Proteins with inhibin activity having a weight of about 32,000 daltons. The molecule is composed of two chains having molecular weights of about 18,000 and about 14,000 daltons, respectively, which are bound together by disulfide bonding. The 18K chain is obtained from the human inhibin gene and has the formula: H-Ser-Thr-Pro-Leu-Met-Ser-Trp-Pro-Trp-Ser-Pro-Ser-Ala-Leu-Arg-Leu-Leu-Gln- Arg-Pro-Pro-Glu-Glu-Pro-Ala-Ala-His-Ala-Asn-Cys-His-Arg-Val-Ala-Leu-Asn-Ile -Ser-Phe-Gln-Glu-Leu-Gly-Trp-Glu-Arg-Trp-Ile-Val-Tyr-Pro-Pro-Ser-Phe-R.sub. 65 -Phe-His-Tyr-Cys-His-Gly-Gly-Cys-Gly-Leu-His-Ile-Pro-Pro-Asn-Leu-Ser-Leu-P ro-Val-Pro-Gly-Ala-Pro-Pro-Thr-Pro-Ala-Gln-Pro-Tyr-Ser-Leu-Leu-Pro-Gly-Ala- Gln-Pro-Cys-Cys-Ala-Ala-Leu-Pro-Gly-Thr-Met-Arg-Pro-Leu-His-Val-Arg-Thr-Thr -Ser-Asp-Gly-Gly-Tyr-Ser-P e-Lys-Tyr-Glu-Thr-Val-Pro-Asn-Leu-Leu-Thr-Gln-His-Cys-Ala-Cys-Ile-OH, wherein R.sub.65 is Ile or Arg. The 18K chain is connected by disulfide bonding to the 14K chain.
Novels immuno-interactive fragments of the (alpha)C portion of a mammalian inhibin alpha subunit are disclosed, together with their variants and derivatives for producing antigen-binding molecules that are interactive with said (alpha)C portion, which are chemically well defined and which can be produced in commercially significant quantities. The antigen-binding molecules of the invention can be used for the detection of a mammalian inhibin and for the treatment and/or prevention of conditions associated with aberrant levels of a mammalian inhibin.
A connector device is provided for receiving a smart card having a plurality of electric contact areas distributed along a forward edge. The device has a reception case having a card introduction passage with a stop limiting insertion of the card. Flexible contact blades are placed so as to bear on the areas and to exert on the card a force tending to move it away from the stop; a resilient bolt is carried by the case and cooperates with a cam formed on the end part of the card. The end part of the card, the cam means and the bolt have a construction such that full insertion of the card and return under the action of the blades cause locking of the card in a set contact position and that a second thrust exerted by the card frees the cam means from the bolt.
DNA encoding the prepro inhibin .alpha. and .beta. chains has been isolated. This DNA is ligated into expression vectors and used to transform host cells for the preparation of inhibin or activin. Also provided are prohormone domains and other inhibin .alpha. and .beta. chain derivatives having therapeutic or diagnostic interest. The compositions provided herein are useful in the manipulation of fertility in animals.
5015729 - Ovine inhibin - Owned by The Salk Institute for Biological Studies (San Diego, CA)
A dimeric protein with inhibin activity is isolated from ram reta testis fluid using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and gel filtration. The isolated molecule is composed of two chains having apparent molecular weights of about 18,000 and about 16,500 to 14,500 Daltons, as measured by gel electrophoresis, which are bound together by disulfide bonding and the longer of which is likely glycosylated. Microsequencing revealed the NH.sub.2 -terminal portion of the longer chain to be Ser- Thr-Pro-Pro-Leu-Pro-Trp-Pro-Trp-Ser-Pro-Ala-Ala-Leu-Arg-Leu-Gln-Arg-Pro-Pr o- Glu-Glu-Pro-Ala-Ala-His-Ala-Asp-Cys and of the shorther chain to by Gly-Leu-Glu-Cys-Asp-Gly-Lys-Val-Asn-Ile-Cys-Cys-Lys-Lys-Gln-Phe. This dimeric protein specifically inhibits basal secretion of FSH, but not of LH, in a rat anterior pituitary monolayer culture system, exhibiting a half-maximal effective dose of about 0.1 to 0.3 ng/ml. Furthermore, antibodies raised against synthetic replicates of the N-terminal six residues of the longer chain, as well as against the N-terminal 25 residues, are effective to reduce the activity of highly purified intact ovine inhibin and might be used to exert a profertility effect in rams, ewes and other mammals.
DNA encoding the prepro inhibin .alpha. and .beta. chains has been isolated. This DNA is ligated into expression vectors and used to transform host cells for the preparation of inhibin or activin. Also provided are prohormone domains and other inhibin .alpha. and .beta. chain derivatives having therapeutic or diagnostic interest. The compositions provided herein are useful in the manipulation of fertility in animals.
