Patent ID: 7037699

Claim:
An isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1; (b) a polypeptide comprising a polypeptide sequence having at least 95% identity over its entire length to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 and which is encoded by a polynucleotide which hybridizes to the complement of SEQ ID NO:1 under stringent hybridization conditions comprising overnight incubation at 42° C. in a solution comprising: 50% formamide, 5×SSC (150 mM NaCl, 15 mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.6), 5× Denhardt's solution, 10% dextran sulphate, and 20 microgram/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA; followed by washing the filters in 0.1×SSC at 65° C.; (c) a polypeptide having at least 95% identity over its entire length to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 and which is encoded by a polynucleotide which hybridizes to the complement of SEQ ID NO:1 under stringent hybridization conditions comprising overnight incubation at 42° C. in a solution comprising: 50% formamide, 5×SSC (150 mM NaCl, 15 mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.6), 5× Denhardt's solution, 10% dextran sulphate, and 20 microgram/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA; followed by washing the filters in 0.1×SSC at 65° C.; and (d) the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said polypeptide of a)–d) has extracelular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity.