Patent ID: 7378392

Claim:
A purified BMP-8 protein characterized by: (a) at least one of the following sequences: i) Arg-His-Glu-Leu-Tyr-Val-Ser-Phe-Gln-Asp-Leu-Gly-Trp-Leu-Asp-Trp-Val-Ile-Ala-Pro-Gln-Gly-Tyr (SEQ ID NO: 1); ii) Leu-Ser-Ala-Thr-Ser-Val-Leu-Tyr-Tyr-Asp-Ser-Ser-Asn-Asn-Val-Ile-Leu-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 2); and iii) Ala-Cys-Cys-Ala-Pro-Thr-Lys (SEQ ID NO: 3); (b) a molecular weight of 28,000-38,000 daltons as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; and (c) a molecular weight of 14,400-20,000 daltons under reducing conditions as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis said protein being a disulfide linked dimer wherein each of the subunits contains the sequences set forth in part (a) and said protein having the ability to induce the formation of cartilage and/or bone.