Patent ID: 7479539

Claim:
An isolated polypeptide having an amino acid sequence X-Y-Z, wherein X is a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of a Sonic hedgehog protein, wherein the Sonic hedgehog protein comprises: a) an N-terminal 20 kDa fragment of a full-length naturally-occurring Sonic hedgehog sequence, wherein a KEX2 recognition site corresponding to residues 32-36 of a human Shh protein (SEQ ID NO:15) is replaced with a sequence selected from one of SEQ ID NO:88-94 or 99-102 or b) an N-terminal 20 kDa fragment of a full-length naturally-occurring Sonic hedgehog sequence wherein the N-terminal cysteine is substituted with phenylalanine, isoleucine, methionine, or two isoleucine residues, and wherein a KEX2 recognition site corresponding to residues 32-36 of a human Shh protein (SEQ ID NO:15) is replaced with a sequence selected from one of SEQ ID NO:88-94 or 99-102; Y is an optional linker moiety; and Z is a polypeptide comprising at least a portion of a polypeptide other than hedgehog.