggrecan and BMP-2 mRNA, cells were harvested at day 6 and the mRNA extracted by the Trizol technique. The mRNA was converted to cDNA using reverse-transcriptase and used for real-time PCR, which allowed the relative abundance of Aggrecan and BMP-2 message to be determined. Real time primers were designed and tested for Aggrecan and BMP-2 in previous experiments. The Cybergreen technique was used. Standardization curves were used to quantitate mRNA abundance.  
     [0202] For transfected cells, cell morphology was documented with a light microscope. Cells became more rounded with AdHLMP-1 (MOI 1000) treatment, but not with AdLacZ treatment. AdLacZ infection did not significantly change cell morphology.  
     [0203] FACS analysis of rat disc cells infected with ADGFP at MOI of 1000 showed the highest percentage cells infected (45%).  
     [0204] There was a dose dependent increase between sGAG production and AdhLMP-1 MOI. These data are seen in FIG. 1, which shows the production of sGAG after over-expressing HLMP-1 at different MOIs in rat disc cells in monolayer cultures. The results have been normalized to day 0 untreated cells. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean. As shown in FIG. 1, the sGAG production observed at day 3 was relatively minor, indicating a lag time between transfection and cellular production of GAG. Treatment with AdLacZ did not significantly change the sGAG production. As also shown in FIG. 1, the optimal dose of AdhLMP-1 was at a MOI of 1000, resulting in a 260% enhancement of sGAG production over the untreated controls at day 6. Higher or lower doses of AdhLMP-1 lead to a diminished response.  
     [0205] The effect of AdhLMP-1 dosage (MOI) on sGAG production is further illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a chart showing rat disc sGAG levels at day 6 after treatment with AdhLMP-1 at different MOIs. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the optimal dose of AdhLMP-1 was at a MOI of 1000.  
     [0206] Aggrecan and BMP-2 mRNA production is seen in FIG. 3. This figure demonstrates the increase in Aggrecan and BMP-2 mRNA after over-expression of HLMP-1. Real-time PCR of mRNA extracted from rat disc cells at day 6 was performed comparing the no-treatment (“NT”) cells with cells treated with ADhLMP-1 at a MOI of 250. The data in FIG. 3 are represented as a percentage increase over the untreated sample. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a significant increase in Aggrecan and BMP-2 mRNA was noted following AdhLMP-1 treatment. The increase in BMP-2 expression suggests that BMP-2 is a down-stream gene that mediates HLMP-1 stimulation of proteoglycan synthesis.  
     [0207] These data demonstrate that transfection with AdhLMP-1 is effective in increasing proteoglycan synthesis of intervertebral disc cells. The dose of virus leading to the highest transgene expression (MOI 1000) also leads to the highest induction of sGAG, suggesting a correlation between HLMP-1 expression and sGAG induction. These data indicate that HLMP-1 gene therapy is a method of increasing proteoglycan synthesis in the intervertebral disc, and that HLMP-1 is a agent for treating disc disease.  
     [0208]FIG. 4A is a chart showing HLMP-1 mRNA expression 12 hours after infection with Ad-hLMP-1 at different MOIs. In FIG. 4A, exogenous LMP-1 expression was induced with different doses (MOI) of the Ad-hLMP-1 virus and quantitated with realtime PCR. The data is normalized to HLMP-1 mRNA levels from Ad-LMP-1 MOI 5 for comparison purposes. No HLMP-1 was detected in negative control groups, the no-treatment (“NT”) or Ad-LacZ treatment (“LacZ”). HLMP-1 mRNA levels in a dose dependent fashion to reach a plateau of approximately 8 fold with a MOI of 25 and 50.  
     [0209]FIG. 4B is a chart showing the production of sGAG in medium from 3 to 6 days after infection. DMMB assay was used to quantitate total sGAG production between days 3 to 6 after infection. The data in FIG. 4B is normalized to the control (i.e., no treatment) group. As can be seen from FIG. 4B, there was a dose dependent increase in sGAG. with the peak of approximately three fold increase above control reached with a MOI of 25 and 50. The negative control, Ad-LacZ at a MOI of 25, lead to no increase in sGAG. In FIG. 4B, each result is expressed as mean with SD for three samples.  
     [0210]FIG. 5 is a chart showing time course changes of the production of sGAG. As can be seen from FIG. 5, on day 3 sGAG production increased significantly at a MOI of 25 and 50. On day 6 there was a dose dependent increase in sGAG production in response to AdLMP-1. The plateau level of sGAG increase was achieved at a MOI of 25. As can also be seen from FIG. 5, treatment with AdLacZ (“LacZ”) did not significantly change the sGAG production. Each result is expressed as mean with SD for six to nine samples. In FIG. 5, “**” indicates data points for which the P value is &lt;0.01 versus the untreated control.  
     [0211]FIGS. 6A and 6B are charts showing gene response to LMP-1 over-expression in rat annulus fibrosus cells for aggrecan and BMP-2, respectively. Quantitative realtime PCR was performed on day 3 after infection with Ad-LMP-1 (“LMP-1”) at a MOI of 25. As can be seen from FIGS. 6A and 6B, the gene expression of aggrecan and BMP-2 increased significantly after infection with Ad-LMP-1 compared to the untreated control (“NT”). Further, treatment with AdLacZ (“LacZ”) at a MOI of 25 did not significantly change the gene expression of either aggrecan or BMP-2 compared to the untreated control. In FIGS. 6A and 6B, each result is expressed as mean with SD for six samples. In FIGS. 6A and 6B, “**” indicates data points for which the P value is P&lt;0.01.  
     [0212]FIG. 7 is a graph showing the time course of HLMP-1 mRNA levels in rat annulus fibrosus cells after infection with AdLMP-1 at a MOI of 25. The data is expressed as a fold increase above a MOI of 5 of AdLMP-1 after standardization using 18S and replication coefficient of over-expression LMP-1 primer. As can be seen from FIG. 7, HLMP-1 mRNA was upregulated significantly as early as 12 hours after infection. Further, there was a marked increase of expression levels between day 1 and day 3. Each result in FIG. 7 is expressed as mean with SD for six samples.  
     [0213]FIG. 8 is a chart showing changes in mRNA levels of BMPs and aggrecan in response to HLMP-1 over-expression. The mRNA levels of BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP7, and aggrecan were determined with realtime-PCR at different time points after infection with Ad-hLMP-1 at a MOI of 25. As can be seen from FIG. 8, BMP-2 mRNA was upregulated significantly as early as 12 hours after infection with AdLMP-1. On the other hand, Aggrecan mRNA was not upregulated until 3 day after infection. Each result is expressed as mean with SD for six samples. In FIG. 8, “**” indicates data points for which the P value is &lt;0.01 for infection with AdLMP-1 versus an untreated control.  
     [0214]FIG. 9 is a graph showing the time course of sGAG production enhancement in response to HLMP-1 expression. For the data in FIG. 9, rat annulus cells were infected with Ad-hLMP-1 at a MOI of 25. The media was changed every three days after infection and assayed for sGAG with the DMMB assay. This data shows that sGAG production reaches a plateau at day 6 and is substantially maintained at day 9.  
     [0215]FIG. 10 is a chart showing the effect of noggin (a BMP antagonist) on LMP-1 mediated increase in sGAG production. As seen in FIG. 10, infection of rat annulus cells with Ad-LMP-1 at a MOI of 25 led to a three fold increase in sGAG produced between day 3 and day 6. This increase was blocked by the addition of noggin (a BMP antagonist) at concentration of 3200 ng/ml and 800 ng/m. As shown in FIG. 10, however, noggin did not significantly alter sGAG production in uninfected cells. As can also be seen in FIG. 10, stimulation with rhBMP-2 at 100 ng/ml led to a 3 fold increase in sGAG production between day 3 and day 6 after addition of BMP-2. Noggin at 800 ng/ml also blocked this increase.  
     [0216]FIG. 11 is a chart showing the effect of LMP-1 on sGAG in media after day 6 of culture in monolayer. The data points are represented as fold increase above untreated cells. As shown in FIG. 11, LMP-1 with the CMV promoter when delivered by the AAV vector is also effective in stimulating glycosaminoglycan synthesis by rat disc cells in monolayer.  
                   TABLE 2                          Primer Sequences for RT-PCR &amp; Real-time PCR of SYBR Green                         Primer   Sequence                                     Aggrecan   (forward)   AGGATGGCTTCCACCAGTGC                   Aggrecan   (reverse)   TGCGTAAAAGACCTCACCCTCC               BMP-2   (forward)   CACAAGTCAGTGGGAGAGC               BMP-2   (reverse)   GCTTCCGCTGTTTGTGTTTG               GAPDH   (forward)   ACCACAGTCCATGCCATCAC               GAPDH   (reverse)   TCCACCACCCTGTTGCTGTA                          
 
     [0217]                   TABLE 3                          Primer and Probe sequences for Real-time PCR of TaqMan ®                         Primer   Sequence                                 Overexpression LMP-1 (forward)   AATACGACTCACTATAGGGCTCGA                   Overexpression LMP-1 (reverse)   GGAAGCCCCAAGGTGCT               Overexpression LMP-1 (probe)   -FAM-AGCCGGCATCATGGATTCCTTCAA-TAMRA                    
     [0218] TaqMan® Ribosomal RNA Control Reagents (Part number 4308329, Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif., U.S.A.) were used for the forward primer, reverse primer and probe of 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene.  
     [0219] Mechanism of Bone Formation—Evidence for Induction of Multiple BMPs  
     [0220] Animal and in vitro studies have demonstrated a striking and consistent bone-forming effect with ex vivo gene transfer of the LIM Mineralization Protein-1 (LMP-1) cDNA using relatively low doses of adenoviral or plasmid vectors. See Boden, et al., “Volvo Award in Basic Sciences: Lumbar Spine Fusion by Local Gene Therapy with a cDNA Encoding a Novel Osteoinductive Protein (LMP-1)”, Spine, 23, 2486-2492 (1998); and Viggeswarapu, et al., supra. However, little is known about the mechanism of action of LMP-1, how long the transduced cells survive, or which osteoinductive growth factors and cells participate in the induction of new bone and osteoblast differentiation. See Boden, et al., “LMP-1, A LIM-Domain Protein, Mediates BMP-6 Effects on Bone Formation”, Endocrinology, 139, 5125-5134 (1998). See also Boden, et al., Spine, 23, 2486-2492 (1998), supra, and Viggeswarapu et al., supra. Furthermore, the mechanism of bone formation in vivo (i.e., endochondral vs. membranous) has not been determined. Understanding the mechanism of LMP-1 action would be helpful for optimal control of LMP-1 induced bone formation in the clinical setting and to further the understanding of intracellular signaling pathways involved with osteoblast differentiation.  
     [0221] LMP-1 is a member of the heterogeneous LIM domain family of proteins and is the first member to be directly associated with osteoblast differentiation. See Kong, et al., “Muscle LIM Protein Promotes Myogenesis by Enhancing the Activity of MyoD.”, Mol. Cell. Biol., 17, 4750-4760 (1997); Sadler, et al., supra; Salgia et al., supra; and Way, et al., “Mec-3, A Homeobox-Containing Gene that Specifies the Differentiation of the Touch Receptor Neurons in  C. Elegans ”, Cell., 54, 5-16 (1988). LMP-1 was identified in messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) from rat calvarial osteoblasts stimulated by glucocorticoid and later isolated from an osteosarcoma complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) library. See Boden et al., Endocrinology, 139, 5125-5134 (1998), supra. Unlike BMPs which are extracellular proteins that act through cell surface receptors, LMP-1 is thought to be an intracellular signaling molecule that is directly involved in osteoblast differentiation. See Boden et al., Spine, 20, 2626-2632 (1995), supra; Cook, et al., “Effect of Recombinant Human Osteogenic Protein-I on Healing of Segmental Defects in Non-Human Primates”, J. Bone Joint Surg., 77-A, 734-750 (1995); Schimandle, et al., “Experimental Spinal Fusion with Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rhBMP-2)”, Spine, 20, 1326-1337 (1995); Spector, et al, “Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins During Membranous Bone Healing”, Plast. Reconstr. Surg., 107, 124-134 (2001); Suzawa, et al., “Extracellular Matrix-Associated Bone Morphogenetic Proteins are Essential for Differentiation of Murine Osteoblastic Cells in vitro”, Endocrinology, 140, 2125-2133 (1999); and Wozney, et al., “Novel Regulators of Bone Formation: Molecular Clones and Activities”, Science, 242, 1528-1534 (1988). Thus, the therapeutic use of LMP-1 may involve gene transfer of its cDNA. On the basis of its association with bone development and the results of suppression and over-expression experiments, LMP is considered to induce secretion of soluble factors that convey its osteoinductive activity, and to be a critical regulator of osteoblast differentiation and maturation in vitro and in vivo. See Boden, et al., Endocrinology, 139, 5125-5134 (1998), supra; Boden, et al., “Differential Effects and Glucocorticoid Potentiation of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Action During Rat Osteoblast Differentiation in vitro”, Endocrinology, 137, 3401-3407 (1996); Knutsen, et al., “Regulation of Insulin-Like Growth Factor System Components by Osteogenic Protein-1 in Human Bone Cells”, Endocrinology, 136, 857-865 (1995); Yeh, et al., “Osteogenic Protein-1 Regulates Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I), IGF-II, and IGF-Binding Protein-5 (IGFBP-5) Gene Expression in Fetal Rat Calvaria Cells by Different Mechanisms”, J. Cell Physiol., 175, 78-88 (1998).  
     [0222] Described below are studies conducted to: 1) to identify candidates for the secreted osteoinductive factors induced by LMP-1; 2) to describe the histologic sequence and type of bone formation induced by LMP-1; and 3) to determine how long the implanted cells overexpressing LMP-1 survive in vivo.  
     [0223] In the present study, human lung carcinoma (A549) cells were used to determine if LMP-1 overexpression would induce expression of bone morphogenetic proteins in vitro. Cultured A549 cells were infected with recombinant replication deficient human type 5 adenovirus containing the LMP-1 or LacZ cDNA. Cells were analyzed using immunohistochemistry after 48 hours. Finally, 16 athymic rats received subcutaneous implants consisting of collagen discs loaded with human buffy coat cells that were infected with one of the above two viruses. Rats were euthanized at intervals and explants analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry.  
     [0224] Materials and Methods  
     [0225] Phase 1: Detection of LMP-1 induced osteoinductive factors in vitro. The human LMP-1 cDNA with the human cytomegalovirus promoter was cloned into a transfer vector and subsequently was transferred into a recombinant replication deficient (E1, E3 deleted) adenovirus as previously described. See Viggeswarapu, et al., supra.  
     [0226] Human lung carcinoma cells (A549) are known for their high infectivity by human Type 5 adenovirus. These cells were seeded at a density of 50,000 cells/cm 2  on 2 well chamber slides (Nalge Nunc International, Naperville, Ill.) and were propagated in F12 Kaighn&#39;s medium (Gibco BRL), supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), and grown in a humidified 5% CO 2  incubator at 37° C.  
     [0227] The A549 cells were infected for 30 minutes at 37° C. on chamber at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10 pfu/cell. Medium with 10% FBS was added and the cells were grown for 48 hours at 37° C. The cells were infected with either AdLMP-1 (active LMP) or AdLacZ (Adβgal-adenoviral control) each driven by the human cytomegalovirus promoter. See Boden, et al., Endocrinology, 139, 5125-5134 (1998), supra; Boden, et al., Spine, 23, 2486-2492 (1998), supra; and Viggeswarapu, et al., supra. As an additional negative control, some cells were not infected with adenovirus (no treatment control). After 48 hours, the cells on chamber slides were fixed for 2 minutes in 50% acetone/50% methanol, and then were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (described below) using antibodies specific for LMP-1, BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7, TGF-β1, MyoD, and Type II collagen.  
     [0228] Phase 2: Histologic Sequence of Bone Formation In Vivo  
     [0229] The experimental protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and the Human Investigation Committee. Rabbit or human peripheral blood (3 mL) was obtained by venipuncture and the buffy-coat cells were isolated by simple centrifugation at 1200×g for 10 minutes. The cells were counted, and 1×10 6  cells were infected with adenovirus (AdLMP-1 or AdLacZ) at an MOI of 4.0 pfu/cell for ten minutes at 37° C. After infection, the cells were resuspended in a final volume of 80 μL and applied to a 7 mm×7 mm×3 mm collagen disc (bovine type I collagen).  
     [0230] Sixteen athymic rats that were 4-5 weeks old were obtained (Harlan, Indianapolis, Ind.) and housed in sterile conditions. Rats were anesthetized by inhalation of 1-2% isoflurane. Four 10 mm skin incisions were made on the chest of athymic rats, pockets were developed by blunt dissection, and a collagen disc containing cells was implanted into each pocket. Implants consisted of a collagen disc loaded with buffy coat cells infected with either AdLMP-1 (2 per rat) or AdLacZ (2 per rat). The skin was closed with resorbable suture. Each animal was sacrificed at one, three, five, seven, ten, fourteen, twenty-one and twenty-eight days after implantation, and explants were analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry.  
     [0231] The specimens were fixed for 24 hours in 10% neutral buffered formalin. The specimens were prepared for undecalcified or decalcified sectioning. The specimens for undecalcified sections were dehydrated through graded strengths of ethanol and embedded in paraffin. The specimens at 21 and 28 days after implantation were decalcified with 10% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution for 3 to 5 days. After decalcification, the specimens were dehydrated through graded strengths of ethanol and embedded in paraffin. Specimens were sectioned at a thickness of 5 μm on a microtome (Reichert Jung GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany). Sections were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining, Goldner&#39;s trichrome staining, and immunohistochemical study using antibodies specific for BMP-4, BMP-7, CD-45 and type I collagen.  
     [0232] Preparation of Primary Antibodies  
     [0233] Anti-LMP-1 Antibody: The anti-LMP-1 antibody is an affinity-purified rabbit polyclonal antibody mapping within an internal region of human LMP-1, and reacts with LMP-1 of rabbit and human origin. This antibody was used for the identification of LMP-1 protein at a dilution of 1:500 or 1:1000.  
     [0234] Anti-BMP-2, Anti-BMP-4, Anti-BMP-6, Anti-BMP-7 and Anti-TGF-β1 Antibodies: Polyclonal goat anti-BMP-2, anti-BMP-4, anti-BMP-6, anti-BMP-7, and anti-TGF-β1 antibodies (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.) cross-react with mouse, rat and human BMPs. The anti-BMP-2, anti-BMP-4 and anti-BMP-6 antibodies were raised against an epitope mapping at the amino terminus of BMP-2, BMP-4 and BMP-6 of human origin. The anti-BMP-7 antibody was an affinity-purified goat polyclonal antibody mapping within an internal region of human BMP-7. The anti-TGF-β1 antibody was an affinity purified goat polyclonal antibody mapping at the carboxy terminus of the precursor form of human TGF-β1. These antibodies were used at a dilution of 1:100 and 1:500 or 1:1000.  
     [0235] Anti-CD45 Antibody: A monoclonal mouse anti-human leukocyte common antigen (LCA), CD-45 antibody (purified IgG 1, kappa; DAKO Co., Carpinteria, Calif.) consists of two antibodies, PD7/26 and 2B11, directed against different epitopes. See Kurtin, et al., supra; and Pulido et al., supra. The PD7/26 was derived from human peripheral blood lymphocytes maintained on T-cell growth factor. The 2B11 was derived from neoplastic cells isolated from T-cell lymphoma or leukemia. Both antibodies bound to lymphocytes and monocytes at the 94-96% range when tested by immunofluorescence. In the present study, this antibody was used at a dilution of 1:100 for the identification of human leukocytes.  
     [0236] Anti-Collagen Type I Antibody: A monoclonal anti-type I collagen antibody (mouse IgG 1 isotype; Sigma Chemical Co., Saint Louis, Mo.) was derived from the collagen type I hybridoma produced by the fusion of mouse myeloma cells and splenocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with bovine skin type I collagen. The antibody reacts with human, bovine, rabbit, deer, pig and rat type I collagen, and was used at a dilution of 1:100.  
     [0237] Anti-Collagen Type II Antibody: A polyclonal rabbit anti-type II collagen antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.) was raised against an epitope corresponding to the amino terminus of the alpha 1 chain of human type II collagen. The antibody reacts with type II collagen alpha 1 chain of mouse, rat, and human origin and was used at a dilution of 1:1000.  
     [0238] Anti-MyoD Antibody: A polyclonal rabbit anti-MyoD antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.) was raised against an epitope corresponding to amino acids 1-318 representing full length MyoD protein of mouse origin. The antibody reacts with MyoD (and not myogenin, Myf-5, or Myf-6) of mouse, rat, and human origin and was used at a dilution of 1:1000.  
     [0239] Immunohistochemical Staining  
     [0240] The staining procedure was performed using the labeled streptavidin-biotin method (LSAB method). A kit (Universal LSAB Kit, Peroxidase; DAKO Co., Carpinteria, Calif.) was used for immunostaining with antibodies against LMP-1, BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7, TGF-β1, CD-45, MyoD, type I collagen, and type II collagen. Appropriate biotinylated secondary antibodies were used depending on the animal in which the primary antibody was raised. Endogenous peroxidase was blocked with methanol containing 0.3% hydrogen peroxide. Specimens were incubated with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing either 5% normal rabbit serum or 5% normal goat serum, and 1% bovine serum albumin for 15 minutes at room temperature to avoid nonspecific binding and then with the appropriate concentrations of primary antibodies at 4° C. overnight in a humidified chamber. After washing with PBS three times for 5 minutes, followed by incubation with biotinylated secondary antibody and streptavidin-biotin-peroxiadase complex in a humidified chamber for 10 minutes at room temperature, color was developed using 3,3′-diaminobenzidine tetrachloride (DAB; DAKO Co., Carpinteria, Calif.). Finally, the sections were counterstained by hematoxylin. As negative controls each primary antibody was incubated at room temperature for 3 hours with the corresponding blocking peptide (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.) (1:40 dilution) prior to incubation with the specimens. In some experiments primary antibody alone or secondary antibody alone were used as additional negative controls.  
     [0241] Results  
     [0242] Phase 1: Detection of LMP-1 Induced Osteoinductive Factors In Vitro.  
     [0243] The A549 cells infected with AdLMP-1 showed strong intracellular staining for LMP-1 protein as shown in FIGS.  12 A- 12 D. FIGS.  12 A- 12 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining for LMP-1 protein in A549 cells 48 hours after infection with AdLMP-1 (FIG. 12A), Adβgal (FIG. 12C), or untreated cells (FIG. 12D). As can be seen from FIGS. 12A, 12C and  12 D, a specific intracellular reaction was seen in cells infected with AdLMP-1 (FIG. 12A) but not in either control (FIGS. 12C and 12D). The possibility of non-specific reaction was eliminated since pre-exposure of the primary antibody to a blocking peptide eliminated the positive intracellular staining (FIG. 12B). The photomicrographs of FIGS.  12 A- 12 D were taken at original magnifications of X132.  
     [0244] Strong staining for BMP-2, BMP-4 and BMP-7 was observed in the AdLMP-1 treated cells, especially in the cytoplasm, as shown in FIGS.  13 A- 13 F. FIGS.  13 A- 13 F are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining of A549 cells 48 hours after infection with AdLMP-1 (upper panels—FIGS. 13A, 13B and  13 C) or Adβgal (lower panels—FIGS. 13D, 13E, and  13 F). In AdLMP-1 treated cells there was specific intracellular staining for BMP-2 (FIG. 13A), BMP-4 (FIG. 13B), and BMP-7 (FIG. 13C) which was not present in Adβgal treated cells (FIGS. 13D, 13F, and  13 F, respectively). The photomicrographs of FIGS.  13 - 13 F were taken at original magnifications of X132.  
     [0245] The cells treated with AdLMP-1 also stained positive with anti-BMP-6 and anti-TGF-β1 antibodies as shown in FIGS.  3 A- 3 D. FIGS.  14 A- 14 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining of A549 cells 48 hours after infection with either AdLMP-1 (upper panels—FIGS. 14A and 14B) or Adβgal (lower panels—FIGS. 14C and 14D). In AdLMP-1 treated cells there was specific intracellular staining for BMP-6 (FIG. 14A) and TGF-β (FIG. 14B) which was not present in Adβgal treated cells (FIGS. 14C and 14D, respectively). However, the reactions were somewhat less intense than that seen with other BMPs. In both the Adβgal infected and the untreated controls, the cells had no specific reaction for LMP-1, any of the BMPs, or TGF-β1. A blocking peptide for each antibody confirmed that the reaction was specific. There was no specific reaction with the anti-type II collagen or anti-MyoD antibodies (data not shown). The photomicrographs of FIGS.  14 A- 14 D were taken at an original magnification of X132.  
     [0246] Phase 2: Histologic Sequence of Bone Formation In Vivo Histological Examination—Immunohistochemical Staining.  
     [0247] Immunolocalizalion of leukocytes. At one and three days after implantation, cells stained by anti-CD-45 antibody were abundantly present in buffy coat preparations within both the AdLMP-1 (active) and Adβgal (control) treated implants as shown in FIGS.  15 A- 15 D.  
     [0248] FIGS.  15 A- 15 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining for the leukocyte surface marker CD45 in human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels—FIGS. 15A and 15B) or Adβgal (lower panels—FIGS. 15C and 15D) excised at 3 days (FIGS. 15A and 15C) or 5 days (FIGS. 15B and 15D) following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. The number of cells with specific staining for CD45 antigen decreased rapidly in both treatment groups. This observation suggests that the implanted human cells did not survive very long and the bone formation likely depended on influx of host cells. The number of cells staining with the specific anti-human-CD-45 reaction decreased after Day 3, especially in the center of the implants. Positive staining still was observed in the periphery of the implant at five days, but ten days after implantation there were few cells staining for anti-CD-45. The pattern of decreased staining was the same in active and control implants. The photomicrographs of FIGS.  15 A- 15 D were taken at an original magnification of X132.  
     [0249] Immunolocalization of BMPs. In the AdLMP-1 treated implants three and five days after implantation, immunohistochemistry revealed strong BMP-4 (FIGS.  16 A- 16 D) and BMP-7 (FIGS.  17 A- 17 D) staining within cells on the collagen fibers.  
     [0250] FIGS.  16 A- 16 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining for BMP-4 in human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels—FIGS. 16A and 16B) or Adβgal (lower panels—FIGS. 16C and 16D) excised at 3 days (FIGS. 5A and 5C) or 5 days (FIGS. 5B and 5D) following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. In AdLMP-1 treated cells there was specific intracellular staining for BMP-4 which was not present in Adβgal treated cells. The photomicrographs of FIGS.  16 A- 16 D were taken at an original magnification of X132.  
     [0251] FIGS.  17 A- 17 D are photomicrographs of immunohistochemical staining for BMP-7 in human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels—FIGS. 17A and 17B) or Adβgal (lower panels—FIGS. 17C and 17D) excised at 3 days (FIGS. 17A and 17C) or 5 days (FIGS. 17B and 17D) following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. In AdLMP-1 treated cells there was specific intracellular staining for BMP-7 which was not present in Adβgal treated cells. The photomicrographs of FIGS.  17 A- 17 D were taken at an original magnification of X132.  
     [0252] As can be seen from FIGS.  16 A- 16 D and  17 A- 17 D, there was no specific staining for BMP-4 or BMP-7 in cells on the Adβgal (control) implants. Moreover, the strong staining with anti-BMP-4 and anti-BMP-7 antibodies was also seen at each time point beyond 10 days in the AdLMP-1 implants. Strong staining for BMP-4 and BMP-7 was observed in two temporal phases; the first phase was in a limited number of buffy coat cells in the early days (i.e., three and five days after implantation) and the second was seen after Day 10 in osteoblast-like cells surrounded by matrix that most likely were responding cells rather than transplanted buffy coat cells as shown in FIG. 18.  
     [0253]FIG. 18 is a high power photomicrograph of immunohistochemical staining for BMP-7 in human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 excised at 14 days following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. There is more abundant staining for BMP-7 compared with earlier time points which is now associated with most of the cells in close proximity to the formation of new bone matrix. The photomicrographs of FIG. 18 was taken at an original magnification of X66.  
     [0254] Immunolocalization of Type I collagen: Strong staining for anti-type I collagen antibody was observed in the AdLMP-1 implants seven, ten, fourteen, twenty-one and twenty-eight days after implantation. At the early time points, the specific reaction was seen adjacent to osteoblast-like cells and on the periphery of the cells themselves. There was minimal staining for type I collagen in the control implants treated with Adβgal.  
     [0255] Hematoxylin and Eosin &amp; Goldner&#39;s Trichrome Staining.  
     [0256] Results were the same whether using rabbit or human buffy coat cells. To avoid duplication, the following description and corresponding illustrations will be for the human donor cells. At one and three days after implantation, the Ad-LMP implants had increased numbers of cells at the edge of the implant as shown in FIGS.  19 A- 19 D.  
     [0257] FIGS.  19 A- 19 D are photomicrographs of human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels—FIGS. 19A and 19B) or Adβgal (lower panels—FIGS. 19C and 19D) excised at 1 day (FIGS. 19A and 19C) or 3 days (FIGS. 19B and 19D) following implantation in a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. The density of cells on the periphery of the implant was greater in the AdLMP-1 implant at both time points suggesting migration of host cells. The photomicrographs of FIGS.  19 A- 19 D were taken at an original magnification of X33 using Goldner trichrome.  
     [0258] In the Adβgal controls, fewer cells were seen at the periphery at the same time point (i.e., one and three days after implantation). These observations suggest that host cells migrated into the implants with cells expressing LMP-1 as shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B. These cells were a mixture of monocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. FIGS. 20A and 20B are high power photomicrographs of human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 or Adβgal excised at 1 day following implantation in a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. As shown in FIG. 20A, there were relatively few cells (arrow) on the periphery of the collagen (C) implants containing cells infected with Adβgal. Buffy coat cells and red cell ghosts could be seen in the center of the implant. As shown in FIG. 20B, the density of nucleated cells on the periphery of the collagen (C) implant was greater in the AdLMP-1 implant suggesting migration of host cells from the surrounding soft tissues. The cells included monocytes, polymorphonuclear cells, and histiocyte appearing cells. The photomicrographs of FIGS. 20A and 20B were taken at original magnifications of X100 (FIG. 20A) and X160 (FIG. 20B) using hematoxylin and eosin.  
     [0259] FIGS.  21 A- 21 J are photomicrographs of human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 (upper panels—FIGS.  21 A- 21 E) or Adβgal (lower panels—FIGS.  21 F- 21 J) excised at various time points following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. The progression of membranous bone formation was evident with mineralized matrix seen by day 7 (FIG. 21C). No bone formation was seen in implants containing cells infected with Adβgal (FIGS.  21 F- 21 J). The photomicrographs of FIGS.  21 A- 21 J were taken at original magnifications of X33 using Goldner trichrome.  
     [0260] As shown in FIGS.  21 A- 21 E, there were less buffy coat cells associated with the collagen fibers over time, and the number of cells surviving in the center of the Adβgal treated implants was diminished by five days after implantation (FIG. 21C).  
     [0261] FIGS.  22 A- 22 C are high power photomicrographs of human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 excised at various time points following implantation with a collagen matrix subcutaneously on the chest of an athymic rat. As can be seen from FIG. 22A, new mineralized bone matrix (B) was visible adjacent to osteoblast-like cells (arrows) between collagen fibers (C) at the periphery of the AdLMP-1 implants seven days after implantation. There was rapid mineralization of the matrix surrounding osteoblast-like cells (arrowheads) without classic osteoid seams and without any specific orientation. As can be seen from FIG. 22B, mature new bone had formed in the spaces located throughout the AdLMP-1 implants and most of the collagen scaffold was resorbed by day 28. Osteoblasts (arrowheads) were seen covering surfaces of osteoid and newly-formed bone while osteoclasts (OC) could be seen remodeling the primary woven bone (B). Finally, as can be seen from FIG. 22C, hematopoietic marrow tissue was also seen forming within the bone (B) including a marrow stroma (S) and blood vessels (V). The photomicrographs of FIGS.  22 A- 22 C were taken at original magnifications of X160 using Goldner trichrome.  
     [0262] As can be seen from FIG. 22A, new bone matrix was visible adjacent to osteoblast-like cells between collagen fibers at the periphery of the AdLMP-1 implants seven days after implantation. There was rapid mineralization of the surrounding matrix without classic osteoid seams without any specific orientation. The lack of organized bone orientation was not surprising given the fact that these were subcutaneous implants that were not significantly loaded. More abundant osteoblast-like cells were observed in the AdLMP-1 implants ten days after implantation and were growing into the voids between the collagen fibers. By fourteen days after implantation, osteoblast-like cells occupied the central region of the AdLMP-1 implants. In contrast, fibroblast-like cells were filling the voids of the collagen in the Adβgal treated implants. Twenty-one days after implantation, new bone matrix was mineralized and was forming in most or all of the central regions of the AdLMP-1 implants. Mature new bone had formed in the spaces located in the most central regions of the AdLMP-1 implants twenty-eight days after implantation. Osteoblasts were seen covering surfaces of osteoid and newly-formed bone while osteoclasts could be seen remodeling the primary woven bone (FIG. 22B). Hematopoietic marrow tissue was also seen forming within the bone (FIG. 22C). In the Adβgal treated controls, the implanted collagen was mostly resorbed by day 28 and was replaced with fibrous tissue.  
     [0263] As set forth above, in vitro experiments with A549 cells showed that AdLMP-1 infected cells express elevated levels of BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7 and TGF-β1 protein. Human buffy coat cells infected with AdLMP-1 also demonstrated increased levels of BMP-4 and BMP-7 protein 72 hours after ectopic implantation in athymic rats, confirming the in vitro hypothesis.  
     [0264] Based on the results of the above study, it has therefore been shown that the osteoinductive properties of LMP-1 involve the synthesis of several BMPs and the recruitment of host cells which differentiate and participate in direct membranous bone formation. Accordingly, gene therapy with the LMP-1 cDNA may provide an alternative to implantation of large doses of single BMPs to induce new bone formation.  
     [0265] According to the invention, a method of inducing the expression of one or more bone morphogenetic proteins or transforming growth factor-β proteins (TGF-βs) in a cell is provided. The method includes transfecting a cell with an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a LIM mineralization protein operably linked to a promoter. The expression of one or more proteins selected from the group consisting of BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7, TGF-β1 and combinations thereof can be induced according to the invention. The isolated nucleic acid can be a nucleic acid which can hybridize under standard conditions to a nucleic acid molecule complementary to the full length of SEQ. ID NO: 25; and/or a nucleic acid molecule which can hybridize under highly stringent conditions to a nucleic acid molecule complementary to the full length of SEQ. ID NO: 26. The cell can be a buffy coat cell, a stem cell (e.g., a mesenchymal stem cell or a pluripotential stem cell) or an intervertebral disc cell (e.g., a cell of the nucleus pulposus or a cell of the annulus fibrosus). The cell can be transfected ex vivo or in vivo. For example, the cell can be transfected in vivo by direct injection of the nucleic acid into an intervertebral disc of a mammal.  
     [0266] The LIM mineralization protein encoded by the nucleotide sequence can be RLMP, HLMP-1, HLMP-1s, HLMP-2, or HLMP-3. The promoter can be a cytomegalovirus promoter. According to one embodiment of the invention, the LIM mineralization protein is an LMP-1 protein. The nucleic acid can be in a vector (e.g., an expression vector such as a plasmid). The vector can also be a virus such as an adenovirus or a retrovirus. An exemplary adenovirus that can be used according to the invention is AdLMP-1.  
     [0267] According to a second aspect of the invention, a cell which overexpresses one or more bone morphogenetic proteins or transforming growth factor-β proteins is provided. The cell can be a cell which overexpresses one or more proteins selected from the group consisting of BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7, TGF-β1 and combinations thereof. The cell can be a buffy coat cell, an intervertebral disc cell, a mesenchymal stem cell or a pluripotential stem cell. An implant comprising a cell as set forth above and a carrier material is also provided. Also provided according to the invention is a method of inducing bone formation in a mammal comprising introducing a cell or an implant as set forth above into the mammal and a method of treating intervertebral disc disease in a mammal comprising introducing a cell as set forth above into an intervertebral disc of the mammal.  
     [0268] Overexpression of a bone morphogenetic protein or a transforming growth factor-β protein in the context of the invention refers to a cell which expresses that protein at a level greater than normally present in that particular cell (e.g., expression of the protein is at a level greater than the level in a cell which has not been transfected with a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a LIM mineralization protein operably linked to a promoter). The cell can be a cell which normally expresses one or more of the bone morphogenetic proteins or transforming growth factor-β proteins. The cell can also be a cell which does not normally express one or more of the bone morphogenetic proteins or transforming growth factor-β proteins.  
     [0269] All cited publications and patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.  
     [0270] While the foregoing specification teaches the principles of the present invention, with examples provided for the purpose of illustration, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art from reading this disclosure that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention.  
    
     
       
         1 
         
           
             42  
           
           
             1  
             457  
             PRT  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            1 

Met Asp Ser Phe Lys Val Val Leu Glu Gly Pro Ala Pro Trp Gly Phe 
  1               5                  10                  15 

Arg Leu Gln Gly Gly Lys Asp Phe Asn Val Pro Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg 
             20                  25                  30 

Leu Thr Pro Gly Gly Lys Ala Ala Gln Ala Gly Val Ala Val Gly Asp 
         35                  40                  45 

Trp Val Leu Ser Ile Asp Gly Glu Asn Ala Gly Ser Leu Thr His Ile 
     50                  55                  60 

Glu Ala Gln Asn Lys Ile Arg Ala Cys Gly Glu Arg Leu Ser Leu Gly 
 65                  70                  75                  80 

Leu Ser Arg Ala Gln Pro Ala Gln Ser Lys Pro Gln Lys Ala Leu Thr 
                 85                  90                  95 

Pro Pro Ala Asp Pro Pro Arg Tyr Thr Phe Ala Pro Ser Ala Ser Leu 
            100                 105                 110 

Asn Lys Thr Ala Arg Pro Phe Gly Ala Pro Pro Pro Thr Asp Ser Ala 
        115                 120                 125 

Leu Ser Gln Asn Gly Gln Leu Leu Arg Gln Leu Val Pro Asp Ala Ser 
    130                 135                 140 

Lys Gln Arg Leu Met Glu Asn Thr Glu Asp Trp Arg Pro Arg Pro Gly 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Thr Gly Gln Ser Arg Ser Phe Arg Ile Leu Ala His Leu Thr Gly Thr 
                165                 170                 175 

Glu Phe Met Gln Asp Pro Asp Glu Glu Phe Met Lys Lys Ser Ser Gln 
            180                 185                 190 

Val Pro Arg Thr Glu Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ser Thr Ile Pro Gln Glu 
        195                 200                 205 

Ser Trp Pro Gly Pro Thr Thr Pro Ser Pro Thr Ser Arg Pro Pro Trp 
    210                 215                 220 

Ala Val Asp Pro Ala Phe Ala Glu Arg Tyr Ala Pro Asp Lys Thr Ser 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Thr Val Leu Thr Arg His Ser Gln Pro Ala Thr Pro Thr Pro Leu Gln 
                245                 250                 255 

Asn Arg Thr Ser Ile Val Gln Ala Ala Ala Gly Gly Gly Thr Gly Gly 
            260                 265                 270 

Gly Ser Asn Asn Gly Lys Thr Pro Val Cys His Gln Cys His Lys Ile 
        275                 280                 285 

Ile Arg Gly Arg Tyr Leu Val Ala Leu Gly His Ala Tyr His Pro Glu 
    290                 295                 300 

Glu Phe Val Cys Ser Gln Cys Gly Lys Val Leu Glu Glu Gly Gly Phe 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Phe Glu Glu Lys Gly Ala Ile Phe Cys Pro Ser Cys Tyr Asp Val Arg 
                325                 330                 335 

Tyr Ala Pro Ser Cys Ala Lys Cys Lys Lys Lys Ile Thr Gly Glu Ile 
            340                 345                 350 

Met His Ala Leu Lys Met Thr Trp His Val Pro Cys Phe Thr Cys Ala 
        355                 360                 365 

Ala Cys Lys Thr Pro Ile Arg Asn Arg Ala Phe Tyr Met Glu Glu Gly 
    370                 375                 380 

Ala Pro Tyr Cys Glu Arg Asp Tyr Glu Lys Met Phe Gly Thr Lys Cys 
385                 390                 395                 400 

Arg Gly Cys Asp Phe Lys Ile Asp Ala Gly Asp Arg Phe Leu Glu Ala 
                405                 410                 415 

Leu Gly Phe Ser Trp His Asp Thr Cys Phe Val Cys Ala Ile Cys Gln 
            420                 425                 430 

Ile Asn Leu Glu Gly Lys Thr Phe Tyr Ser Lys Lys Asp Lys Pro Leu 
        435                 440                 445 

Cys Lys Ser His Ala Phe Ser His Val 
    450                 455 

 
           
             2  
             1696  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            2 

gcacgaggat cccagcgcgg ctcctggagg ccgccaggca gccgcccagc cgggcattca     60 

ggagcaggta ccatggattc cttcaaggta gtgctggagg gacctgcccc ttggggcttc    120 

cgtctgcaag ggggcaagga cttcaacgtg cccctctcca tctctcggct cactcctgga    180 

ggcaaggccg cacaggccgg tgtggccgtg ggagactggg tactgagtat cgacggtgag    240 

aacgccggaa gcctcacaca cattgaagcc cagaacaaga tccgtgcctg tggggagcgc    300 

ctcagcctgg gtcttagcag agcccagcct gctcagagca aaccacagaa ggccctgacc    360 

cctcccgccg accccccgag gtacactttt gcaccaagcg cctccctcaa caagacggcc    420 

cggcccttcg gggcaccccc acctactgac agcgccctgt cgcagaatgg acagctgctc    480 

agacagctgg tccctgatgc cagcaagcag cggctgatgg agaatactga agactggcgc    540 

ccgcggccag ggacaggcca gtcccgttcc ttccgcatcc ttgctcacct cacgggcaca    600 

gagttcatgc aagacccgga tgaggaattc atgaagaagt caagccaggt gcccaggaca    660 

gaagccccag ccccagcctc aaccataccc caggaatcct ggcctggccc caccaccccc    720 

agccccacca gccgcccacc ctgggccgta gatcctgcat ttgctgagcg ctatgcccca    780 

gacaaaacca gcacagtgct gacccgacac agccagccag ccacacctac gcctctgcag    840 

aaccgcacct ccatagttca ggctgcagct ggagggggca caggaggagg cagcaacaat    900 

ggcaagacgc ctgtatgcca ccagtgccac aagatcatcc gcggccgata cctggtagca    960 

ctgggccacg cgtaccatcc tgaggaattt gtgtgcagcc agtgtgggaa ggtcctggaa   1020 

gagggtggct tcttcgagga gaagggagct atcttttgcc cctcctgcta tgatgtgcgc   1080 

tatgcaccca gctgtgccaa atgcaagaag aagatcactg gagagatcat gcatgcgctg   1140 

aagatgacct ggcatgttcc ctgcttcacc tgtgcagcct gcaaaacccc tatccgcaac   1200 

agggctttct acatggagga gggggctccc tactgcgagc gagattacga gaagatgttt   1260 

ggcacaaagt gtcgcggctg tgacttcaag atcgatgccg gggaccgttt cctggaagcc   1320 

ctgggtttca gctggcatga tacgtgtttt gtttgcgcaa tatgtcaaat caacttggaa   1380 

ggaaagacct tctactccaa gaaggacaag cccctgtgca agagccatgc cttttcccac   1440 

gtatgagcac ctcctcacac tactgccacc ctactctgcc agaagggtga taaaatgaga   1500 

gagctctctc tccctcgacc tttctgggtg gggctggcag ccattgtcct agccttggct   1560 

cctggccaga tcctggggct ccctcctcac agtccccttt cccacacttc ctccaccacc   1620 

accaccgtca ctcacaggtg ctagcctcct agccccagtt cactctggtg tcacaataaa   1680 

cctgtatgta gctgtg                                                   1696 

 
           
             3  
             260  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            3 

ttctacatgg aggagggggc tccctactgc gagcgagatt acgagaagat gtttggcaca     60 

aagtgtcgcg gctgtgactt caagatcgat gccggggacc gtttcctgga agccctgggt    120 

ttcagctggc atgatacgtg ttttgtttgc gcaatatgtc aaatcaactt ggaaggaaag    180 

accttctact ccaagaagga caagcccctg tgcaagagcc atgccttttc ccacgtatga    240 

gcacctcctc acactactgc                                                260 

 
           
             4  
             16  
             DNA  
             MMLV  
           
            4 

aagctttttt tttttg                                                     16 

 
           
             5  
             13  
             DNA  
             MMLV  
           
            5 

aagcttggct atg                                                        13 

 
           
             6  
             223  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            6 

atccttgctc acctcacggg caccgagttc atgcaagacc cggatgagga gcacctgaag     60 

aaatcaagcc aggtgcccag gacagaagcc ccagccccag cctcatctac accccaggag    120 

ccctggcctg gccctaccgc ccccagccct accagccgcc cgccctgggc tgtggaccct    180 

gcgtttgccg agcgctatgc cccagacaaa accagcacag tgc                      223 

 
           
             7  
             717  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            7 

atggattcct tcaaggtagt gctggagggg ccagcacctt ggggcttccg gctgcaaggg     60 

ggcaaggact tcaatgtgcc cctctccatt tcccggctca ctcctggggg caaagcggcg    120 

caggccggag tggccgtggg tgactgggtg ctgagcatcg atggcgagaa tgcgggtagc    180 

ctcacacaca tcgaagctca gaacaagatc cgggcctgcg gggagcgcct cagcctgggc    240 

ctcagcaggg cccagccggt tcagagcaaa ccgcagaagg cctccgcccc cgccgcggac    300 

cctccgcggt acacctttgc acccagcgtc tccctcaaca agacggcccg gccctttggg    360 

gcgcccccgc ccgctgacag cgccccgcaa cagaatggac agccgctccg accgctggtc    420 

ccagatgcca gcaagcagcg gctgatggag aacacagagg actggcggcc gcggccgggg    480 

acaggccagt cgcgttcctt ccgcatcctt gcccacctca caggcaccga gttcatgcaa    540 

gacccggatg aggagcacct gaagaaatca agccaggtgc ccaggacaga agccccagcc    600 

ccagcctcat ctacacccca ggagccctgg cctggcccta ccgcccccag ccctaccagc    660 

cgcccgccct gggctgtgga ccctgcgttt gccgagcgct atgccccgga caaaacg       717 

 
           
             8  
             1488  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            8 

atcgatggcg agaatgcggg tagcctcaca cacatcgaag ctcagaacaa gatccgggcc     60 

tgcggggagc gcctcagcct gggcctcagc agggcccagc cggttcagag caaaccgcag    120 

aaggcctccg cccccgccgc ggaccctccg cggtacacct ttgcacccag cgtctccctc    180 

aacaagacgg cccggccctt tggggcgccc ccgcccgctg acagcgcccc gcaacagaat    240 

ggacagccgc tccgaccgct ggtcccagat gccagcaagc agcggctgat ggagaacaca    300 

gaggactggc ggccgcggcc ggggacaggc cagtcgcgtt ccttccgcat ccttgcccac    360 

ctcacaggca ccgagttcat gcaagacccg gatgaggagc acctgaagaa atcaagccag    420 

gtgcccagga cagaagcccc agccccagcc tcatctacac cccaggagcc ctggcctggc    480 

cctaccgccc ccagccctac cagccgcccg ccctgagctg tggaccctgc gtttgccgag    540 

cgctatgccc cggacaaaac gagcacagtg ctgacccggc acagccagcc ggccacgccc    600 

acgccgctgc agagccgcac ctccattgtg caggcagctg ccggaggggt gccaggaggg    660 

ggcagcaaca acggcaagac tcccgtgtgt caccagtgcc acaaggtcat ccggggccgc    720 

tacctggtgg cgttgggcca cgcgtaccac ccggaggagt ttgtgtgtag ccagtgtggg    780 

aaggtcctgg aagagggtgg cttctttgag gagaagggcg ccatcttctg cccaccatgc    840 

tatgacgtgc gctatgcacc cagctgtgcc aagtgcaaga agaagattac aggcgagatc    900 

atgcacgccc tgaagatgac ctggcacgtg cactgcttta cctgtgctgc ctgcaagacg    960 

cccatccgga acagggcctt ctacatggag gagggcgtgc cctattgcga gcgagactat   1020 

gagaagatgt ttggcacgaa atgccatggc tgtgacttca agatcgacgc tggggaccgc   1080 

ttcctggagg ccctgggctt cagctggcat gacacctgct tcgtctgtgc gatatgtcag   1140 

atcaacctgg aaggaaagac cttctactcc aagaaggaca ggcctctctg caagagccat   1200 

gccttctctc atgtgtgagc cccttctgcc cacagctgcc gcggtggccc ctagcctgag   1260 

gggcctggag tcgtggccct gcatttctgg gtagggctgg caatggttgc cttaaccctg   1320 

gctcctggcc cgagcctggg ctcccgggcc cctgcccacc caccttatcc tcccacccca   1380 

ctccctccac caccacagca caccggtgct ggccacacca gccccctttc acctccagtg   1440 

ccacaataaa cctgtaccca gctgaattcc aaaaaatcca aaaaaaaa                1488 

 
           
             9  
             1644  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            9 

atggattcct tcaaggtagt gctggagggg ccagcacctt ggggcttccg gctgcaaggg     60 

ggcaaggact tcaatgtgcc cctctccatt tcccggctca ctcctggggg caaagcggcg    120 

caggccggag tggccgtggg tgactgggtg ctgagcatcg atggcgagaa tgcgggtagc    180 

ctcacacaca tcgaagctca gaacaagatc cgggcctgcg gggagcgcct cagcctgggc    240 

ctcagcaggg cccagccggt tcagagcaaa ccgcagaagg cctccgcccc cgccgcggac    300 

cctccgcggt acacctttgc acccagcgtc tccctcaaca agacggcccg gccctttggg    360 

gcgcccccgc ccgctgacag cgccccgcaa cagaatggac agccgctccg accgctggtc    420 

ccagatgcca gcaagcagcg gctgatggag aacacagagg actggcggcc gcggccgggg    480 

acaggccagt cgcgttcctt ccgcatcctt gcccacctca caggcaccga gttcatgcaa    540 

gacccggatg aggagcacct gaagaaatca agccaggtgc ccaggacaga agccccagcc    600 

ccagcctcat ctacacccca ggagccctgg cctggcccta ccgcccccag ccctaccagc    660 

cgcccgccct gggctgtgga ccctgcgttt gccgagcgct atgccccgga caaaacgagc    720 

acagtgctga cccggcacag ccagccggcc acgcccacgc cgctgcagag ccgcacctcc    780 

attgtgcagg cagctgccgg aggggtgcca ggagggggca gcaacaacgg caagactccc    840 

gtgtgtcacc agtgccacaa ggtcatccgg ggccgctacc tggtggcgtt gggccacgcg    900 

taccacccgg aggagtttgt gtgtagccag tgtgggaagg tcctggaaga gggtggcttc    960 

tttgaggaga agggcgccat cttctgccca ccatgctatg acgtgcgcta tgcacccagc   1020 

tgtgccaagt gcaagaagaa gattacaggc gagatcatgc acgccctgaa gatgacctgg   1080 

cacgtgcact gctttacctg tgctgcctgc aagacgccca tccggaacag ggccttctac   1140 

atggaggagg gcgtgcccta ttgcgagcga gactatgaga agatgtttgg cacgaaatgc   1200 

catggctgtg acttcaagat cgacgctggg gaccgcttcc tggaggccct gggcttcagc   1260 

tggcatgaca cctgcttcgt ctgtgcgata tgtcagatca acctggaagg aaagaccttc   1320 

tactccaaga aggacaggcc tctctgcaag agccatgcct tctctcatgt gtgagcccct   1380 

tctgcccaca gctgccgcgg tggcccctag cctgaggggc ctggagtcgt ggccctgcat   1440 

ttctgggtag ggctggcaat ggttgcctta accctggctc ctggcccgag cctgggctcc   1500 

cgggcccctg cccacccacc ttatcctccc accccactcc ctccaccacc acagcacacc   1560 

ggtgctggcc acaccagccc cctttcacct ccagtgccac aataaacctg tacccagctg   1620 

aattccaaaa aatccaaaaa aaaa                                          1644 

 
           
             10  
             457  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            10 

Met Asp Ser Phe Lys Val Val Leu Glu Gly Pro Ala Pro Trp Gly Phe 
  1               5                  10                  15 

Arg Leu Gln Gly Gly Lys Asp Phe Asn Val Pro Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg 
             20                  25                  30 

Leu Thr Pro Gly Gly Lys Ala Ala Gln Ala Gly Val Ala Val Gly Asp 
         35                  40                  45 

Trp Val Leu Ser Ile Asp Gly Glu Asn Ala Gly Ser Leu Thr His Ile 
     50                  55                  60 

Glu Ala Gln Asn Lys Ile Arg Ala Cys Gly Glu Arg Leu Ser Leu Gly 
 65                  70                  75                  80 

Leu Ser Arg Ala Gln Pro Val Gln Ser Lys Pro Gln Lys Ala Ser Ala 
                 85                  90                  95 

Pro Ala Ala Asp Pro Pro Arg Tyr Thr Phe Ala Pro Ser Val Ser Leu 
            100                 105                 110 

Asn Lys Thr Ala Arg Pro Phe Gly Ala Pro Pro Pro Ala Asp Ser Ala 
        115                 120                 125 

Pro Gln Gln Asn Gly Gln Pro Leu Arg Pro Leu Val Pro Asp Ala Ser 
    130                 135                 140 

Lys Gln Arg Leu Met Glu Asn Thr Glu Asp Trp Arg Pro Arg Pro Gly 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Thr Gly Gln Ser Arg Ser Phe Arg Ile Leu Ala His Leu Thr Gly Thr 
                165                 170                 175 

Glu Phe Met Gln Asp Pro Asp Glu Glu His Leu Lys Lys Ser Ser Gln 
            180                 185                 190 

Val Pro Arg Thr Glu Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ser Ser Thr Pro Gln Glu 
        195                 200                 205 

Pro Trp Pro Gly Pro Thr Ala Pro Ser Pro Thr Ser Arg Pro Pro Trp 
    210                 215                 220 

Ala Val Asp Pro Ala Phe Ala Glu Arg Tyr Ala Pro Asp Lys Thr Ser 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Thr Val Leu Thr Arg His Ser Gln Pro Ala Thr Pro Thr Pro Leu Gln 
                245                 250                 255 

Ser Arg Thr Ser Ile Val Gln Ala Ala Ala Gly Gly Val Pro Gly Gly 
            260                 265                 270 

Gly Ser Asn Asn Gly Lys Thr Pro Val Cys His Gln Cys His Lys Val 
        275                 280                 285 

Ile Arg Gly Arg Tyr Leu Val Ala Leu Gly His Ala Tyr His Pro Glu 
    290                 295                 300 

Glu Phe Val Cys Ser Gln Cys Gly Lys Val Leu Glu Glu Gly Gly Phe 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Phe Glu Glu Lys Gly Ala Ile Phe Cys Pro Pro Cys Tyr Asp Val Arg 
                325                 330                 335 

Tyr Ala Pro Ser Cys Ala Lys Cys Lys Lys Lys Ile Thr Gly Glu Ile 
            340                 345                 350 

Met His Ala Leu Lys Met Thr Trp His Val His Cys Phe Thr Cys Ala 
        355                 360                 365 

Ala Cys Lys Thr Pro Ile Arg Asn Arg Ala Phe Tyr Met Glu Glu Gly 
    370                 375                 380 

Val Pro Tyr Cys Glu Arg Asp Tyr Glu Lys Met Phe Gly Thr Lys Cys 
385                 390                 395                 400 

His Gly Cys Asp Phe Lys Ile Asp Ala Gly Asp Arg Phe Leu Glu Ala 
                405                 410                 415 

Leu Gly Phe Ser Trp His Asp Thr Cys Phe Val Cys Ala Ile Cys Gln 
            420                 425                 430 

Ile Asn Leu Glu Gly Lys Thr Phe Tyr Ser Lys Lys Asp Arg Pro Leu 
        435                 440                 445 

Cys Lys Ser His Ala Phe Ser His Val 
    450                 455 

 
           
             11  
             22  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            11 

gccagggttt tcccagtcac ga                                              22 

 
           
             12  
             22  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            12 

gccagggttt tcccagtcac ga                                              22 

 
           
             13  
             22  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            13 

tcttagcaga gcccagcctg ct                                              22 

 
           
             14  
             22  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            14 

gcatgaactc tgtgcccgtg ag                                              22 

 
           
             15  
             20  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            15 

atccttgctc acctcacggg                                                 20 

 
           
             16  
             22  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            16 

gcactgtgct ggttttgtct gg                                              22 

 
           
             17  
             23  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            17 

catggattcc ttcaaggtag tgc                                             23 

 
           
             18  
             20  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            18 

gttttgtctg gggcagagcg                                                 20 

 
           
             19  
             44  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               Description of Artificial Sequence 
      adaptor for Marathon RACE reactions  
             
           
            19 

ctaatacgac tcactatagg gctcgagcgg ccgcccgggc aggt                      44 

 
           
             20  
             27  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               Description of Artificial Sequence 
      PCR primer specific for Marathon RACE adaptor  
             
           
            20 

ccatcctaat acgactcact atagggc                                         27 

 
           
             21  
             765  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            21 

ccgttgtttg taaaacgacg cagagcagcg ccctggccgg gccaagcagg agccggcatc     60 

atggattcct tcaaggtagt gctggagggg ccagcacctt ggggcttccg gctgcaaggg    120 

ggcaaggact tcaatgtgcc ctcctccatt tcccggctca cctctggggg caaggccgtg    180 

caggccggag tggccgtaag tgactgggtg ctgagcatcg atggcgagaa tgcgggtagc    240 

ctcacacaca tcgaagctca gaacaagatc cgggcctgcg gggagcgcct cagcctgggc    300 

ctcaacaggg cccagccggt tcagaacaaa ccgcaaaagg cctccgcccc cgccgcggac    360 

cctccgcggt acacctttgc accaagcgtc tccctcaaca agacggcccg gcccttgggg    420 

gcgcccccgc ccgctgacag cgccccgcag cagaatggac agccgctccg accgctggtc    480 

ccagatgcca gcaagcagcg gctgatggag aacacagagg actggcggcc gcggccgggg    540 

acaggccagt gccgttcctt tcgcatcctt gctcacctta caggcaccga gttcatgcaa    600 

gacccggatg aggagcacct gaagaaatca agccaggtgc ccaggacaga agccccagcc    660 

ccagcctcat ctacacccca ggagccctgg cctggcccta ccgcccccag ccctaccagc    720 

cgcccgccct gggctgtgga ccctgcgttt gccgagcgct atgcc                    765 

 
           
             22  
             1689  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            22 

cgacgcagag cagcgccctg gccgggccaa gcaggagccg gcatcatgga ttccttcaag     60 

gtagtgctgg aggggccagc accttggggc ttccggctgc aagggggcaa ggacttcaat    120 

gtgcccctct ccatttcccg gctcactcct gggggcaaag cggcgcaggc cggagtggcc    180 

gtgggtgact gggtgctgag catcgatggc gagaatgcgg gtagcctcac acacatcgaa    240 

gctcagaaca agatccgggc ctgcggggag cgcctcagcc tgggcctcag cagggcccag    300 

ccggttcaga gcaaaccgca gaaggcctcc gcccccgccg cggaccctcc gcggtacacc    360 

tttgcaccca gcgtctccct caacaagacg gcccggccct ttggggcgcc cccgcccgct    420 

gacagcgccc cgcaacagaa tggacagccg ctccgaccgc tggtcccaga tgccagcaag    480 

cagcggctga tggagaacac agaggactgg cggccgcggc cggggacagg ccagtcgcgt    540 

tccttccgca tccttgccca cctcacaggc accgagttca tgcaagaccc ggatgaggag    600 

cacctgaaga aatcaagcca ggtgcccagg acagaagccc cagccccagc ctcatctaca    660 

ccccaggagc cctggcctgg ccctaccgcc cccagcccta ccagccgccc gccctgggct    720 

gtggaccctg cgtttgccga gcgctatgcc ccggacaaaa cgagcacagt gctgacccgg    780 

cacagccagc cggccacgcc cacgccgctg cagagccgca cctccattgt gcaggcagct    840 

gccggagggg tgccaggagg gggcagcaac aacggcaaga ctcccgtgtg tcaccagtgc    900 

cacaaggtca tccggggccg ctacctggtg gcgttgggcc acgcgtacca cccggaggag    960 

tttgtgtgta gccagtgtgg gaaggtcctg gaagagggtg gcttctttga ggagaagggc   1020 

gccatcttct gcccaccatg ctatgacgtg cgctatgcac ccagctgtgc caagtgcaag   1080 

aagaagatta caggcgagat catgcacgcc ctgaagatga cctggcacgt gcactgcttt   1140 

acctgtgctg cctgcaagac gcccatccgg aacagggcct tctacatgga ggagggcgtg   1200 

ccctattgcg agcgagacta tgagaagatg tttggcacga aatgccatgg ctgtgacttc   1260 

aagatcgacg ctggggaccg cttcctggag gccctgggct tcagctggca tgacacctgc   1320 

ttcgtctgtg cgatatgtca gatcaacctg gaaggaaaga ccttctactc caagaaggac   1380 

aggcctctct gcaagagcca tgccttctct catgtgtgag ccccttctgc ccacagctgc   1440 

cgcggtggcc cctagcctga ggggcctgga gtcgtggccc tgcatttctg ggtagggctg   1500 

gcaatggttg ccttaaccct ggctcctggc ccgagcctgg gctcccgggc ccctgcccac   1560 

ccaccttatc ctcccacccc actccctcca ccaccacagc acaccggtgc tggccacacc   1620 

agcccccttt cacctccagt gccacaataa acctgtaccc agctgaattc caaaaaatcc   1680 

aaaaaaaaa                                                           1689 

 
           
             23  
             22  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            23 

gcactgtgct cgttttgtcc gg                                              22 

 
           
             24  
             21  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            24 

tccttgctca cctcacgggc a                                               21 

 
           
             25  
             30  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            25 

tcctcatccg ggtcttgcat gaactcggtg                                      30 

 
           
             26  
             28  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            26 

gcccccgccc gctgacagcg ccccgcaa                                        28 

 
           
             27  
             24  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            27 

tccttgctca cctcacgggc accg                                            24 

 
           
             28  
             22  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            28 

gtaatacgac tcactatagg gc                                              22 

 
           
             29  
             23  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            29 

gcggctgatg gagaatactg aag                                             23 

 
           
             30  
             23  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            30 

atcttgtggc actggtggca tac                                             23 

 
           
             31  
             22  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            31 

tgtgtcgggt cagcactgtg ct                                              22 

 
           
             32  
             1620  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            32 

atggattcct tcaaggtagt gctggagggg ccagcacctt ggggcttccg gctgcaaggg     60 

ggcaaggact tcaatgtgcc cctctccatt tcccggctca ctcctggggg caaagcggcg    120 

caggccggag tggccgtggg tgactgggtg ctgagcatcg atggcgagaa tgcgggtagc    180 

ctcacacaca tcgaagctca gaacaagatc cgggcctgcg gggagcgcct cagcctgggc    240 

ctcagcaggg cccagccggt tcagagcaaa ccgcagaagg cctccgcccc cgccgcggac    300 

cctccgcggt acacctttgc acccagcgtc tccctcaaca agacggcccg gccctttggg    360 

gcgcccccgc ccgctgacag cgccccgcaa cagaatggac agccgctccg accgctggtc    420 

ccagatgcca gcaagcagcg gctgatggag aacacagagg actggcggcc gcggccgggg    480 

acaggccagt cgcgttcctt ccgcatcctt gcccacctca caggcaccga gttcatgcaa    540 

gacccggatg aggagcacct gaagaaatca agccaggtgc ccaggacaga agccccagcc    600 

ccagcctcat ctacacccca ggagccctgg cctggcccta ccgcccccag ccctaccagc    660 

cgcccgccct gagctgtgga ccctgcgttt gccgagcgct atgccccgga caaaacgagc    720 

acagtgctga cccggcacag ccagccggcc acgcccacgc cgctgcagag ccgcacctcc    780 

attgtgcagg cagctgccgg aggggtgcca ggagggggca gcaacaacgg caagactccc    840 

gtgtgtcacc agtgccacaa ggtcatccgg ggccgctacc tggtggcgtt gggccacgcg    900 

taccacccgg aggagtttgt gtgtagccag tgtgggaagg tcctggaaga gggtggcttc    960 

tttgaggaga agggcgccat cttctgccca ccatgctatg acgtgcgcta tgcacccagc   1020 

tgtgccaagt gcaagaagaa gattacaggc gagatcatgc acgccctgaa gatgacctgg   1080 

cacgtgcact gctttacctg tgctgcctgc aagacgccca tccggaacag ggccttctac   1140 

atggaggagg gcgtgcccta ttgcgagcga gactatgaga agatgtttgg cacgaaatgc   1200 

catggctgtg acttcaagat cgacgctggg gaccgcttcc tggaggccct gggcttcagc   1260 

tggcatgaca cctgcttcgt ctgtgcgata tgtcagatca acctggaagg aaagaccttc   1320 

tactccaaga aggacaggcc tctctgcaag agccatgcct tctctcatgt gtgagcccct   1380 

tctgcccaca gctgccgcgg tggcccctag cctgaggggc ctggagtcgt ggccctgcat   1440 

ttctgggtag ggctggcaat ggttgcctta accctggctc ctggcccgag cctgggctcc   1500 

cgggcccctg cccacccacc ttatcctccc accccactcc ctccaccacc acagcacacc   1560 

ggtgctggcc acaccagccc cctttcacct ccagtgccac aataaacctg tacccagctg   1620 

 
           
             33  
             1665  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            33 

cgacgcagag cagcgccctg gccgggccaa gcaggagccg gcatcatgga ttccttcaag     60 

gtagtgctgg aggggccagc accttggggc ttccggctgc aagggggcaa ggacttcaat    120 

gtgcccctct ccatttcccg gctcactcct gggggcaaag cggcgcaggc cggagtggcc    180 

gtgggtgact gggtgctgag catcgatggc gagaatgcgg gtagcctcac acacatcgaa    240 

gctcagaaca agatccgggc ctgcggggag cgcctcagcc tgggcctcag cagggcccag    300 

ccggttcaga gcaaaccgca gaaggcctcc gcccccgccg cggaccctcc gcggtacacc    360 

tttgcaccca gcgtctccct caacaagacg gcccggccct ttggggcgcc cccgcccgct    420 

gacagcgccc cgcaacagaa tggacagccg ctccgaccgc tggtcccaga tgccagcaag    480 

cagcggctga tggagaacac agaggactgg cggccgcggc cggggacagg ccagtcgcgt    540 

tccttccgca tccttgccca cctcacaggc accgagttca tgcaagaccc ggatgaggag    600 

cacctgaaga aatcaagcca ggtgcccagg acagaagccc cagccccagc ctcatctaca    660 

ccccaggagc cctggcctgg ccctaccgcc cccagcccta ccagccgccc gccctgagct    720 

gtggaccctg cgtttgccga gcgctatgcc ccggacaaaa cgagcacagt gctgacccgg    780 

cacagccagc cggccacgcc cacgccgctg cagagccgca cctccattgt gcaggcagct    840 

gccggagggg tgccaggagg gggcagcaac aacggcaaga ctcccgtgtg tcaccagtgc    900 

cacaaggtca tccggggccg ctacctggtg gcgttgggcc acgcgtacca cccggaggag    960 

tttgtgtgta gccagtgtgg gaaggtcctg gaagagggtg gcttctttga ggagaagggc   1020 

gccatcttct gcccaccatg ctatgacgtg cgctatgcac ccagctgtgc caagtgcaag   1080 

aagaagatta caggcgagat catgcacgcc ctgaagatga cctggcacgt gcactgcttt   1140 

acctgtgctg cctgcaagac gcccatccgg aacagggcct tctacatgga ggagggcgtg   1200 

ccctattgcg agcgagacta tgagaagatg tttggcacga aatgccatgg ctgtgacttc   1260 

aagatcgacg ctggggaccg cttcctggag gccctgggct tcagctggca tgacacctgc   1320 

ttcgtctgtg cgatatgtca gatcaacctg gaaggaaaga ccttctactc caagaaggac   1380 

aggcctctct gcaagagcca tgccttctct catgtgtgag ccccttctgc ccacagctgc   1440 

cgcggtggcc cctagcctga ggggcctgga gtcgtggccc tgcatttctg ggtagggctg   1500 

gcaatggttg ccttaaccct ggctcctggc ccgagcctgg gctcccgggc ccctgcccac   1560 

ccaccttatc ctcccacccc actccctcca ccaccacagc acaccggtgc tggccacacc   1620 

agcccccttt cacctccagt gccacaataa acctgtaccc agctg                   1665 

 
           
             34  
             223  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            34 

Met Asp Ser Phe Lys Val Val Leu Glu Gly Pro Ala Pro Trp Gly Phe 
  1               5                  10                  15 

Arg Leu Gln Gly Gly Lys Asp Phe Asn Val Pro Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg 
             20                  25                  30 

Leu Thr Pro Gly Gly Lys Ala Ala Gln Ala Gly Val Ala Val Gly Asp 
         35                  40                  45 

Trp Val Leu Ser Ile Asp Gly Glu Asn Ala Gly Ser Leu Thr His Ile 
     50                  55                  60 

Glu Ala Gln Asn Lys Ile Arg Ala Cys Gly Glu Arg Leu Ser Leu Gly 
 65                  70                  75                  80 

Leu Ser Arg Ala Gln Pro Val Gln Ser Lys Pro Gln Lys Ala Ser Ala 
                 85                  90                  95 

Pro Ala Ala Asp Pro Pro Arg Tyr Thr Phe Ala Pro Ser Val Ser Leu 
            100                 105                 110 

Asn Lys Thr Ala Arg Pro Phe Gly Ala Pro Pro Pro Ala Asp Ser Ala 
        115                 120                 125 

Pro Gln Gln Asn Gly Gln Pro Leu Arg Pro Leu Val Pro Asp Ala Ser 
    130                 135                 140 

Lys Gln Arg Leu Met Glu Asn Thr Glu Asp Trp Arg Pro Arg Pro Gly 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Thr Gly Gln Ser Arg Ser Phe Arg Ile Leu Ala His Leu Thr Gly Thr 
                165                 170                 175 

Glu Phe Met Gln Asp Pro Asp Glu Glu His Leu Lys Lys Ser Ser Gln 
            180                 185                 190 

Val Pro Arg Thr Glu Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ser Ser Thr Pro Gln Glu 
        195                 200                 205 

Pro Trp Pro Gly Pro Thr Ala Pro Ser Pro Thr Ser Arg Pro Pro 
    210                 215                 220 

 
           
             35  
             20  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            35 

gagccggcat catggattcc                                                 20 

 
           
             36  
             20  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            36 

gctgcctgca caatggaggt                                                 20 

 
           
             37  
             1456  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            37 

cgacgcagag cagcgccctg gccgggccaa gcaggagccg gcatcatgga ttccttcaag     60 

gtagtgctgg aggggccagc accttggggc ttccggctgc aagggggcaa ggacttcaat    120 

gtgcccctct ccatttcccg gctcactcct gggggcaaag cggcgcaggc cggagtggcc    180 

gtgggtgact gggtgctgag catcgatggc gagaatgcgg gtagcctcac acacatcgaa    240 

gctcagaaca agatccgggc ctgcggggag cgcctcagcc tgggcctcag cagggcccag    300 

ccggttcaga gcaaaccgca gaaggtgcag acccctgaca aacagccgct ccgaccgctg    360 

gtcccagatg ccagcaagca gcggctgatg gagaacacag aggactggcg gccgcggccg    420 

gggacaggcc agtcgcgttc cttccgcatc cttgcccacc tcacaggcac cgagttcatg    480 

caagacccgg atgaggagca cctgaagaaa tcaagccagg tgcccaggac agaagcccca    540 

gccccagcct catctacacc ccaggagccc tggcctggcc ctaccgcccc cagccctacc    600 

agccgcccgc cctgggctgt ggaccctgcg tttgccgagc gctatgcccc ggacaaaacg    660 

agcacagtgc tgacccggca cagccagccg gccacgccca cgccgctgca gagccgcacc    720 

tccattgtgc aggcagctgc cggaggggtg ccaggagggg gcagcaacaa cggcaagact    780 

cccgtgtgtc accagtgcca caaggtcatc cggggccgct acctggtggc gttgggccac    840 

gcgtaccacc cggaggagtt tgtgtgtagc cagtgtggga aggtcctgga agagggtggc    900 

ttctttgagg agaagggcgc catcttctgc ccaccatgct atgacgtgcg ctatgcaccc    960 

agctgtgcca agtgcaagaa gaagattaca ggcgagatca tgcacgccct gaagatgacc   1020 

tggcacgtgc actgctttac ctgtgctgcc tgcaagacgc ccatccggaa cagggccttc   1080 

tacatggagg agggcgtgcc ctattgcgag cgagactatg agaagatgtt tggcacgaaa   1140 

tgccatggct gtgacttcaa gatcgacgct ggggaccgct tcctggaggc cctgggcttc   1200 

agctggcatg acacctgctt cgtctgtgcg atatgtcaga tcaacctgga aggaaagacc   1260 

ttctactcca agaaggacag gcctctctgc aagagccatg ccttctctca tgtgtgagcc   1320 

ccttctgccc acagctgccg cggtggcccc tagcctgagg ggcctggagt cgtggccctg   1380 

catttctggg tagggctggc aatggttgcc ttaaccctgg ctcctggccc gagcctgggc   1440 

tcccgggccc tgccca                                                   1456 

 
           
             38  
             423  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            38 

Met Asp Ser Phe Lys Val Val Leu Glu Gly Pro Ala Pro Trp Gly Phe 
  1               5                  10                  15 

Arg Leu Gln Gly Gly Lys Asp Phe Asn Val Pro Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg 
             20                  25                  30 

Leu Thr Pro Gly Gly Lys Ala Ala Gln Ala Gly Val Ala Val Gly Asp 
         35                  40                  45 

Trp Val Leu Ser Ile Asp Gly Glu Asn Ala Gly Ser Leu Thr His Ile 
     50                  55                  60 

Glu Ala Gln Asn Lys Ile Arg Ala Cys Gly Glu Arg Leu Ser Leu Gly 
 65                  70                  75                  80 

Leu Ser Arg Ala Gln Pro Val Gln Asn Lys Pro Gln Lys Val Gln Thr 
                 85                  90                  95 

Pro Asp Lys Gln Pro Leu Arg Pro Leu Val Pro Asp Ala Ser Lys Gln 
            100                 105                 110 

Arg Leu Met Glu Asn Thr Glu Asp Trp Arg Pro Arg Pro Gly Thr Gly 
        115                 120                 125 

Gln Ser Arg Ser Phe Arg Ile Leu Ala His Leu Thr Gly Thr Glu Phe 
    130                 135                 140 

Met Gln Asp Pro Asp Glu Glu His Leu Lys Lys Ser Ser Gln Val Pro 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Arg Thr Glu Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ser Ser Thr Pro Gln Glu Pro Trp 
                165                 170                 175 

Pro Gly Pro Thr Ala Pro Ser Pro Thr Ser Arg Pro Pro Trp Ala Val 
            180                 185                 190 

Asp Pro Ala Phe Ala Glu Arg Tyr Ala Pro Asp Lys Thr Ser Thr Val 
        195                 200                 205 

Leu Thr Arg His Ser Gln Pro Ala Thr Pro Thr Pro Leu Gln Ser Arg 
    210                 215                 220 

Thr Ser Ile Val Gln Ala Ala Ala Gly Gly Val Pro Gly Gly Gly Ser 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Asn Asn Gly Lys Thr Pro Val Cys His Gln Cys His Gln Val Ile Arg 
                245                 250                 255 

Ala Arg Tyr Leu Val Ala Leu Gly His Ala Tyr His Pro Glu Glu Phe 
            260                 265                 270 

Val Cys Ser Gln Cys Gly Lys Val Leu Glu Glu Gly Gly Phe Phe Glu 
        275                 280                 285 

Glu Lys Gly Ala Ile Phe Cys Pro Pro Cys Tyr Asp Val Arg Tyr Ala 
    290                 295                 300 

Pro Ser Cys Ala Lys Cys Lys Lys Lys Ile Thr Gly Glu Ile Met His 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Ala Leu Lys Met Thr Trp His Val Leu Cys Phe Thr Cys Ala Ala Cys 
                325                 330                 335 

Lys Thr Pro Ile Arg Asn Arg Ala Phe Tyr Met Glu Glu Gly Val Pro 
            340                 345                 350 

Tyr Cys Glu Arg Asp Tyr Glu Lys Met Phe Gly Thr Lys Cys Gln Trp 
        355                 360                 365 

Cys Asp Phe Lys Ile Asp Ala Gly Asp Arg Phe Leu Glu Ala Leu Gly 
    370                 375                 380 

Phe Ser Trp His Asp Thr Cys Phe Val Cys Ala Ile Cys Gln Ile Asn 
385                 390                 395                 400 

Leu Glu Gly Lys Thr Phe Tyr Ser Lys Lys Asp Arg Pro Leu Cys Lys 
                405                 410                 415 

Ser His Ala Phe Ser His Val 
            420 

 
           
             39  
             1575  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            39 

cgacgcagag cagcgccctg gccgggccaa gcaggagccg gcatcatgga ttccttcaag     60 

gtagtgctgg aggggccagc accttggggc ttccggctgc aagggggcaa ggacttcaat    120 

gtgcccctct ccatttcccg gctcactcct gggggcaaag cggcgcaggc cggagtggcc    180 

gtgggtgact gggtgctgag catcgatggc gagaatgcgg gtagcctcac acacatcgaa    240 

gctcagaaca agatccgggc ctgcggggag cgcctcagcc tgggcctcag cagggcccag    300 

ccggttcaga gcaaaccgca gaaggcctcc gcccccgccg cggaccctcc gcggtacacc    360 

tttgcaccca gcgtctccct caacaagacg gcccggccct ttggggcgcc cccgcccgct    420 

gacagcgccc cgcaacagaa tgggtgcaga cccctgacaa acagccgctc cgaccgctgg    480 

tcccagatgc cagcaagcag cggctgatgg agaacacaga ggactggcgg ccgcggccgg    540 

ggacaggcca gtcgcgttcc ttccgcatcc ttgcccacct cacaggcacc gagttcatgc    600 

aagacccgga tgaggagcac ctgaagaaat caagccaggt gcccaggaca gaagccccag    660 

ccccagcctc atctacaccc caggagccct ggcctggccc taccgccccc agccctacca    720 

gccgcccgcc ctgggctgtg gaccctgcgt ttgccgagcg ctatgccccg gacaaaacga    780 

gcacagtgct gacccggcac agccagccgg ccacgcccac gccgctgcag agccgcacct    840 

ccattgtgca ggcagctgcc ggaggggtgc caggaggggg cagcaacaac ggcaagactc    900 

ccgtgtgtca ccagtgccac aaggtcatcc ggggccgcta cctggtggcg ttgggccacg    960 

cgtaccaccc ggaggagttt gtgtgtagcc agtgtgggaa ggtcctggaa gagggtggct   1020 

tctttgagga gaagggcgcc atcttctgcc caccatgcta tgacgtgcgc tatgcaccca   1080 

gctgtgccaa gtgcaagaag aagattacag gcgagatcat gcacgccctg aagatgacct   1140 

ggcacgtgca ctgctttacc tgtgctgcct gcaagacgcc catccggaac agggccttct   1200 

acatggagga gggcgtgccc tattgcgagc gagactatga gaagatgttt ggcacgaaat   1260 

gccatggctg tgacttcaag atcgacgctg gggaccgctt cctggaggcc ctgggcttca   1320 

gctggcatga cacctgcttc gtctgtgcga tatgtcagat caacctggaa ggaaagacct   1380 

tctactccaa gaaggacagg cctctctgca agagccatgc cttctctcat gtgtgagccc   1440 

cttctgccca cagctgccgc ggtggcccct agcctgaggg gcctggagtc gtggccctgc   1500 

atttctgggt agggctggca atggttgcct taaccctggc tcctggcccg agcctgggct   1560 

cccgggccct gccca                                                    1575 

 
           
             40  
             153  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            40 

Met Asp Ser Phe Lys Val Val Leu Glu Gly Pro Ala Pro Trp Gly Phe 
  1               5                  10                  15 

Arg Leu Gln Gly Gly Lys Asp Phe Asn Val Pro Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg 
             20                  25                  30 

Leu Thr Pro Gly Gly Lys Ala Ala Gln Ala Gly Val Ala Val Gly Asp 
         35                  40                  45 

Trp Val Leu Ser Ile Asp Gly Glu Asn Ala Gly Ser Leu Thr His Ile 
     50                  55                  60 

Glu Ala Gln Asn Lys Ile Arg Ala Cys Gly Glu Arg Leu Ser Leu Gly 
 65                  70                  75                  80 

Leu Ser Arg Ala Gln Pro Val Gln Ser Lys Pro Gln Lys Ala Ser Ala 
                 85                  90                  95 

Pro Ala Ala Asp Pro Pro Arg Tyr Thr Phe Ala Pro Ser Val Ser Leu 
            100                 105                 110 

Asn Lys Thr Ala Arg Pro Phe Gly Ala Pro Pro Pro Ala Asp Ser Ala 
        115                 120                 125 

Pro Gln Gln Asn Gly Cys Arg Pro Leu Thr Asn Ser Arg Ser Asp Arg 
    130                 135                 140 

Trp Ser Gln Met Pro Ala Ser Ser Gly 
145                 150 

 
           
             41  
             24740  
             DNA  
             Homo sapiens  
             
               unsure  
               1..6  
               a or c or g or t  
             
           
            41 

nnnnnntgta ttttatcata ttttaaaaat caaaaaacaa aaggcagttg aggttaggca     60 

tggaggttcg tgcctgtaat cccagcactt tgggaagccg aagcacgtgg atcacctgag    120 

gtcaggagtt cgagaccagc ctgcccaata tggtaaaacc ctgtctctac taaaaataca    180 

aaaaattagc caggcatggt ggtgggcacc tgtaatccca gctacttggg agactgaggc    240 

aggagaatca cttaaacccg ggaggcgggc tgggcgcggt ggctcatgcc tgtaatccca    300 

gcactttggg aggccgagac aggcggatca tgaggtcagg agatcgagat catcctggct    360 

aacatggtga aaccccatct ctactaaaaa tacaaaaaaa attagccagg cctggtggcg    420 

ggcacctgta gtcccagcta cttgggaggc tgaggcagga gaatggcgtg aacctgggag    480 

gcggcgttgc agtgagccaa gatcgcgcca ctgcactcca gcctgggcga caagagtgag    540 

actccatctt aaagaaaaaa aacaaacccg ggaggcggaa attgcagtca gccgagatct    600 

cgccattgca ctcaagtatg ggtgacagag caagactcca tgtcaaaaaa aaaggcagtt    660 

gacaggagca aggagcctgg tgaggaagct gtggcatttg acccggctgt gttgctatgg    720 

gccagggtgg tgctagtaga ggagctgagt gggaaagagc acaggggaca tgctgaaggc    780 

ctgggtgtgg ggatgaggca gagattgggg gcaccttgca gggtcatagc aggtggctgt    840 

ggtgagatgg aggaagacac ctggggtact gctctaggct gtcagacata cagaagctgg    900 

cccagccaag cccaggggct gcaagggaca tccttttgtg tccccagtga tctgcagctc    960 

tcagacaccc tcaagcacag tgcctcttgc ccagcccagc actctcagtg gggagccagg   1020 

tgggagaaca ggctcggaag gggacctagg cttatgcagc gagccgggca aagctggaac   1080 

tggagcccag gcccctggat gccccctggc ttgtggagtt ctgggatact gaggggaggg   1140 

gacagggcat gggagtgcgg tgctctcacc tttgacttga actcattccc caggggacag   1200 

gggaggcctc ctcaggatcc acagatgccc agtctcccaa gaggggcctg gtccccatgg   1260 

aggaaaactc catctactcc tcctggcagg aaggtaagtt ggaggacgtg caagggcagc   1320 

ctcagccccc cacacccagg gctgggtctt tttgggactg acggagctgt cctggccacc   1380 

tgccacagtg ggcgagtttc ccgtggtggt gcagaggact gaggccgcca cccgctgcca   1440 

gctgaagggg ccggccctgc tggtgctggg cccagacgcc atccagctga gggaggccaa   1500 

ggcacccagg ccctctacag ctggccctac cacttcctgc gcaagttcgg ctccgacaag   1560 

gtgaggtgca ggggtgggaa agggtgaggg gctgacagcc tggaccctcc tgctaatccc   1620 

cacccgtgtg ccctgtgccc agggcgtgtt ctcctttgag gccggccgtc gctgccactc   1680 

gggtgagggc ctctttgcct tcagcacccc ctgtgcccct gacctgtgca gggctgtggc   1740 

cggggccatc gccgccagcg ggagcggctg ccagagctga ccaggcccca gccctgcccc   1800 

ctgccacggg ccacctctct gccctccctg gacacccccg gagagcttcg ggagatgcca   1860 

ccaggacctg agccacccac gtccaggaaa atgcacctgg ccgagcccgg accccagagc   1920 

ctgccgctac tgctaggccc ggagcccaac gatctggcgt ccgggctcta cgcttcagtg   1980 

tgcaagcgtg ccagtgggcc cccaggcaat gagcacctct atgagaacct gtgtgtgctg   2040 

gaggccagcc ccacgctgca cggtggggaa cctgagccgc acgagggccc cggcagccgc   2100 

agccccacaa ccagtcccat ctaccacaac ggccaggact tgagctggcc cggcccggcc   2160 

aacgacagta ccctggaggc ccagtaccgg cggctgctgg agctggatca ggtggagggc   2220 

acaggccgcc ctgaccctca ggcaggtttc aaggccaagc tggtgaccct gctgagtcgt   2280 

gagcggagga agggcccagc cccttgtgac cggccctgaa cgcccagcag agtggtggcc   2340 

agaggggaga ggtgctcccc ctgggacagg agggtgggct ggtgggcaaa cattgggccc   2400 

atgcagacac acgcctgtgt ccaccctggc ctgcaggaac aaggcaggcc gcctgtggag   2460 

gacctcagcc ctgccctgcc ctcctcatga atagtgtgca gactcacaga taataaagct   2520 

cagagcagct cccggcaggg gcactcacgg cacacgcccc tgcccacgtt cattgcggcc   2580 

aacacaagca ccctgtgccg gttccagggg cacaggtgac ctgggcctta cctgccaccc   2640 

gtgggctcaa acccactgca gcagacagac gggatggaaa tcattaggac tccatgttgc   2700 

tctgcacggc cgagtgacac gaagaggcag gcggagggag ctgtgaggct tacttgtcag   2760 

actcaggaag gagcaacatg agggcccaac tggagacccg gaggcccgag ctgggaggag   2820 

gcagtggggg cggggtgcag gtggaaggga tttcagagac accctcgtcc aaaacacttg   2880 

ttccctgctg aaactccaac aatttgcaga tacttctggg aaccccaggc gtcagtctcc   2940 

tcatctgtaa aggagagaga accgatgacg tatcaggcat aatccttgat gagagtttgc   3000 

tgcgtgccta ctcagtgcca ggcgctgggg gacacagccg tgttcaggac agccttggtc   3060 

ctgttctccg ggagccgaca ttccaggggg agagaagttt cctgaagact tccatgctgc   3120 

gttccctcct ctgctcctgc tcctggcgcc atcctaggag ccagccatgc acgcaagcgt   3180 

catgcctcca gggctctgac tgcccagccc ctcaccgcaa ctccacctca gctgcacaca   3240 

cccttggcac atcctgaacc tcattttcat gacggacaca caatttttgc tctctcctgt   3300 

ccaagcctca tcctctggcc gccacctcct tccagctcac ttcctttagt gcggccagta   3360 

ccgcccctgc ctaggcatgt cgacctgcag ggaccctttt ctggctcttc gaggcctctg   3420 

cccaccatcc cctctttgtt ctccatagtc ccttccccct gttctctctc gtttcatctt   3480 

actggtctgg caaagtcccc ggccttgggc gagccagacc tcctcagtgc ctgcacacag   3540 

ctgcccacag ccagagaaat ccatttaagc agactgcctg catccttctt aacagtgcaa   3600 

ggcaggcact ccctgccaca agagaccctg ttccctagta gggcagcttt tctcctcccc   3660 

agaacctcct gtctatcccc acccaatgtc tcctcacagg catattgggg aaacaggtca   3720 

ggctctccca ccgtatctgc aagtgtactg gcatccatct gtcttcttcc tacccctaca   3780 

gtagaaacag tgtctgtccc cagctgtgct ctgatcccgg ctcctttcac ctcagagctt   3840 

ggaaaattga gctgtcccca ctctctcctg cgcccattca tcctaccagc agcttttcca   3900 

gccacacgca aacatgctct gtaatttcac attttaaacc ttcccttgac ctcacattcc   3960 

tcttcggcca cctctgtttc tctgttcctc ttcacagcaa aaactgttca aaagagttgt   4020 

tgattacttt catttccact ttctcacccc cattctctcc tcaattaact ctccttcatc   4080 

cccatgatgc cattatgtgg cttttattag agtcaccaac cttattctcc aaaacaaaag   4140 

caacaaggac tttgacttct cagcagcact cagctctggt tcttgaaaca cccccgttac   4200 

ttgctattcc tcctacctca taacaatctc cttcccagcc tctactgctg ccttctctga   4260 

gttcttccca gggtcctagg ctcagatgta gtgtagctca accctgctac acaaagaatc   4320 

tcctgaaagc ctgtaaaaat gtccatgcat gttctgtgag tgatctacca agaaaataaa   4380 

aaattttaaa aatcaaatgc ccatgcctgg gcccacacgc aggggctctg atttcatcag   4440 

tctggtaggt gggttctggg catccacgct cactggattt ccggatgatt gtagtatgca   4500 

gcctaggctg ggaaccactg gcctcagcaa gccagtcatt ctccaggtgt cacagaccct   4560 

ctaggtgcta atgaccccga aggtctgtct tcagtgcaca cctccccctg agctccagat   4620 

ttaggaatcc cactgcacac gagacatctg gatgtggaaa agacatctcc agatcccatg   4680 

ggtgaaaggg ggttggggga atggagactc gtgttcttcc aggatgtgtg tggacacaga   4740 

atgcaaagcc tggagggatg ctagagccat agggaggaag atttcggctc acttattcat   4800 

gcaagcactt cctgatgggt aaggtcttag agcaagctga ggccaagagg cgggcagtcg   4860 

aggtgctgct gcaggcaccc ccactcccta cagtggcaag cccaagccca gcccttggca   4920 

gctcaaatcc caggacacgc tgaaggtcac ccagagagtc aggggcatgg ctagaaccag   4980 

aacccaggac tctggggacc cagcatggca tcctttcctt cattacaaat ctgagctgct   5040 

ttgtttccta gggatttctg tgatattcca aggggactgt gggaaagaaa gtccttggaa   5100 

accaccagga cgctagaggc ctggcctgga gcctcaggag tctcggccac cagagggcgc   5160 

tgggtccttg tccaggtcca gttgctacgc aggggctgcc tgtgctggga ggctccccag   5220 

gggacacaga ccagagcctt gcaccagccc aaggaatggg agcctggggt cctctctgct   5280 

ggaggactgc caggaccccc aggctgccgc ctcttccttt gctcatttgc tgtttcactt   5340 

tgtcaatcct tcctttcttc gtgtgttcat tcacatccac tgtgtgctgg ccctggggaa   5400 

atgttagata agacacatta gctgtgtgtc ttcattgtcc taacaaagaa cacaccctgg   5460 

aaagagcacc gcagagagtc cccattcccc catctccctc cacacatgga atctggagat   5520 

gccttttcca catccagatg tctctggtgc tgtgggattc ttaaataaac aaacatttca   5580 

tacagaatgt gagatgatgg agatgctatg gggaaaagta aagcagaggg agggcctagt   5640 

gtgtgatgcg ggtgaggcat ccagggattg ctgtttcagc tgtgatcagg aaaggccctg   5700 

ggaggaggcc acatctgagc agagacctaa ataaagttgg aaacctgttg ctgagatatc   5760 

tggagaagtg tttcaagggc cgggcaccgg gcatggtggc tcacgcctgt aatcccagca   5820 

ctttgggagg ccaaggcagg tggatcgctg gaggtcagga gtttgagagc agcctgacca   5880 

acatggagaa accccatctc tactaaacat ataaaaatta tccgggcatg gtggttcatg   5940 

cctgtagtcc cagctactcg ggaggttgag gcaggagaat cacttgaacg tgggaggcag   6000 

aggttgcagc aagccgagat cacaccactg cactccagcc tggatgacag agcgagactc   6060 

cgtctcaaaa aaaaaaaaga aaagaaaaaa gaaaaaaaaa gaaaagtgtt tcaagcaggg   6120 

gaactggcaa gtggagaggc cctgaggcag aaatatgctt ggcctgctgg aggaaatgtg   6180 

agtgaggagg tcagggtggc tggagtggag ggagcgagtg gtaggagtca gacccagttt   6240 

attcatattc tgtaggtctt aaggacttca gttttatttt gagtgcaata tgagcccact   6300 

ggaatgctaa aagctgagag tgacatggtg ctgtgattct ggctttaaaa atatcacttt   6360 

ggctgcttcg tgaagactct ggaaggggca agggtgaaag cagggatgcc cgttaggaga   6420 

ccgttacagg ggcgcaggca caaaatggca gtggctggga caatggtggc agcagcggtt   6480 

agatgtgaac atgttgaagg tggaatttgc agaatctggg ggaggacaga agagaaagga   6540 

taacttcatc gtttctgctg aaccagttgg ataaatgttg gtggcacttc ttgaagtgag   6600 

gaaggagtta ggaaggtggg aaaggcacaa gtttgaattg ggccatgatg gtctgagata   6660 

cctagtacag tggttcccca acctttttgg cagaagggac cgctttcatg gaagacaatt   6720 

tttccacaga ctgggggtgg ggtggggatg gtttcagggt ggttcgagtg cagtacattt   6780 

atcattagac tctttttttt tttttttttt tgagatagag tctcgctctg tcacccacac   6840 

tggagtgcag tggagccatc ttggctcact acaacctctg ctgcccaggt tcaagtcatt   6900 

ctcctgcctc agcctctcaa gtagctggga ttataggcat atgcgccacc acgcccagct   6960 

aatttttgta tttttagtag agacggggtt tcaccatatt ggccaggatg gtctcgaact   7020 

cctgacctca agtgatcctc ccccgcctca acctcccaaa gtgctggggt tacaggcgtg   7080 

aaccactgca cccggcccat ttatcattag attctcataa ggaatgagca acctagatcc   7140 

ctcgcatgca cagttcacaa tagggttcac gctcctatgg gagtctaatg ctgccgctgc   7200 

actcagcttc tctggcttgc cgctgctcac cttctgctgt gcagcccagt tcctaacagg   7260 

ccacaaacgg ggagttgggg acccctgatc tagtaaacat ctaggcaggg ttttggataa   7320 

tggagttaga gttcctgggg agaggtcagg ctggccatga aacatgggat gcctttgcat   7380 

ataggtggtg ttgaaagcca caggacagta cggggtctca gggggtgagc ataaagagag   7440 

gcgacatcag atggccaagg ccagaggcag aggaggatgg gaaggagggg ccagtggggc   7500 

agggggaagc tgtgaagcca gggaaaaagg gtgtttcgcg gaaaaggatc aacctggacc   7560 

agtgctgccc ctaggcaggg caggatgaaa cttaaccacc acggattcca tggccccatg   7620 

gcctccaggc cacaggggac cttgagaaga gagatctcag gggacgggtg cggacaagag   7680 

cccgcctggc atggcttcaa gagataactg aaggaaagca agtggagacg cgataaacag   7740 

acaactccct ggaggaattt tactctcgag aggagaatta aagggtagta gctggagagg   7800 

gatgtggggt caagagaagg tctttaacga cgagaactct cacggcggtt tgtgcagaac   7860 

agggtgggtg tgatgactgt ggatggagag gggagaactg cagcgactct gtcctaggag   7920 

gaggtgatgg gccgggacca ccaagcgagt ggagggtgga cgccccttcc ctcaccccga   7980 

cacccgcatg tgctcagtgt ccgtgccgcc ggccctagtg cctgggctga acgcggggcc   8040 

gggactctga ggacgcctcc caggcgcgca gtccgtctgg ccaaggtgga gcgggacggc   8100 

ngcttccgac ggtgcgcggg tcggctcggg gttgcaggga catccggcgt ccgctcctgc   8160 

cctgttttcc tgccttcgca gagcgttgcg caactctagc tttaaacgcc cctgtccccc   8220 

tcaacttgtc tcccccagcc cctctgattt acagattctg cagtccccga gggttgcgcc   8280 

tacgataccg acactcgcgg cagcctgcga ggcgagtatg atcgtcccat ttttcggagt   8340 

agcaaactaa ggttcagaga ctactatgtc ccaggtcggt ctggtttgaa ggtccgcttt   8400 

cctctccctc cgccagcggg cggtgcgagg gactgggcga ggcagcgctt ccctaaggag   8460 

gcgacccgca gccccggccc cctcccgact ccgccccgtt gcagggcccg ggtcggcgag   8520 

gcctctcagc tctaagcccg acgggacttg gtgattgggc aggacggaag agctgggtgg   8580 

ggctttccac cagcggagaa agtctagtgg gcgtggtcgc gacgagggcg tggcctggtg   8640 

ccccgccccc gtccgcgcgc tcaaagtgga gggtggctgt gggggcgggg tcagaacact   8700 

ggcggccgat cccaacgagg ctccctggag cccgacgcag agcagcgccc tggccgggcc   8760 

aagcaggtat cgacgaccgc gcggggcgtc ttgggctgga ccaggcgggc gcccggggcc   8820 

tgctgaggac cacaaagggc actgggggtc gtggtccagg ctgtgcttcc tcccgctggc   8880 

cctggcccct gcctccgccc ccgcccccgc cttcctgccg ctaagccggc tgcggcgggg   8940 

ccgattggcg cctgccggct tcctgcgccg gggccagtct aatgcatggg gcccgggcgg   9000 

gggactaagg ggaaactgag tcacgtcggt gtgggagcag ttctgtgtgg gaggcaccac   9060 

cccccactgg gctcggggaa ggatccccct ccaagctatg cttgagggtc ccagccccca   9120 

tctgtctcca caggggccgc accccactcc cgccttcccc ttcttcagca cccaggggtc   9180 

ccgccctggc tcccagcagc ctcgactggt cccggaatgg ctaggaggat ccgctgcagc   9240 

cgcctccctc ccctcccctc ccctcccctc ccctcccctc ccctcccctc ccctcccctc   9300 

cccctcgcgt cccaagcccc cgtgtgctcc ctccgctggc tctccgcaca gtgtcagctt   9360 

acacgcctta tatagtccga gcaggctcca gccgcggcct gctgccggga cctgggggcg   9420 

ggggagagga gagccggccc ctgactcacc cggaccgccc gaggctccag gctggcttgg   9480 

ggggaggccg cgccagttta gtccctcggc ccacccctgg ttgcaaagaa cctcaagcct   9540 

ggattcaggc acccctcacc gttccagtcc caaggggagg ggggctgctc ctgtctttcc   9600 

aaagtgaggt ccgccagcca gcagcccagg ccagcctgac aaaatacctg cctcctatgg   9660 

cttgggcgtg ctcaggggct gcccgtgcct gcctggcccc tgtccaaggc tggtatcctg   9720 

agctggcccg gcctgcctgc ctgcccgccc accatgctgg ccactcacct tctcttctct   9780 

cctctcagga gccggcatca tggattcctt caaagtagtg ctggaggggc cagcaccttg   9840 

gggcttccgg ctgcaagggg gcaaggactt caatgtgccc ctctccattt cccgggtgag   9900 

cctaggtttg gggagggggc tcccccagcg gtctttcggt gcttaggtct ccagagggtg   9960 

atggggggag tcctaacagg agctggtcag gggccagcag gccaggagat gtctaggtcc  10020 

ggagatgtag tggtacctgc ctgccacaag gactcccaat gaggtggata ctgggaggga  10080 

gcacccaggc ttctccagcc ctgcactgta cccgatgctg ttctcccaag ctcctgtggc  10140 

cacctctgag ggctggaggg aggctcattg tgcaggatgg gagcctaaca tttcaggagg  10200 

tatctaaact tgaggtggca atgcttggag ccaggcccca ggcaggacac tgtgactata  10260 

ggatttcact tcagcctcac tgccgcccag ggaatagcaa tcctcatccc gtttttccag  10320 

atgagagaag aactcatgga gaggtggcgg ggctcgctca tcgagtccat ggtgaagcag  10380 

ggattggaat tgaggcacag catggcgtac attttttgtg ggtagaaggg gtctctcccc  10440 

agcctatgta aggacccaca tccactgttc ccattcagga tgtggtggcc tttgacccca  10500 

agcagaagtg taggacaggg ctccattcta ggggcttaac ttcagcttcc aagagcctgc  10560 

cctggtgtgg gtggagctgg aggctggctc ctccctgtag cagggggatt gccttataag  10620 

cccaagaatg cagccccacg ctgggatggc caacagtggc tgcggtctgc agagctgaaa  10680 

agggctggcc taggcctggc cccctgaacc ccactggtgg gcctctcagc tggtcaccag  10740 

gctgcagctc cagctgtatg gtccagttgt gagacacaac aaattgcctg cccagagtgg  10800 

gtgaggccag cctgtcggct ggcatctctg actggcctgg gggtcaggag ggggtgggga  10860 

cttcctgccc ctatatccgc ctgccccgag agacccaccc aggcgccggg tgggcaggca  10920 

gctgttgtca ggaagcccaa ggcaagccca gcctggaggg gcccagaggg tcgtggcctg  10980 

aggaggggct caagctggag tctgtctgta ggagctgggc gtgggggtta gggtgggcag  11040 

gccagcagtg ctcttctcag gggtcctttg atggcattct cctggaacct gccccgccag  11100 

cagggtagtg aggcagtggt tgccctatga cacacgtccc actacatagc cctcacacag  11160 

ccctgaaacc tacctgacgt cctgctccct gggaaagtgc tggcccagtg tgtctgggga  11220 

gcctgaacct cagtttcttc cctgatggag atgactttca gatatggcct gttgggggca  11280 

ctccgggctc cagctccctg gtcagcatcc ctggcatgtg ggcggggcca ctagctgatc  11340 

ccagccctgg agttggacct gggcccacat gggtgggtga ggtgggcttt tctgagttag  11400 

gccagccccc tccccctccc ctgaccccag aatggaggga ggtgggaggg gcaagggctg  11460 

gctgtgggcc caggcctggg agatgaggta acgtctggga ctggggggct gggctgctca  11520 

ggctgactca cccccacctc atgcagggtc cagccccctg gctttttccc tccttggttc  11580 

ctctggcctt accctgcccc tggcttgagc ccctccctgc ctctctccag ccacccgccc  11640 

agcgctgtct tctgctctcc tgctgccctc cccacgctct gaacacccct catcctctgt  11700 

gcttcctgcc ctcctcactc tgggaaggga agccgtcccc gccccccacc ccctctccag  11760 

gagccagcta gctgcacccc aagaccccca cctcgggctc agcccacagc tcccaggagc  11820 

cagccctgtg ggcagggagt ggctgggcca ggtttccctt ctactgactc accatgacct  11880 

tgagtaagtc acttcccctc tggggtgtca cttccccata cacagtataa ggggttgatt  11940 

tagttggatt gaactaaagg tgagggagtg gctcagggtg tctccaggtg ggctgacccc  12000 

tcagttgggc ccccatgctc agcagaggtg gcccacagtg gtggagcctt agggtcagag  12060 

acacttcctg gctctgcctc ttactagctg ggtgacttga ggcaagttgt ttaacctctc  12120 

tgtgtacatt tgcaagtgca aaatgggtaa aatcccagat tactccacaa ggttgttgga  12180 

agattcagtg tcaatatgta gcatagttgg tgctcaataa actgaagcaa gtcttcttat  12240 

ttagcgagtg aggaaggggc cgccgagctc tcttagcctt ctgacctcct acgcaagcaa  12300 

gaggtcatgt tgagcccagc tcgcctttct tttcccagtg ctgtcaagct ctgtgcctgg  12360 

ctgccctgcc ctctgacatc tctctgaaac ctcttgcctc ccctctccct gcctcagctc  12420 

agtctgtgca ctgacccacc tgaggagcct cctggggcca ctggcagcct ggaccccccc  12480 

agatcccccc cacccagtga aattgtcttc cagcactgcc tcacaaaagc ctacttgatg  12540 

cagtgccagg cctcttgcca gatggctggg tggtccctta ggcttggacc cagtcaagct  12600 

gccctgcctg tgttgctggg gctgggctag aggcctggaa ggggtttatc agggtcaccc  12660 

tctcagggcc tgggagatac ccaatcccag acattaaaac tgccagtagc ccctctacct  12720 

tcaaagccaa gtcctggtcc cttcccctgg cattcaaagc catcgtaagt gaactctcac  12780 

ccgctaggca gcacacgcca ttctccttta ccgaggccca ccgcttcctc aaagtcattc  12840 

ctgatggtct cagctcatgc tggtggcagc catttctccc agcctactgt ctctactcat  12900 

tgccacagga accagggact cccagctcaa gagcctgaag gattggggtc aggggaaatt  12960 

ggcagtcgag ggcttgggag tgacagccat gtatggccta cgaagtccca gctgtcaact  13020 

taggtcccat tcaggcagtg ttcacaggga accgggagat aacagggcct gttcctggct  13080 

ctcaaagggt cccagcagac ccctatagat ggcccccgac agggtgctgg ggggtgagag  13140 

gtccataaga gcccccggtg gtttcgggga ggaagctgcc ccctgcatgg gccagagggc  13200 

atatctggta ggtggagtgg cctgggcagg aggccagcag gagcctcaaa aggcaatggt  13260 

cctcctgaaa cacttgggct ttagcctgag cgtggctgtt tgtggacatc atagcaattt  13320 

ctggactgtg ggggagggtg gtggcggtga atagataagc atcgtgactg gggaagctca  13380 

ggtgagcacc acctgaggga gagggtctgg cagtgaataa ataagcagtg tgactgggaa  13440 

attgtgaagc tcaggtgagc gccaccacct cctgggttgc tttagtgtcc agcagctgcc  13500 

tagaactatg ttgaatgaag agctctctgg gttctggaag tgggacagct ttgggtgggg  13560 

cagtgttacc accgtcagcc tggcttgggt ctgcagggtc cagggcctcg gtcactttgc  13620 

ttctctctcc acagctcact cctgggggca aagcggcgca ggccggagtg gccgtgggtg  13680 

actgggtgct gagcatcgat ggcgagaatg cgggtagcct cacacacatc gaagctcaga  13740 

acaagatccg ggcctgcggg gagcgcctca gcctgggcct cagcaggtat gcgggtggac  13800 

atggatgggt gcgcccgcgc tggcagtggg gatccctgcg gcccggcccg ctgtcacgct  13860 

ttccttctcc tccagggccc agccggttca gagcaaaccg cagaaggtac gaggctggcc  13920 

gggacatccg ggcggtgggc ggtgtgggct tggacggcca ggcctgctcg ccctcctggc  13980 

acattctcgg taccccaatc cctggccggg agtggagggc agaaaccgga gctaaggcgg  14040 

gtctagggcc ctggagttga gccaggggct gctgcacggt cctggcacca cgcatgtccg  14100 

cctgtctgtc cgcctgtctg tccgcctgct gcctcccgcc gccggcgctg cgtgctcgcc  14160 

cgcactcggt cagccctcgg tcctgcgtgg actgagatcg ccactcccaa atgggcccct  14220 

tgaaacctga gtcgtcctct ccccgtagcc tccaaataga tgtagggggt ggggtggggg  14280 

tggggggctg gagctgccgc tgtcctctgc tgcaggcgcc ccacttccac ccaggccccc  14340 

accttaccct gcccgcccgc cctgcccggc tgtgtctctg cccaggcctc cgcccccgcc  14400 

gcggaccctc cgcggtacac ctttgcaccc agcgtctccc tcaacaagac ggcccggcct  14460 

ttgggcgccc ccgcccgctg acagcgcccc gcagcagaat gggtacgtcg gcccctgccc  14520 

gcccgcgccc acgccatcag gcccactgtg gccccacgcc cgctgcccgc tgctgctcag  14580 

tctgtgctgc gccccagccc ggcggaaccg tgcggcacgc cccctggcgg ccggggtggg  14640 

gctgcaggca cagggcccct cccgaggctg tggcgccttg cagggcaccg cctggggagg  14700 

ggtctctgaa tgacgccgcg ccccctgctg gcggctgggg gttgggttgt ggtgtcgggc  14760 

cagctgagcc ccagacactc agtgccgcct tgtccccggc tgttctgacc cctccccgtc  14820 

tttcttcctc tcctgtgtct gtccctttgt ccctttatct gtctgtctgt cttatttcct  14880 

tcacaggtgc agacccctga caagtcagtg agcccccctc tgcctgtgcc tttcttcttc  14940 

cttttggcac tctgggtggc ggcccctccc caccctggct gccctcctct ccacttcgcc  15000 

ctcctgtcct ctcacctacc cgcccagcag ggctcctggc ctcaccctta cccactccct  15060 

cccatcactg taacccaaac ccacatgcac caaatcctgg gaggggctgc ccccaccgcc  15120 

cacccccagt gtggggttct gagccacacc ctccccacag acagccgctc cgaccgctgg  15180 

tcccagatgc cagcaagcag cggctgatgg agaacacaga ggactggcgg ccgcggccgg  15240 

ggacaggcca gtcgcgttcc ttccgcatcc ttgcccacct cacaggcacc gagttcagta  15300 

agtgccagcc cagggcaggg ggtactttcc tcgcccccag cccaggcgtg atccctgacc  15360 

ctgtgtcttt tttggtcaat gcctgcctct gctctctcag tgcaagaccc ggatgaggag  15420 

cacctgaaga aatcaaggta cagggacggg caccagcccc tctcccacct cctgcctctt  15480 

ccattccagc tactgccctg tgtctactcc tgaggctccc agctggggct ctcaattctc  15540 

ccttccttcc ttccttcctt ccttccttcc ttccttcctt ccttccttcc ttccttcctt  15600 

cccttcctcc ttccttcctt ctttcatttc ttccctccct ccttccttcc ctcctccctc  15660 

cctgcctccc ttccatctct ccttccttcc acttcttcct ccctctctct ctgcccctca  15720 

gggaaaagta tgtcctggag ctgcagagcc cacgctacac ccgcctccgg gactggcacc  15780 

accagcgctc tgcccacgtg ctcaacgtgc agtcgtagcc cggccctctc cagccggctg  15840 

ccctctctgc ctccctcttt ctgttcctcc tgcccagggc acccccttag tgcctccagc  15900 

ttctgcctac ctcacccccc ctttcgtgcc cctggcctga gcctcctgct ggcctggccc  15960 

tggccgccca cctgggttca tctgacactg ccttccctct ttgccctgtg gtactgctgt  16020 

ctgccaggtc tgtgctgcct tgggcatgga ataaacattc tcagccctgc ttgctctgcc  16080 

tgtcttctat ctttgtggac ctggtttgca tttggggtgt gggggtgttt cgtggttcgg  16140 

actgtttggg ccctgccgtc cttgttttca gtgggagggg gtacctggca aaggggccct  16200 

gccctgccat cacagatggc ttcctggcat gaggggagcc ccaggagctg cctcagaagc  16260 

gggagccctg cctcgtctcc cagctagaga ccgcacacca gctaactgga cattgctagg  16320 

agaagctgcc cttcccatcc ctaccccagt gggacctgga atccaactcg gcagtttcca  16380 

cgcccccagt catctcccgt ggggccagca ggacccaggt tggggggtgg ggccatgtca  16440 

ggaagctcag ccatgcaggg ccttgaatgg cagatcttgc agccaggtgc ccaggacaga  16500 

agccccagcc ccagcctcat ctacacccca ggagccctgg cctggtgaga gggagtgggc  16560 

tcgggcctgg gcaagggtgg gcagcctcca ggggcatggg ggtggtgggc ttctctcagc  16620 

tgcctggggc tccacccccg tcctttgggg tccctgggca cccctttaga gtcactttcc  16680 

ccggcaggcc ctaccgcccc cagccctacc agccgcccgc cctgggctgt ggaccctgcg  16740 

tttgccgagc gctatgcccc ggacaaaacg agcacagtgc tgacccggca cagccagccg  16800 

gccacgccca cgccgctgca gagccgcacc tccattgtgc aggcagctgc cggaggggtg  16860 

ccaggagggg gcagcaacaa cggcaagact cccgtgtgtc accagtgcca caaggtcatc  16920 

cggtgggtgg cctgttcctg tccgaccctg gctttcccat cctgcagccc agccccacct  16980 

gtctgcccac ctgtcttgcc tcagctgcga ctggggggaa taaggattca gttctcagct  17040 

ggagtaggag tagggacctg ggctgggtcc tcccattctt aatcccacgc tacctacccc  17100 

agcccaccca caacaactgc tagcagcatc tgccgtggcg aaatagccga agggccaacc  17160 

ataggctgaa gctgcacccc tacctttgct gctctctggg caaagagggg cctgccccct  17220 

cccagcgcgt ctgcccctcc ctcctgctct ctgtctccct ctgctctcag agcatacagg  17280 

cctggagcca ctccctctgt gcactgcccc gtggggccaa gcagcatcaa acacccccca  17340 

gcatcagcgt gccggattct agagccttcc taattcgcag gcctggcctg ctctcatctc  17400 

tgtcagctct tttttttttt tttttgaaac agagtctcac tgtgttgccc acgttggcgt  17460 

gcagtggcgc gatctcggct cactgcaacc tctgcctcct gggttcaaga gattctcctg  17520 

cctcagcctc ctgagtagct gggattacag gcacccgcca ccatgcctgg ctaattttgt  17580 

atttttagta gagacggggt tttaccatgt tggccaggct ggtctcaaac tcctcacctc  17640 

aggtgatctc aggcctgcct tggcctccca aagtgctggg actacaggtg tgagccactg  17700 

tgcccagccg actctatcag ctcttgccag gtagaacagg caggccagca ggacagggca  17760 

gctccagggt ttgcccaggg gcggctcagc ttttatgagg ctccagtcgt cagcccttcc  17820 

tcccggggtc ctccctgctc taaagctgcc tctcctgtca ccagcagttc agtgtggcgg  17880 

actggctctg taagcttcat ggctgccacg gtcacttccc aagcctgtct tctatcctat  17940 

gtggaaaatg gggagaatga actgtccctc ccaaggcctc ctggtgggtg gtcagtcaac  18000 

ctgaaggggg ccaagacccc cacctctctg cgtgtgctcc ctctgaccgc tctcgcctcc  18060 

ctgcaggggc cgctacctgg tggcgctggg ccacgcgtac cacccggagg agtttgtgtg  18120 

tagccagtgt gggaaggtcc tggaagaggg tggcttcttt gaggagaagg gcgccatctt  18180 

ctgcccacca tgctatgacg tgcgctatgc acccagctgt gccaagtgca agaagaagat  18240 

tacaggcgtg agtagggctg gctggcgggg aggtggtccc aagcctgtca gtgggaacga  18300 

gggctgctgg gaaacccaca gtccaggtct ctccccgagt gagcctccgg gtccttacca  18360 

gcgtaataaa tgggctgctg tactggcctc accctgcatt agtcaggatg ctcttaacaa  18420 

atgaccatgt tcctgctcag aaaccgccca aggctgcaaa gagcaggagg accaagccag  18480 

gagaagccct gggccctcct gactcccact ttgggctctc cctgccctgg tgaaatgaca  18540 

gaacggccaa cttgacacgc tgaagctgct ctgtctcatg cgtcctcctc atttctggat  18600 

ccagagccag ggctgccagg agtagccaga gagctctgtg tggtgatgtt catattagtg  18660 

aggtttacct tgaccacgag cagtgggaaa ctcaaaataa tggtggctta tttctcatct  18720 

aaaaacatcc cggggtgggt ggtctgggac tgatctggtg gacccaggct ccgccttgtt  18780 

gcttgactgt tggcagcacc tgcttactta ccactcatgg tgcaagatga cacttcagcc  18840 

tccgccaaaa tgctcacctt ccagccagca ggaagtcgga aggagaagaa aggggacaga  18900 

gccccatggc gtccatcctt agaggatgct gccacctgaa cctctgcttt catcctgttg  18960 

gtcagaaccc agtcacatga ccacacccag tggcaacgga ggctgggaaa tatagtcttt  19020 

attttgggca cccatgtgtc cagcaaaact gggggttcca tcagtcggca agaacgggag  19080 

agtggccgat gcagtggctg atgcttgtat cccagcactt tgggaggtcg aggtgggcag  19140 

atcacctgag gtcaggagtt caagaccagc ctggccaata tggtgaaacc ctgtctctac  19200 

taaaaataaa aaaattagct gggtgtgctg gcgcacctgt agtcccagct acttgggagg  19260 

ctgaggcagg agaatcgctt gatcttgaga ggtggaggtt gcagtgagcc aagattgtgc  19320 

cactgccttc cagcctggga gacagcaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaagggcc  19380 

aggcacggtg gctcacacct gtaatcccag cactttggga ggccgagatg ggcggatcac  19440 

gaggtcagga gattgagacc atcctggcta acacggtgaa accccatctc tactaaaaat  19500 

acaaaaaaat tggccgggca tggtggagta gtcccagcta ctcgggaggc tgaggcagga  19560 

gaatggcgtg aacctgggag gcagagcttg cagtgagccg agatcgcgcc actgcactcc  19620 

agcctgggca acagagcgag actcttgtct caaaaagaaa aaaagaaaga gaaatctgcc  19680 

tcccagcctt gggctcctgc cctaccagcc cacacccctg gtagagcctc ctctcccacc  19740 

agctcaaagc ccaagttcct tcactgtgac cttgtctgct cctctaaaac aggcaacacc  19800 

agacagtgag aagagccagc cagacatggg cagaaaacct atttctgtga tctactggct  19860 

gtgtgagcag gggctagttg ctctctctgg gcctcactga agagaagggt ggcactatgc  19920 

tagggccggc acggttgcaa ggtagatgta agatggggta caggtgttgt ggagggcaga  19980 

aatgcaccat ccgaaggcta catgtccccc acacttatgt cttgcttggc ccacactgtt  20040 

tcattttaaa atcagtagca aacaatttaa aaaatcagaa gatttgcctg catgatgcag  20100 

tggctcatgc ctgtaatccc agcactttgg gaggccaagg tgggaggatt gcttgagccc  20160 

aggagttcaa gaccagcatg ggcaccatag caagacccct gtttctacaa aaaaaaaaaa  20220 

attagaaaat tagccaagtg tggtggcatg cacctgtggt cccagctact tgggaggcag  20280 

agggaaagtg agatctcctg ctttttattt ctttatgtat aatgataggg tcttgctctg  20340 

ttgcccaggc tggagtgcag tggcatgatc actgctcact gcagccttga tctcctgggc  20400 

tcagaggatc ctcccacctc agcctcccaa atagctagga ctagaggtgc ccaccagcat  20460 

gctcagcaga tttttaaatc tttttgtaga gatgaggttt tgctatgttg cccaggctgg  20520 

tctcgaactc ctggcctcga gcgatcctcc caccttggcc tcccaaagca ctgggattac  20580 

agacgtgagc cactgcgccc agcagatttc tctttaacac ctagatttca gcctgagcca  20640 

ggcaggcatt cctgaatgaa ccagtagtac tgctcccaga agaagaggtc ctcctccgtg  20700 

tgacacagtc cccacttggc ccttgcaggg attggatctg ggatccctgg atttaaactc  20760 

agggccatcc tcataacagc ctcacaaggc tgggattagc ttcccagttc acaagggaag  20820 

aaaccaagac ttgagaaggt caaggtctgg ccagacccac acatcttgga ccctcatacc  20880 

gcctcgaggc cccatgctgc cctctgcctg ctccagatgt gaatactgct ggccctggct  20940 

ggccccggct ggccccgagg gtcctaggga tgaacagccc agcccaggga gagctcagcc  21000 

ccttgtgcct ctgccccttc ccacctcctg cggaggccag tcgactcacc cacaaagggc  21060 

caggcactgt ggggatagat cagctaacaa aacagttgat gcttcctgcc cttctgggcc  21120 

ttacattttg gctggaagaa gaggggagag gcagactgta agcaataagc gcaataagta  21180 

ggttgcctgg aagtaatgtt agatcacgtt acggaaaaca ggaaagagca gagcgacaag  21240 

tgctggggtg cgtggtgcag ggaaggcagc tggctgctgc tggtgtggtc agagtgggcc  21300 

ctcatggaga agactgcatt cgagcagaaa cttgaagggg gtgaggggtg agcctagaga  21360 

tatctggggc agagcagtcc aggcagaggg gacagccggt gtcaagccca ggacaggagt  21420 

gtgcctggtg tgccagtttc aggcaagagg ccagtgtgca gaggcaaggt gagaacgcaa  21480 

gggagagcag tggcggagac gggtgggaac gaggtcagac ctgctggcct ccagcctctg  21540 

catggggctt ggctcttgct gggagcaatg ggaagcagta cacagtttca tgcaggggga  21600 

gaaggcctgt cttgggttgc aggggcacgc tgtggcagct gggatcagag agaggagctt  21660 

gtaggccagt tgttatgtgg tcccacgggc cagatggcca tggcttacct cacttcaggg  21720 

aggctgtgag aagcactcag aatctggatg tgccttgggg gtgggcccca ctggatttcc  21780 

tggtggacct ggtgtggggt gtgagaggag ggtgtgtttg gctgcagcag acaggagaat  21840 

ggagttgcca tccgcgtgat ggggatggct gtgggaggag aggtttgggg tgagggaatc  21900 

aggaactgag tgctggacat ggcaagtctg aaggcgcagt ggtcgtccac tcagagacct  21960 

tggagttgga gatggaggtg tgggagtcct gaacagttag atgtagtgtt taccgcgaga  22020 

aggaacaggg cttgcggcca gccctcctgt gttcccgtga cccagggcag ggcaggaggg  22080 

gcctgagcct gccgagtgac tgggacctcc ttccaggaga tcatgcacgc cctgaagatg  22140 

acctggcacg tgcactgctt tacctgtgct gcctgcaaga cgcccatccg gaacagggcc  22200 

ttctacatgg aggagggcgt gccctattgc gagcgaggta cccactggcc agtgagggtg  22260 

aggagggatg gtgcatgggg caggcatgaa tccaggtcct ctttctctct gcccccattc  22320 

tcagactatg agaagatgtt tggcacgaaa tgccatggct gtgacttcaa gatcgacgct  22380 

ggggaccgct tcctggaggc cctgggcttc agctggcatg acacctgctt cgtctgtgcg  22440 

gtgagagccc cgcccctcga actgagcccc aagcccaccg gccctctgtt cattccccag  22500 

gagatgcagg agaagttggg aaggggcctc tcctgctgcc cccaacccca tgtgactggg  22560 

cctttgctgt ccttagatat gtcagatcaa cctggaagga aagaccttct actccaagaa  22620 

ggacaggcct ctctgcaaga gccatgcctt ctctcatgtg tgagcccctt ctgcccacag  22680 

ctgccgcggt ggcccctagc ctgaggggcc tggagtcgtg gccctgcatt tctgggtagg  22740 

gctggcaatg gttgccttaa ccctggctcc tggcccgagc ctggggctcc ctgggccctg  22800 

ccccacccac cttatcctcc caccccactc cctccaccac cacagcacac cgatgctggc  22860 

cacaccagcc ccctttcacc tccagtgcca caataaacct gtacccagct gtgtcttgtg  22920 

tgcccttccc ctgtgcatcc ggaggggcag aatttgaggc acgtggcagg gtggagagta  22980 

agatggtttt cttgggctgg ccatctgggt ggtcctcgtg atgcagacat ggcgggctca  23040 

tggttagtgg aggaggtaca ggcgagaccc catgtgccag gcccggtgcc cacagacatg  23100 

aggggagcca ctggtctggc ctggcttgga ggttagagaa gggtagttag gaagggtagt  23160 

tagcatggtg gctcatgcct gtgatcccag cactttggaa ggccaaggtg ggcagatcgc  23220 

ttgaggtcag gagttcgaga cctcatggcc aacacggtga aacagcgtct ctagtaaaaa  23280 

tacaaaaatt agccgagtgt ggtggggcat gcctgtaatc ccagccactc aggaggctga  23340 

ggcgggaaaa tcacttgaac ctgggaagtg gaggttgcag tgagctgaga tcacaccact  23400 

gcgcgcgagc ctgggtggca gatggcagag cgagaccctg cttcaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa  23460 

aaaaaaaaaa gaagggtagt tgtagttggg ggtggatctg cagagatatg gtgtggaaaa  23520 

cagcaatggc cacagcaaag tcctggaggg gccagctgcc gtccaaacag aagaaggcag  23580 

ggctggagag ggtagccctt aggtcctggg aagccacgag tgccaggcag tagagctggg  23640 

gctgtctctt gaggttaggg cagggcaagg cacagcagag tttgaaatag gtttgtgttg  23700 

tattgcagaa aagaggcccc agaacactga gggagtgcag gagggaggct gggaggagga  23760 

gttgcagcag ggcctagggg cgggggccag gcaagggagg ggcagagagt aatatggcag  23820 

agatgggacc cagtggcagg tccgggggat gagggatgga gagaaggaca ggagcgttgc  23880 

caggcatctg gcctatacca gacatgctca cgctgtctcc cgcgaacctc ctagcaacct  23940 

tgcgccgttg tctgcaatca cttatttcat tttttctttt ttaactttaa ttttttttgt  24000 

ttttaagaga caggatctcc ctaggttgcc cgggctggtt tcaaactcct gggctcaagc  24060 

aattcttcct ccttagcccc aaagtgctgg cattacaggt gtgagccacc atgcctggcc  24120 

cacttatttt ctagatgagg cacagaaaga ttgggagact tgaccaaggt cacgctgtca  24180 

ttgagccatg agccagacta gaatccaggc ctgaagctgg gtgcgctgtc ccaggactgg  24240 

ctggcactga gtaccatttg ccagcgagca tctctctggg aagctgactt ctgcccggta  24300 

cctggaggac tgtagacctt ggtggtggcg ccgtcactct ggggcttcct gcctcccact  24360 

gatgcccgca ccaccctaga gggactgtca tctctcctgt cccaagcctg gactggaaag  24420 

actgaagaga agccttaagt aggccaggac agctcagtgt gccatggctg cccgtccttc  24480 

agtggtccct ggcatgagga cctgcaacac atctgttagt cttctcaaca ggcccttggc  24540 

ccggtcccct ttaagagacg agaagggctg ggcacggtga ctcacacctc taatcccagc  24600 

actttggaag gctgaggctg gagaagggct ccagcttagg agttcaggac cagcctgggc  24660 

aacatggtga gaccctgttt tgttttgttt tttgtttttt tgagatggag tcttgctctg  24720 

tcgcccaggc tggagtgcag                                              24740 

 
           
             42  
             25  
             DNA  
             Rattus norvegicus  
           
            42 

gcactacctt gaaggaatcc atggt                                           25