Nucleotide and protein sequences of lats genes and methods based thereon

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tumor suppressor gene, termed large tumor suppressor (lats). The invention provides nucleotide sequences of lats genes, and amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins, as well as derivatives (e.g., fragments) and analogs thereof. Diagnostic methods and pharmaceutical compositions are also provided. The invention further relates to treatment or prevention of disease or disorder involving cell proliferation by administering compounds that promote lats activity (e.g., lats, an agonist of lats; nucleic acids that encode lats).

Description

1. INTRODUCTION

[0002] The present invention relates to tumor suppressor genes, in particular to “lats” genes (large tumor suppressor) and their encoded protein products, as well as derivatives and analogs thereof. Production of lats proteins, derivatives, and antibodies is also provided. The invention further relates to therapeutic compositions and methods of diagnosis and therapy.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Tumorigenesis in humans is a complex process involving activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (Bishop, 1991, Cell 64:235-248). Tumor suppressor genes in humans have been identified through studies of genetic changes occurring in cancer cells (Ponder, 1990, Trends Genet. 6:213-218; Weinberg, 1991, Science 254:1138-1146). In Drosophila, tumor suppressor genes have been previously identified by recessive overproliferation mutations that cause late larval and pupal lethality (Gateff, 1978, Science 200:1448-1459; Gateff and Mechler, 1989, CRC Crit. Rev. Oncogen 1:221-245; Bryant, 1993, Trends Cell Biol. 3:31-35; Török et al., 1993, Genetics 135:71-80). Mutations of interest were identified when dissection of dead larvae and pupae revealed certain overproliferated tissues. Several genes identified in homozygous mutants have been cloned including l(1)discs large-1(dlg; Woods and Bryant, 1991, Cell 66:451-464; Woods and Bryant, 1993, Mechanisms of Development 44:85-89), fat (Mahoney et al., 1991, Cell 67:853-868), l(2)giant larvae (lgl. Lützelschwab et al., 1987, EMBO J. 6:1791-1797; Jacob et al., 1987, Cell 50:215-225), expanded (ex; Boedigheimer and Laughon, 1993, Development 118:1291-1301; Boedigheimer et al., 1993, Mechanisms of Development 44:83-84), hyperplastic discs (hyd; Mansfield et al., 1994, Developmental Biology 165:507-526) and the gene encoding the S6 ribosomal protein (Watson et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:11302-11306; Stewart and Denell, 1993, Mol. Cell. Biol. 13:2524-2535).

[0004] Although examining homozygous mutant animals has allowed the successful identification of overproliferation mutations that cause late larval and pupal lethality, mutations that cause lethality at early developmental stages are unlikely to be recovered by this approach. The present invention solves this problem by providing a method for identifying tumor suppressor genes that does not exclude genes that when mutated cause lethality in early developmental stages, and provides genes thus identified with a fundamental role in regulation of cell proliferation.

[0005] The cessation of proliferative capacity by cells in culture is termed cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is used as an experimental model for cellular aging. Normal vertebrate cells in culture have a finite lifespan in that they undergo a characteristic maximum number of population doublings. The maximum number of population doublings that a cell can undergo inversely correlates with the age of the human donor. Cells from many human tumors are immortal cell lines when grown in tissue culture, i.e., they exhibit infinite or continuous cell growth, suggesting that overcoming senescence is part of carcinogenesis. (For the foregoing see Hubbard and Ozer, 1995, “Senescence and immortalization of human cells,” in Cell Growth and Apontosis, A Practical Approach, Ch. 12, Studzinski, G. P. (ed.), Oxford University Press Inc., New York, N.Y., pp. 229-248; Hubbard-Smith et al., 1992, Mol. Cell. Biol. 12:2273-2281). A comparative study of preimmortalized and immortalized human fibroblasts transformed with a defective SV40 genome has led to the suggestion that a chromosomal region at and/or distal to 6q21 plays a role in immortalization of cells (Hubbard-Smith et al., 1992, Mol. Cell. Biol. 12:2273-2281).

[0006] Citation of references hereinabove shall not be construed as an admission that such references are prior art to the present invention.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of lats genes (Drosophila, human, and mouse lats and lats homologs of other species), and amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins, as well as derivatives (e.g., fragments) and analogs thereof. Nucleic acids hybridizable to or complementary to the foregoing nucleotide sequences are also provided. In a specific embodiment, the lats protein is a human protein.

[0008] The invention also relates to a method of identifying tumor suppressor genes that does not exclude from identification genes that cause lethality at early developmental stages, thus overcoming the limitations of prior art methods. The method thus allows the identification of genes that regulate cell proliferation and that act at early developmental stages. The genes which thus can be identified play a fundamental role in regulation of cell proliferation such that their dysfunction (e.g., by lack of expression or mutation) leads to overproliferation and cancer.

[0009] Lats is a gene provided by the present invention, identified by the method of the invention, that acts to inhibit cell proliferation, and that plays a crucial role throughout development.

[0010] The invention also relates to lats derivatives and analogs of the invention which are functionally active, i.e., they are capable of displaying one or more known functional activities associated with a full-length (wild-type) lats protein. Such functional activities include but are not limited to kinase activity, antigenicity [ability to bind (or compete with lats for binding) to an anti-lats antibody], immunogenicity (ability to generate antibody which binds to lats), and ability to bind (or compete with lats for binding) to a receptor/ligand for lats (e.g., a SH3 domain-containing protein).

[0011] The invention further relates to fragments (and derivatives and analogs thereof) of lats which comprise one or more domains of a lats protein.

[0012] Antibodies to lats, and lats derivatives and analogs, are additionally provided.

[0013] Methods of production of the lats proteins, derivatives and analogs, e.g., by recombinant means, are also provided.

[0014] The present invention also relates to therapeutic and diagnostic methods and compositions based on lats proteins and nucleic acids. Therapeutic compounds of the invention include but are not limited to lats proteins and analogs and derivatives (including fragments) thereof; antibodies thereto; nucleic acids encoding the lats proteins, analogs, or derivatives; and lats antisense nucleic acids.

[0015] The invention provides for treatment of disorders of overproliferation (e.g., cancer and hyperproliferative disorders) by administering compounds that promote lats activity (e.g., lats, an agonist of lats; nucleic acids that encode lats).

[0016] The invention also provides methods of treatment of disorders involving deficient cell proliferation (growth) or in which cell proliferation is otherwise desired (e.g., degenerative disorders, growth deficiencies, lesions, physical trauma) by administering compounds that antagonize, (inhibit) lats function (e.g., antibodies, antisense nucleic acids).

[0017] In a specific embodiment, lats function is antagonized in order to inhibit cellular senescence, in vivo or in vitro.

[0018] Antagonizing lats function can also be done to grow larger animals and plants, e.g., those used as food or material sources.

[0019] Animal models, diagnostic methods and screening methods for predisposition to disorders, and methods to identify lats agonists and antagonists, are also provided by the invention.

3.1. Definitions

[0020] As used herein, underscoring or italicizing the name of a gene shall indicate the gene, in contrast to its encoded protein product which is indicated by the name of the gene in the absence of any underscoring or italicizing. For example, “lats” shall mean the lats gene, whereas “lats” shall indicate the protein product of the lats gene.

4. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0021] FIG. 1. Identifying overproliferation mutations in mosaic flies. (A) Although animals that are homozygous for a lethal mutation could die at an early developmental stage, mosaic flies carrying clones of cells that are homozygous for the same mutation could live. One can identify potential tumor suppressors by generating and examining clones of overproliferated mutant cells in mosaic animals. The genetic constitution of these mosaic flies is similar to the mosaicism of the tumor patients. (B) Genetic scheme. The P-element insertions carrying the FLP recombinase (hsFLP; Golic and Lindquist, 1989, Cell 59:499-509), its target site, FRT (solid arrows, Xu and Rubin, 1993, Development 117:1223-1237), the yellow+ and mini-white+ marker genes (y+ and mini-w+, open arrows) are indicated. Mutagenized males were crossed to females to produce heterozygous embryos. Clones of cells homozygous for the induced mutations were generated in developing first-instar larvae by mitotic recombination at the FRT sites induced with the FLP recombinase. Mosaic adults were examined for overproliferated mutant patches (w−, y−). Individuals carrying clones of interest were then mated to recover the mutations of interest in the next generation (Xu and Rubin, 1993, Development 117:1223-1237; Xu and Harrison, 1994; Methods in Cell Biology 44:655-682). Clones of ommatidia derived from fast proliferating mutant cells were identified since they were larger than their darkly pigmented wt (wild-type) twin-spot clones (mini-w+/mini-w+).

[0022] FIG. 2. Mutant phenotypes. (A) A clone of unpatterned, overproliferated lats mutant cells in the eye. (B) Induced at the same stage, the 93B mutant cells formed a less overproliferated clone. (C) A third instar latse26−1 larva (right) was much larger than a wt sibling (left; at 18° C.). (D) Wing discs from the larva in (C) (wt. top; latse26−1, bottom). (E) Dissected central nervous systems (wt, top; latse26−1, bottom). (F) A SEM (scanning electron microscope) view of a lats clone near the eye. (G) A closer view of a region in (F) showing the irregularity of the sizes and shapes of the mutant cells. (H) A plastic section of a mutant clone similar to the one in (F). Cells seem to be “budding” out of the surface to form new proliferating lobes (arrows). (I) A lats clone on the back. The boxed area is shown in (J). The bristles in the mutant clone are short, bent and often split (arrows). (K) A closer view of the hairs in a lats clone on the body showing enlarged bases and bent tips. (L) A section of a lats clone on the back showing extra cuticle deposits (arrows). All the mutant clones were induced with latsx1 unless stated differently.

[0023] FIG. 3. Organization of the Drosophila lats gene. The genomic restriction map of the lats region is aligned with the lats 5.7 kb transcript unit. The direction of transcription is indicated with large arrows. The sizes of the lats introns are as follows: intron 1 (5.0 kb), intron 2 (5.8 kb), intron 3 (68 bp), intron 4 (63 bp), intron (64 bp), intron 6 (61 bp), intron 7 (62 bp). The genomic DNA from +7.5 (BglII) to −4.2 (EcoRI) was used to screen a total imaginal disc cDNA library, which isolated three groups of cDNAs: lats, T1, T2. The introns in the T2 transcript are not labeled. Only parts of the zfh-1 (Fortini et al., 1991, Mechan. Dev. 34:113-122) and T1 transcripts are indicated. The locations of the P-element insertion (latsP1), the deletions in the five excision alleles (latse7−2, e78, e100, e119, e148) and in latsa1, latsa4 are indicated at the bottom. The slash indicates a gap in the genomic map. Restriction sites: EcoRI (small open arrow), BglII (open box) and BamHI (open circle). The BglII site at the −0.5 position of the CLT-52 clone is not present in other genomic DNA. A scale is labeled under the restriction map.

[0024] FIG. 4. RNA blot analysis of the Drosophila lats mRNA. Five μg of poly(A)+ RNA isolated from various developmental stages was separated on a 1% agarose gel, and hybridized with 32P-labeled 5′ end 1 kb probe from the Drosophila lats cDNA. EO-2 hrs, E2-4 hrs, E4-6 hrs, E6-8 hrs, E8-16 hrs and E16-24 hrs indicate the age of the embryos in hours. RNA from first, second and third instar larvae is denoted by L1, L2, and L3, respectively. The numbers and arrows on the right correspond to the size and location of the RNA standards. A 5.7 kb RNA was found in all the developmental stages, whereas a 4.7 kb RNA was predominantly present in 0 to 4 hour old embryos. The blot was also hybridized with DNA from the ribosomal protein gene, RNA1.

[0025] FIG. 5. Composite cDNA sequence of the Drosophila lats gene. The entire cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:1) corresponding to the 5.7 kb lats RNA is shown. This nucleotide sequence is a composite of two cDNA clones (nucleotide 1-191 from cDNA 9 and the rest from cDNA A2). The sequence of the corresponding genomic DNA has been determined and is identical to the cDNA sequence except where indicated (above the cDNA sequence). The predicted amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:2) is shown below the cDNA sequence. The opa repeat is indicated by the heavy bar. The location of the putative SH3 binding site and the RERDQ peptides are designated by dashed lines. The two sites that match the polyadenylation signal consensus sequence are underlined. The second site is located at 12 bp away from the 3′ end of the cDNA. The locations of the introns are indicated by vertical arrows. The underlined 141 bp sequence at the 3′ end of the lats transcript is identical to the 5′ end untranslated sequence of the class I transcript of the Drosophila phospholipase C gene, plc-21. The location of the 446 bp deletion in the latsa1 allele is also indicated.

[0026] FIG. 6. Schematic of the Drosophila lats predicted protein (SEQ ID NO:2) and the related proteins (A) and sequence comparison of the proteins homologous to lats (B). In FIG. 6A, solid, hatched, open and shaded boxes denote putative SH3 binding site, opa repeat, RERDQ peptide and kinase domain in the lats protein, respectively. The Dbf20, Dbf2 and COT-1 proteins are illustrated at the bottom. The regions that are homologous to lats are indicated by shaded boxes. The degrees of sequence similarity (percentage of identical sequences inside parentheses; percentage of identical or conservative substitutions outside parentheses) between lats and the three related proteins are indicated above the corresponding regions of these proteins. In FIG. 6B, the carboxy-terminal half of lats is compared to the six most related proteins that are revealed by blastp (a software program that searches for protein sequence homologies) search as of Sep. 1, 1994. Neurospora cot-1 (SEQ ID NO:11); tobacco PKTL7 (SEQ ID NO:12); common ice plant protein kinase (SEQ ID NO:13); spinach protein kinase (SEQ ID NO:14); yeast Dbf-20 (SEQ ID NO:15); yeast Dbf2 (SEQ ID NO:16). Amino acid residues identical to lats are highlighted. Numbers at the beginning of every sequence refer to the position of that amino acid within the total protein sequence. The boundary of the kinase domain is defined according to Hanks et al. (1988, Science 241:42-52). The location of a region of about amino acid residues that is not conserved among the proteins is indicated by the heavy bar above the sequence. The sequence of PKTL7 from tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum, was submitted to Genbank by Huang,Y. (X71057). Both the sequence of the protein kinase from spinach, Spinacia oleracea, and the sequence of the protein kinase from common ice plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, were submitted to Genbank by Baur, B., Winter, K., Fischer, K. and Dietz, K. (Z30329 and Z30330).

[0027] FIG. 7. cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:5) and deduced protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:6) of a mouse lats homolog, m-lats.

[0028] FIG. 8. cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:7) and deduced protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) of a mouse lats homolog, m-lats2.

[0029] FIG. 9. cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:3) and deduced protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:4) of a human lats homolog, h-lats.

[0030] FIG. 10. Schematic diagram of plasmid pBS(KS)-h-lats, containing the full length coding sequence of the h-lats cDNA.

[0031] FIG. 11. Alignment of the h-lats protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:4) (upper case letters) with the m-lats protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:6) (lower case letters). A dot indicates amino acid identity; a dash indicates a deletion relative to the sequence on the line above. The amino-terminal portion of the m-lats protein is not shown due to the missing 5′ end of the m-lats cDNA coding region.

[0032] FIG. 12. Alignment of the h-lats protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:4) (upper case letters) with the m-lats2 protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) (lower-case letters). A dot indicates amino acid identity; a dash indicates a deletion relative to the sequence on the line above. The amino-terminal portion of the m-lats2 protein is not shown due to the missing 5′ end of the m-lats2 cDNA coding region.

[0033] FIG. 13. Alignment of the h-lats protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:4) (upper case letters) with the Drosophila lats protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:2) (lower case letters). A dot indicates amino acid identity; a dash indicates a deletion relative to the sequence on the line above. Insertions in the Drosophila sequence relative to the human sequence are indicated below the sequence line. Conserved domains are indicated. LSD2=lats split domain 2; LSD2a=LSD2 anterior portion; LSD2p=LSD2 posterior portion. The putative SH3-binding domain and the kinase domain are shown. LSD1=lats split domain 1; LSD1a=LSD1 anterior portion; LSD1p=LSD1 posterior portion. LFD=lats flanking domain. LCD1=lats C-terminal domain 1; LCD2=lats C-terminal domain 2; LCD3=lats C-terminal domain 3.

[0034] FIG. 14. Schematic diagram of plasmid pCaSpeR-hs-h-lats, an expression vector containing the full length coding sequence of the h-lats cDNA.

[0035] FIG. 15. Northern blot analysis of h-lats expression in normal human tissues. A 32P-labeled BamHI fragment of h-lats was used as a probe for hybridization to polyA+ RNA from the normal human fetal and adult tissues indicated for each lane. The positions of standard molecular weight markers are shown at right. The positions of the h-lats RNA and of β-actin RNA (used as a standard) are shown.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of lats genes, and amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins. The invention further relates to fragments and other derivatives, and analogs, of lats proteins. Nucleic acids encoding such fragments or derivatives are also within the scope of the invention. The invention provides lats genes and their encoded proteins of many different species. The lats genes of the invention include Drosophila, human, and mouse lats and related genes (homologs) in other species. In specific embodiments, the lats genes and proteins are from vertebrates, or more particularly, mammals. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lats genes and proteins are of human origin. Production of the foregoing proteins and derivatives, e.g., by recombinant methods, is provided.

[0037] The invention also relates to a method of identifying tumor suppressor genes that does not exclude from identification genes that cause lethality at early developmental stages, thus overcoming the limitations of prior art methods. The method thus allows the identification of genes that regulate cell proliferation and that act at early developmental stages. The genes which thus can be identified play a fundamental role in regulation of cell proliferation such that their dysfunction (e.g., due to lack of expression or mutation) leads to overproliferation and cancer.

[0038] Lats is a gene provided by the present invention, identified by the method of the invention, that acts to inhibit cell proliferation, and that plays a crucial role throughout development.

[0039] The invention also relates to lats derivatives and analogs of the invention which are functionally active, i.e., they are capable of displaying one or more known functional activities associated with a full-length-(wild-type) lats protein. Such functional activities include but are not limited to kinase activity, antigenicity [ability to bind (or compete with lats for binding) to an anti-lats antibody], immunogenicity (ability to generate antibody which binds to lats), ability to bind (or compete with lats for binding) to an SH3-domain-containing protein or other ligand, ability to inhibit cell proliferation, tumor inhibition, etc.

[0040] The invention further relates to fragments (and derivatives and analogs thereof) of lats which comprise one or more domains of the lats protein.

[0041] Antibodies to lats, its derivatives and analogs, are additionally provided.

[0042] The present invention also relates to therapeutic and diagnostic methods and compositions based on lats proteins and nucleic acids and anti-lats antibodies. The invention provides for treatment of disorders of overproliferation (e.g., cancer and hyperproliferative disorders) by administering compounds that promote lats activity (e.g., lats proteins and functionally active analogs and derivatives (including fragments) thereof; nucleic acids encoding the lats proteins, analogs, or derivatives, agonists of lats).

[0043] The invention also provides methods of treatment of disorders involving deficient cell proliferation or in which cell proliferation (growth) is otherwise desirable (e.g., growth deficiencies, degenerative disorders, lesions, physical trauma) by administering compounds that antagonize, or inhibit, lats function (e.g., antibodies, lats antisense nucleic acids, lats derivatives that are dominant-negative protein kinases).

[0044] In a specific embodiment, lats function is antagonized in order to inhibit cellular senescence, in vivo or in vitro.

[0045] Inhibition of lats function can also be done to grow larger farm animals and plants.

[0046] Animal models, diagnostic methods and screening methods for predisposition to disorders are also provided by the invention.

[0047] The invention is illustrated by way of examples infra which disclose, inter alia, the cloning and characterization of D. melanogaster lats (Section 6); the cloning and characterization of mouse and human lats homologs (Section 7); the sequence and domain conservation among the lats homologs (Section 8); the functional interchangeability of the human and Drosophila lats homologs (Section 9); and the differentially decreased expression of human lats in human tumor cell lines (Section 10).

[0048] For clarity of disclosure, and not by way of limitation, the detailed description of the invention is divided into the subsections which follow.

5.1. Isolation of the Lats Genes

[0049] The invention relates to the nucleotide sequences of lats nucleic acids. In specific embodiments, lats nucleic acids comprise the cDNA sequences of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5, or 7, or the coding regions thereof, or nucleotide sequences acids encoding a lats protein (e.g., a protein having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6, or 8). The invention provides purified nucleic acids consisting of at least 8 nucleotides (i.e., a hybridizable portion) of a lats sequence; in other embodiments, the nucleic acids consist of at least 25 (continuous) nucleotides, 50 nucleotides, 100 nucleotides, 150 nucleotides, or 200 nucleotides of a lats sequence, or a full-length lats coding sequence. In another embodiment, the nucleic acids are smaller than 35, 200 or 500 nucleotides in length. Nucleic acids can be single or double stranded. The invention also relates to nucleic acids hybridizable to or complementary to the foregoing sequences. In specific aspects, nucleic acids are provided which comprise a sequence complementary to at least 10, 25, 50, 100, or 200 nucleotides or the entire coding region of a lats gene. In a specific embodiment, a nucleic acid which is hybridizable to a lats nucleic acid (e.g., having sequence SEQ ID NO:3 or 7), or to a nucleic acid encoding a lats derivative, under conditions of low stringency is provided. By way of example and not limitation, procedures using such conditions of low stringency are as follows (see also Shilo and Weinberg, 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:6789-6792): Filters containing DNA are pretreated for 6 h at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA. Hybridizations are carried out in the same solution with the following modifications: 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml salmon sperm DNA, 10% (wt/vol) dextran sulfate, and 5-20×106 cpm 32P-labeled probe is used. Filters are incubated in hybridization mixture for 18-20 h at 40° C., and then washed for 1.5 h at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA, and 0.1% SDS. The wash solution is replaced with fresh solution and incubated an additional 1.5 h at 60° C. Filters are blotted dry and exposed for autoradiography. If necessary, filters are washed for a third time at 65-68° C. and reexposed to film. Other conditions of low stringency which may be used are well known in the art (e.g., as employed for cross-species hybridizations).

[0050] In another specific embodiment, a nucleic acid which is hybridizable to a lats nucleic acid under conditions of high stringency is provided. By way of example and not limitation, procedures using such conditions of high stringency are as follows: Prehybridization of filters containing DNA is carried out for 8 h to overnight at 65° C. in buffer composed of 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.02% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA. Filters are hybridized for 48 h at 65° C. in prehybridization mixture containing 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA and 5-20×106 cpm of 32P-labeled probe. Washing of filters is done at 37° C. for 1 h in a solution containing 2×SSC, 0.01% PVP, 0.01% Ficoll, and 0.01% BSA. This is followed by a wash in 0.1×SSC at 50° C. for 45 min before autoradiography. Other conditions of high stringency which may be used are well known in the art.

[0051] In another specific embodiment, a nucleic acid, which is hybridizable to a lats nucleic acid under conditions of moderate stringency is provided (see, e.g., Section 7.2).

[0052] Nucleic acids encoding derivatives and analogs of lats proteins (see Sections 5.6 and 5.6.1), and lats antisense nucleic acids (see Section 5.8.2.2.1) are additionally provided. As is readily apparent, as used herein, a “nucleic acid encoding a fragment or portion of a lats protein” shall be construed as referring to a nucleic acid encoding only the recited fragment or portion of the lats protein and not the other contiguous portions of the lats protein as a continuous sequence.

[0053] Fragments of lats nucleic acids comprising regions conserved between (with homology to) other lats nucleic acids, of the same or different species, are also provided. Nucleic acids encoding one or more lats domains are provided.

[0054] Specific embodiments for the cloning of a lats gene, presented as a particular example but not by way of limitation, follows:

[0055] For expression cloning (a technique commonly known in the art), an expression library is constructed by methods known in the art. For example, mRNA (e.g., human) is isolated, cDNA is made and ligated into an expression vector (e.g., a bacteriophage derivative) such that it is capable of being expressed by the host cell into which it is then introduced. Various screening assays can then be used to select for the expressed lats product. In one embodiment, anti-lats antibodies can be used for selection.

[0056] In another embodiment, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify the desired sequence in a genomic or cDNA library, prior to selection. Oligonucleotide primers representing known lats sequences can be used as primers in PCR. In a preferred aspect, the oligonucleotide primers represent at least part of the lats conserved segments of strong homology between lats of different species (e.g., LCD1, LCD2, kinase domain, LFD, SH3 binding domain, LSD1, and LSD2 domains; see, e.g., Section 8 infra.) The synthetic oligonucleotides may be utilized as primers to amplify by PCR sequences from a source (RNA or DNA), preferably a cDNA library, of potential interest. PCR can be carried out, e.g., by use of a Perkin-Elmer Cetus thermal cycler and Taq polymerase (Gene Amp™). The DNA being amplified can include mRNA or cDNA or genomic DNA from any eukaryotic species. One can choose to synthesize several different degenerate primers, for use in the PCR reactions. It is also possible to vary the stringency of hybridization conditions used in priming the PCR reactions, to allow for greater or lesser degrees of nucleotide sequence similarity between the known lats nucleotide sequence and the nucleic acid homolog being isolated. For cross species hybridization, low stringency conditions are preferred. For same species hybridization, moderately stringent conditions are preferred. After successful amplification of a segment of a lats homolog, that segment may be molecularly cloned and sequenced, and utilized as a probe to isolate a complete cDNA or genomic clone. This, in turn, will permit the determination of the gene's complete nucleotide sequence, the analysis of its expression, and the production of its protein product for functional analysis, as described infra. In this fashion, additional genes encoding lats proteins and lats analogs may be identified.

[0057] The above-methods are not meant to limit the following general description of methods by which clones of lats may be obtained.

[0058] Any eukaryotic cell potentially can serve as the nucleic acid source for the molecular cloning of the lats gene. The nucleic acid sequences encoding lats can be isolated from vertebrate, mammalian, human, porcine, bovine, feline, avian, equine, canine, as well as additional primate sources, insects, plants, etc. The DNA may be obtained by standard procedures known in the art from cloned DNA (e.g., a DNA “library”), by chemical synthesis, by cDNA cloning, or by the cloning of genomic DNA, or fragments thereof, purified from the desired cell. (See, for example, Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.; Glover, D. M. (ed.), 1985, DNA Cloning: A Practical Approach, MRL Press, Ltd., Oxford, U.K. Vol. I, II.) Clones derived from genomic DNA may contain regulatory and intron DNA regions in addition to coding regions; clones derived from cDNA will contain only exon sequences. Whatever the source, the gene should be molecularly cloned into a suitable vector for propagation of the gene.

[0059] In the molecular cloning of the gene from genomic DNA, DNA fragments are generated, some of which will encode the desired gene. The DNA may be cleaved at specific sites using various restriction enzymes. Alternatively, one may use DNAse in the presence of manganese to fragment the DNA, or the DNA can be physically sheared, as for example, by sonication. The linear DNA fragments can then be separated according to size by standard techniques, including but not limited to, agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and column chromatography.

[0060] Once the DNA fragments are generated, identification of the specific DNA fragment containing the desired gene may be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, if an amount of a portion of a lats (of any species) gene or its specific RNA, or a fragment thereof (see Section 5.6), is available and can be purified and labeled, the generated DNA fragments may be screened by nucleic acid hybridization to the labeled probe (Benton, W. and Davis, R., 1977, Science 196:180; Grunstein, M. And Hogness, D., 1975, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72:3961). Such a procedure is presented by way of example in Section 7 infra. Those DNA fragments with substantial homology to the probe will hybridize. It is also possible to identify the appropriate fragment by restriction enzyme digestion(s) and comparison of fragment sizes with those expected according to a known restriction map if such is available. Further selection can be carried out on the basis of the properties of the gene. Alternatively, the presence of the gene may be detected by assays based on the physical, chemical, or immunological properties of its expressed product. For example, cDNA clones, or DNA clones which hybrid-select the proper mRNAs, can be selected which produce a protein that, e.g., has similar or identical electrophoretic migration, isolectric focusing-behavior, proteolytic digestion maps, kinase activity, inhibition of cell proliferation activity, substrate binding activity, or antigenic properties as known for lats. If an antibody to lats is available, the lats protein may be identified by binding of labeled antibody to the putatively lats synthesizing clones, in an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)-type procedure.

[0061] The lats gene can also be identified by mRNA selection by nucleic acid hybridization followed by in vitro translation. In this procedure, fragments are used to isolate complementary mRNAs by hybridization. Such DNA fragments may represent available, purified lats DNA of another species (e.g., Drosophila, mouse, human). Immunoprecipitation analysis or functional assays (e.g., aggregation ability in vitro; binding to receptor; see infra) of the in vitro translation products of the isolated products of the isolated mRNAs identifies the mRNA and, therefore, the complementary DNA fragments that contain the desired sequences. In addition, specific mRNAs may be selected by adsorption of polysomes isolated from cells to immobilized antibodies specifically directed against lats protein. A radiolabelled lats cDNA can be synthesized using the selected mRNA (from the adsorbed polysomes) as a template. The radiolabelled mRNA or cDNA may then be used as a probe to identify the lats DNA fragments from among other genomic DNA fragments.

[0062] Alternatives to isolating the lats genomic DNA include, but are not limited to, chemically synthesizing the gene sequence itself from a known sequence or making cDNA to the mRNA which encodes the lats protein. For example, RNA for cDNA cloning of the lats gene can be isolated from cells which express lats. Other methods are possible and within the scope of the invention.

[0063] The identified and isolated gene can then be inserted into an appropriate cloning vector. A large number of vector-host systems known in the art may be used. Possible vectors include, but are not limited to, plasmids or modified viruses, but the vector system must be compatible with the host cell used. Such vectors include, but are not limited to, bacteriophages such as lambda derivatives, or plasmids such as PBR322 or pUC plasmid derivatives or the Bluescript vector (Stratagene). The insertion into a cloning vector can, for example, be accomplished by ligating the DNA fragment into a cloning vector which has complementary , cohesive termini. However, if the complementary restriction sites used to fragment the DNA are not present in the cloning vector, the ends of the DNA molecules may be enzymatically modified. Alternatively, any site desired may be produced by ligating nucleotide sequences (linkers) onto the DNA termini; these ligated linkers may comprise specific chemically synthesized oligonucleotides encoding restriction endonuclease recognition sequences. In an alternative method, the cleaved vector and lats gene may be modified by homopolymeric tailing. Recombinant molecules can be introduced into host cells via transformation, transfection, infection, electroporation, etc., so that many copies of the gene sequence are generated.

[0064] In an alternative method, the desired gene may be identified and isolated after insertion into a suitable cloning vector in a “shot gun” approach. Enrichment for the desired gene, for example, by size fractionization, can be done before insertion into the cloning vector.

[0065] In specific embodiments, transformation of host cells with recombinant DNA molecules that incorporate the isolated lats gene, cDNA, or synthesized DNA sequence enables generation of multiple copies of the gene. Thus, the gene may be obtained in large quantities by growing transformants, isolating the recombinant DNA molecules from the transformants and, when necessary, retrieving the inserted gene from the isolated recombinant DNA.

[0066] The lats sequences provided by the instant invention include those nucleotide sequences encoding substantially the same amino acid sequences as found in native lats proteins, and those encoded amino acid sequences with functionally equivalent amino acids, as well as those encoding other lats derivatives or analogs, as described in Sections 5.6 and 5.6.1 infra for lats derivatives and analogs.

5.2. Expression of the Lats Genes

[0067] The nucleotide sequence coding for a lats protein or a functionally active analog or fragment or other derivative thereof (see Section 5.6), can be inserted into an appropriate expression vector, i.e., a vector which contains the necessary elements for the transcription and translation of the inserted protein-coding sequence. The necessary transcriptional and translational signals can also be supplied by the native lats gene and/or its flanking regions. A variety of host-vector systems may be utilized to express the protein-coding sequence. These include but are not limited to mammalian cell systems infected with virus (e.g., vaccinia virus, adenovirus, etc.); insect cell systems infected with virus (e.g., baculovirus); microorganisms such as yeast containing yeast vectors, or bacteria transformed with bacteriophage, DNA, plasmid DNA, or cosmid DNA. The expression elements of vectors vary in their strengths and specificities. Depending on the host-vector system utilized, any one of a number of suitable transcription and translation elements may be used. In specific embodiments, the human lats gene is expressed, or a sequence encoding a functionally active portion of human lats. In yet another embodiment, a fragment of lats comprising a domain of the lats protein is expressed.

[0068] Any of the methods previously described for the insertion of DNA fragments into a vector may be used to construct expression vectors containing a chimeric gene consisting of appropriate transcriptional/translational control signals and the protein coding sequences. These methods may include in vitro recombinant DNA and synthetic techniques and in vivo recombinants (genetic recombination). Expression of nucleic acid sequence encoding a lats protein or peptide fragment may be regulated by a second nucleic acid sequence so that the lats protein or peptide is expressed in a host transformed with the recombinant DNA molecule. For example, expression of a lats protein may be controlled by any promoter/enhancer element known in the art. In a specific embodiment, the promoter is not a native lats gene promoter. Promoters which may be used to control lats expression include, but are not limited to, the SV40 early promoter region (Bernoist and Chambon, 1981, Nature 290:304-310), the promoter contained in the 3′ long terminal repeat of Rous sarcoma virus (Yamamoto, et al., 1980, Cell 22:787-797), the herpes thymidine kinase promoter (Wagner et al., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:1441-1445), the regulatory sequences of the metallothionein gene (Brinster et al., 1982, Nature 296:39-42); prokaryotic expression vectors such as the β-lactamase promoter (Villa-Kamaroff, et al., 1978, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75:3727-3731), or the tac promoter (DeBoer, et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:21-25); see also “Useful proteins from recombinant bacteria” in Scientific American, 1980, 242:74-94; plant expression vectors comprising the nopaline synthetase promoter region (Herrera-Estrella et al., Nature 303:209-213) or the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S RNA promoter (Gardner, et al., 1981, Nucl. Acids Res. 9:2871), and the promoter of the photosynthetic enzyme ribulose biphosphate carboxylase (Herrera-Estrella et al., 1984, Nature 310:115-120); promoter elements from yeast or other fungi such as the Gal 4 promoter, the ADC (alcohol dehydrogenase) promoter, PGK (phosphoglycerol kinase) promoter, alkaline phosphatase promoter, and the following animal transcriptional control regions, which exhibit tissue specificity and have been utilized in transgenic animals: elastase I gene control region which is active in pancreatic acinar cells (Swift et al., 1984, Cell 38:639-646; ornitz et al., 1986, Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 50:399-409; MacDonald, 1987, Hepatology 7:425-515); insulin gene control region which is active in pancreatic beta cells (Hanahan, 1985, Nature 315:115-122), immunoglobulin gene control region which is active in lymphoid cells (Grosschedl et al., 1984, Cell 38:647-658; Adames et al., 1985, Nature 318:533-538; Alexander et al., 1987, Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:1436-1444), mouse mammary tumor virus control region which is active in testicular, breast, lymphoid and mast cells (Leder et al., 1986, Cell 45:485-495), albumin gene control region which is active in liver (Pinkert et al., 1987, Genes and Devel. 1:268-276), alpha-fetoprotein gene control region which is active in liver (Krumlauf et al., 1985, Mol. Cell. Biol. 5:1639-1648; Hammer et al., 1987, Science 235:53-58; alpha 1-antitrypsin gene control region which is active in the liver (Kelsey et al., 1987, Genes and Devel. 1:161-171), beta-globin gene control region which is active in myeloid cells (Mogram et al., 1985, Nature 315:338-340; Kollias et al., 1986, Cell 46:89-94; myelin basic protein gene control region which is active in oligodendrocyte cells in the brain (Readhead et al., 1987, Cell 48:703-712); myosin light chain-2 gene control region which is active in skeletal muscle (Sani, 1985, Nature 314:283-286), and gonadotropic releasing hormone gene control region which is active in the hypothalamus (Mason et al., 1986, Science 234:1372-1378).

[0069] In a specific embodiment, a vector is used that comprises a promoter operably linked to a lats-encoding nucleic acid, one or more origins of replication, and, optionally, one or more selectable markers (e.g., an antibiotic resistance gene).

[0070] In a specific embodiment, an expression construct is made by subcloning a lats coding sequence into the EcoRI restriction site of each of the three pGEX vectors (Glutathione S-Transferase expression vectors; Smith and Johnson, 1988, Gene 7:31-40). This allows for the expression of the lats protein product from the subclone in the correct reading frame.

[0071] Expression vectors containing lats gene inserts can be identified by three general approaches: (a) nucleic acid hybridization, (b) presence or absence of “marker” gene functions, and (c) expression -of inserted sequences. In the first approach, the presence of a lats gene inserted in an expression vector can be detected by nucleic acid hybridization using probes comprising sequences that are homologous to an inserted lats gene. In the second approach, the recombinant vector/host system can be identified and selected based upon the presence or absence of certain “marker” gene functions (e.g., thymidine kinase activity, resistance to antibiotics, transformation phenotype, occlusion body formation in baculovirus, etc.) caused by the insertion of a lats gene in the vector. For example, if the lats gene is inserted within the marker gene sequence of the vector, recombinants containing the lats insert can be identified by the absence of the marker gene function. In the third approach, recombinant expression vectors can be identified by assaying the lats product expressed by the recombinant. Such assays can be based, for example, on the physical or functional properties of the lats protein in in vitro assay systems, e.g., kinase activity, binding with anti-lats antibody, inhibition of cell proliferation.

[0072] Once a particular recombinant DNA molecule is identified and isolated, several methods known in the art may be used to propagate it. Once a suitable host system and growth conditions are established, recombinant expression vectors can be propagated and prepared in quantity. As previously explained, the expression vectors which can be used include, but are not limited to, the following vectors or their derivatives: human or animal viruses such as vaccinia virus or adenovirus; insect viruses such as baculovirus; yeast vectors; bacteriophage vectors (e.g., lambda), and plasmid and cosmid DNA vectors, to name but a few.

[0073] In addition, a host cell strain may be chosen which modulates the expression of the inserted sequences, or modifies and processes the gene product in the specific fashion desired. Expression from certain promoters can be elevated in the presence of certain inducers; thus, expression of the genetically engineered lats protein may be controlled. Furthermore, different host cells have characteristic and specific mechanisms for the translational and post-translational processing and modification (e.g., glycosylation, phosphorylation of proteins. Appropriate cell lines or host systems can be chosen to ensure the desired modification and processing of the foreign protein expressed. For example, expression in a bacterial system can be used to produce an unglycosylated core protein product. Expression in yeast will produce a glycosylated product. Expression in mammalian cells can be used to ensure “native” glycosylation of a heterologous protein. Furthermore, different vector/host expression systems may effect processing reactions to different extents.

[0074] In other specific embodiments, the lats protein, fragment, analog, or derivative may be expressed as a fusion, or chimeric protein product (comprising the protein, fragment, analog, or derivative joined via a peptide bond to a heterologous protein sequence (of a different protein)).

[0075] Such a chimeric product can be made by ligating the appropriate nucleic acid sequences encoding the desired amino acid sequences to each other by methods known in the art, in the proper coding frame, and expressing the chimeric product by methods commonly known in the art. Alternatively, such a chimeric product may be made by protein synthetic techniques, e.g., by use of a peptide synthesizer.

[0076] Both cDNA and genomic sequences can be cloned and expressed.

5.3. Identification and Purification of the Lats Gene Products

[0077] In particular aspects, the invention provides amino acid sequences of lats, preferably human lats, and fragments and derivatives thereof which comprise an antigenic determinant (i.e., can be recognized by an antibody) or which are otherwise functionally active, as well as nucleic acid sequences encoding the foregoing. “Functionally active” lats material as used herein refers to that material displaying one or more known functional activities associated with a full-length (wild-type) lats protein, e.g., kinase activity, inhibition of cell proliferation, tumor inhibition, binding to an SH3-domain, binding to a lats substrate or lats binding partner, antigenicity (binding to an anti-lats antibody), immunogenicity, etc.

[0078] In specific embodiments, the invention provides fragments of a lats protein consisting of at least 6 amino acids, 10 amino acids, 50 amino acids, or of at least 75 amino acids. In other embodiments, the proteins comprise or consist essentially of a lats carboxy (C)-terminal domain 3 (LCD3), lats C-terminal domain 2 (LCD2), lats C-terminal domain 1 (LCDl), kinase domain, kinase subdomains, lats flanking domain (amino-terminal to the kinase domain), lats split domain 1 (LSD1), lats split domain 2 (LSD2), SH3-binding domain, and opa repeat domain (see Section 8 infra), or any combination of the foregoing, of a lats protein. Fragments, or proteins comprising fragments, lacking some or all of the foregoing regions of a lats protein are also provided. Nucleic acids encoding the foregoing are provided.

[0079] Once a recombinant which expresses the lats gene sequence is identified, the gene product can be analyzed. This is achieved by assays based on the physical or functional properties of the product, including radioactive labelling of the product followed by analysis by gel electrophoresis, immunoassay, etc.

[0080] Once the lats protein is identified, it may be isolated and purified by standard methods including chromatography (e.g., ion exchange, affinity, and sizing column chromatography), centrifugation, differential solubility, or by any other standard technique for the purification of proteins. The functional properties may be evaluated using any suitable assay (see Section 5.7).

[0081] Alternatively, once a lats protein produced by a recombinant is identified, the amino acid sequence of the protein can be deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the chimeric gene contained in the recombinant. As a result, the protein can be synthesized by standard chemical methods known in the art (e.g., see Hunkapiller, M., et al., 1984, Nature 310:105-111).

[0082] In another alternate embodiment, native lats proteins can be purified from natural sources, by standard methods such as those described above (e.g., immunoaffinity purification).

[0083] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, such lats proteins, whether produced by recombinant DNA techniques or by chemical synthetic methods or by purification of native proteins, include but are not limited to those containing, as a primary amino acid sequence, all or part of the amino acid sequence substantially as depicted in FIG. 9 (SEQ ID NO:4), as well as fragments and other derivatives, and analogs thereof, including proteins homologous thereto.

5.4. Structure of the Lats Gene and Protein

[0084] The structure of the lats gene and protein can be analyzed by various methods known in the art.

[0085] 5.4.1. Genetic Analysis

[0086] The cloned DNA or cDNA corresponding to the lats gene can be analyzed by methods including but not limited to Southern hybridization (Southern, E. M., 1975, J. Mol. Biol. 98:503-517), Northern hybridization (see e.g., Freeman et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:4094-4098), restriction endonuclease mapping (Maniatis, T., 1982, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), and DNA sequence analysis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,202, 4,683,195 and 4,889,818; Gyllenstein et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85:7652-7656; Ochman et al., 1988, Genetics 120:621-623; Loh et al., 1989, Science 243:217-220) followed by Southern hybridization with a lats-specific probe can allow the detection of the lats gene in DNA from various cell types. Methods of amplification other than PCR are commonly known and can also be employed. In one embodiment, Southern hybridization can be used to determine the genetic linkage of lats. Northern hybridization analysis can be used to determine the expression of the lats gene. Various cell types, at various states of development or activity can be tested for lats expression. The stringency of the hybridization conditions for both Southern and Northern hybridization can be manipulated to ensure detection of nucleic acids with the desired degree of relatedness to the specific lats probe used. Modifications of these methods and other methods commonly known in the art can be used.

[0087] Restriction endonuclease mapping can be used to roughly determine the genetic structure of the lats gene. Restriction maps derived by restriction endonuclease cleavage can be confirmed by DNA sequence analysis.

[0088] DNA sequence analysis can be performed by any techniques known in the art, including but not limited to the method of Maxam and Gilbert (1980, Meth. Enzymol. 65:499-560), the Sanger dideoxy method (Sanger, F., et al., 1977, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74:5463), the use of T7 DNA polymerase (Tabor and Richardson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,699), or use of an automated DNA sequenator (e.g., Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.).

[0089] 5.4.2. Protein Analysis

[0090] The amino acid sequence of the lats protein can be derived by deduction from the DNA sequence, or alternatively, by direct sequencing of the protein, e.g., with an automated amino acid sequencer.

[0091] The lats protein sequence can be further characterized by a hydrophilicity analysis (Hopp, T. and Woods, K., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:3824). A hydrophilicity profile can be used to identify the hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of the lats protein and the corresponding regions of the gene sequence which encode such regions.

[0092] Secondary, structural analysis (Chou, P. and Fasman, G., 1974, Biochemistry 13:222) can also be done, to identify regions of lats that assume specific secondary structures.

[0093] Manipulation, translation, and secondary structure prediction, open reading frame prediction and plotting, as well as determination of sequence homologies, can also be accomplished using computer software programs available in the art.

[0094] Other methods of structural analysis can also be employed. These include but are not limited to X-ray crystallography (Engstom, A., 1974, Biochem. Exp. Biol. 11:7-13) and computer modeling (Fletterick, R. and Zoller, M. (eds.), 1986, Computer Graphics and Molecular Modeling, in Current Communications in Molecular Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.).

5.5. Generation of Antibodies to Lats Proteins and Derivatives Thereof

[0095] According to the invention, lats protein, its fragments or other derivatives, or analogs thereof, may be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies which immunospecifically bind such an immunogen. Such antibodies include but are not limited to polyclonal, monoclonal, chimeric, single chain, Fab fragments, and an Fab expression library. In a specific embodiment, antibodies to a human lats protein are produced. In another embodiment, antibodies to a domain (e.g., the SH3-binding domain) of a lats protein are produced. In a specific embodiment, fragments of a lats protein identified as hydrophilic are used as immunogens for antibody production.

[0096] Various procedures known in the art may be used for the production of polyclonal antibodies to a lats protein or derivative or analog. In a particular embodiment, rabbit polyclonal antibodies to an epitope of a lats protein encoded by a sequence of SEQ ID NOS:2, 4, 6 or 8, or a subsequence thereof, can be obtained. For the production of antibody, various host animals can be immunized by injection with the native lats protein, or a synthetic version, or derivative (e.g., fragment) thereof, including but not limited to rabbits, mice, rats, etc. Various adjuvants may be used to increase the immunological response, depending on the host species, and including but not limited to Freund's (complete and incomplete), mineral gels such as aluminum hydroxide, surface active substances such as lysolecithin, pluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides, oil emulsions, keyhole limpet hemocyanins, dinitrophenol, and potentially useful human adjuvants such as BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) and corynebacterium parvum.

[0097] For preparation of monoclonal antibodies directed toward a lats protein sequence or analog thereof, any technique which provides for the production of antibody molecules by continuous cell lines in culture may be used. For example, the hybridoma technique originally developed by Kohler and Milstein (1975, Nature 256:495-497), as well as the trioma technique, the human B-cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al., 1983, Immunology Today 4:72), and the EBV-hybridoma technique to produce human monoclonal antibodies (Cole et al., 1985, in Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96). In an additional embodiment of the invention, monoclonal antibodies can be produced in germ-free animals utilizing recent technology (PCT/US90/02545). According to the invention, human antibodies may be used and can be obtained by using human hybridomas (Cote et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:2026-2030) or by transforming human B cells with EBV virus in vitro (Cole et al., 1985, in Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, pp. 77-96). In fact, according to the invention, techniques developed for the production of “chimeric antibodies” (Morrison et al., 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81:6851-6855; Neuberger et al., 1984, Nature 312:604-608; Takeda et al., 1985, Nature 314:452-454) by splicing the genes from a mouse antibody molecule specific for lats together with genes from a human antibody molecule of appropriate biological activity can be used; such antibodies are within the scope of this invention.

[0098] According to the invention, techniques described for the production of single chain antibodies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778) can be adapted to produce lats-specific single chain antibodies. An additional embodiment of the invention utilizes the techniques described for the construction of Fab expression libraries (Huse et al., 1989, Science 246:1275-1281) to allow rapid and easy identification of monoclonal Fab fragments with the desired specificity for lats proteins, derivatives, or analogs.

[0099] Antibody fragments which contain the idiotype of the molecule can be generated by known techniques. For example, such fragments include but are not limited to: the F(ab′)2 fragment which can be produced by pepsin digestion of the antibody molecule; the Fab′ fragments which can be generated by reducing the disulfide bridges of the F(ab′)2 fragment, the Fab fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody molecule with papain and a reducing agent, and Fv fragments.

[0100] In the production of antibodies, screening for the desired antibody can be accomplished by techniques known in the art, e.g. ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). For example, to select antibodies which recognize a specific domain of a lats protein, one may assay generated hybridomas for a product which binds to a lats fragment containing such domain. For selection of an antibody that specifically binds a first lats homolog but which does not specifically bind a different lats homolog, one can select on the basis of positive binding to the first lats homolog and a lack of binding to the second lats homolog.

[0101] Antibodies specific to a domain of a lats protein are also provided.

[0102] The foregoing antibodies can be used in methods known in the art relating to the localization and activity of the lats protein sequences of the invention, e.g., for imaging these proteins, measuring levels thereof in appropriate physiological samples, in diagnostic methods, etc.

[0103] In another embodiment of the invention (see infra), anti-lats antibodies and fragments thereof containing the binding domain are Therapeutics.

5.6. Lats Proteins, Derivatives and Analogs

[0104] The invention further relates to lats proteins, and derivatives (including but not limited to fragments) and analogs of lats proteins. Nucleic acids encoding lats protein derivatives and protein analogs are also provided. In one embodiment, the lats proteins are encoded by the lats nucleic acids described in Section 5.1 supra. In particular aspects, the proteins, derivatives, or analogs are of lats proteins of animals, e.g., fly, frog, mouse, rat, pig, cow, dog, monkey, human, or of plants.

[0105] The production and use of derivatives and analogs related to lats are within the scope of the present invention. In a specific embodiment, the derivative or analog is functionally active, i.e., capable of exhibiting one or more functional activities associated with a full-length, wild-type lats protein. As one example, such derivatives or analogs which have the desired immunogenicity or antigenicity can be used, for example, in immunoassays, for immunization, for inhibition of lats activity, etc. As another example, such derivatives or analogs which have the desired kinase activity, or which are phosphorylated or dephosphorylated, are provided. Derivatives or analogs that retain, or alternatively lack or inhibit, a desired lats property of interest (e.g., binding to an SH3-domain-containing protein or other lats binding partner, kinase activity, inhibition of cell proliferation, tumor inhibition), can be used as inducers, or inhibitors, respectively, of such property and its physiological correlates. A specific embodiment relates to a lats fragment that can be bound by an anti-lats antibody. Derivatives or analogs of lats can be tested for the desired activity by procedures known in the art, including but not limited to the assays described in Sections 5.7 and 5.9.

[0106] In particular, lats derivatives can be made by altering lats sequences by substitutions, additions or deletions that provide for functionally equivalent molecules. Due to the degeneracy of nucleotide coding sequences, other DNA sequences which encode substantially the same amino acid sequence as a lats gene may be used in the practice of the present invention. These include but are not limited to nucleotide sequences comprising all or portions of lats genes which are altered by the substitution of different codons that encode a functionally equivalent amino acid residue within the sequence, thus producing a silent change. Likewise, the lats derivatives of the invention include, but are not limited to, those containing, as a primary amino acid sequence, all or part of the amino acid sequence of a lats protein including altered sequences in which functionally equivalent amino acid residues are substituted for residues within the sequence resulting in a silent change. For example, one or more amino acid residues within the sequence can be substituted by another amino acid of a similar polarity which acts as a functional equivalent, resulting in a silent alteration. Substitutes for an amino acid within the sequence may be selected from other members of the class to which the amino acid belongs. For example, the nonpolar (hydrophobic) amino acids include alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan and methionine. The polar neutral amino acids include glycine, serine, threonine, cysteine, tyrosine, asparagine, and glutamine. The positively charged (basic) amino acids include arginine, lysine and histidine. The negatively charged (acidic) amino acids include aspartic acid and glutamic acid.

[0107] In a specific embodiment of the invention, proteins consisting of or comprising a fragment of a lats protein consisting of at least 10 (continuous) amino acids of the lats protein is provided. In other embodiments, the fragment consists of at least 20 or 50 amino acids of the lats protein. In specific embodiments, such fragments are not larger than 35, 100 or 200 amino acids. Derivatives or analogs of lats include but are not limited to those molecules comprising regions that are substantially homologous to lats or fragments thereof (e.g., in various embodiments, at least 60% or 70% or 80% or 90% or 95% identity over an amino acid sequence of identical size or when compared to an aligned sequence in which the alignment is done by a computer homology program known in the art) or whose encoding nucleic acid is capable of hybridizing to a coding lats sequence, under stringent, moderately stringent, or nonstringent conditions.

[0108] The lats derivatives and analogs of the invention can be produced by various methods known in the art. The manipulations which result in their production can occur at the gene or protein level. For example, the cloned lats gene sequence can be modified by any of numerous strategies known in the art (Maniatis, T., 1990, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.). The sequence can be cleaved at appropriate sites with restriction endonuclease(s), followed by further enzymatic modification if desired, isolated, and ligated in vitro. In the production of the gene encoding a derivative or analog of lats, care should be taken to ensure that the modified gene remains within the same translational reading frame as lats, uninterrupted by translational stop signals, in the gene region where the desired lats activity is encoded.

[0109] Additionally, the lats-encoding nucleic acid sequence can be mutated in vitro or in vivo, to create and/or destroy translation, initiation, and/or termination sequences, or to create variations in coding regions and/or form new restriction endonuclease sites or destroy preexisting ones, to facilitate further in vitro modification. Any technique for mutagenesis known in the art can be used, including but not limited to, chemical mutagenesis, in vitro site-directed mutagenesis (Hutchinson, C., et al., 1978, J. Biol. Chem 253:6551), use of TAB® linkers (Pharmacia), etc.

[0110] Manipulations of the lats sequence may also be made at the protein level. Included within the scope of the invention are lats protein fragments or other derivatives or analogs which are differentially modified during or after translation, e.g., by glycosylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, amidation, derivatization by known protecting/blocking groups, proteolytic cleavage, linkage to an antibody molecule or other cellular ligand, etc. Any of numerous chemical modifications may be carried out by known techniques, including but not limited to specific chemical cleavage by cyanogen bromide, trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, V8 protease, NaBH4; acetylation, formylation, oxidation, reduction; metabolic synthesis in the presence of tunicamycin; etc.

[0111] In addition, analogs and derivatives of lats can be chemically synthesized. For example, a peptide corresponding to a portion of a lats protein which comprises the desired domain (see Section 5.6.1), or which mediates the desired activity in vitro, can be synthesized by use of a peptide synthesizer. Furthermore, if desired, nonclassical amino acids or chemical amino acid analogs can be introduced as a substitution or addition into the lats sequence. Non-classical amino acids include but are not limited to the D-isomers of the common amino acids, α-amino isobutyric acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, Abu, 2-amino butyric acid, γ-Abu, ε-Ahx, 6-amino hexanoic acid, Aib, 2-amino isobutyric acid, 3-amino propionic acid, ornithine, norleucine, norvaline, hydroxyproline, sarcosine, citrulline, cysteic acid, t-butylglycine, t-butylalanine, phenylglycine, cyclohexylalanine, β-alanine, fluoro-amino acids, designer amino acids such as β-methyl amino acids, Cα-methyl amino acids, Nα-methyl amino acids, and amino acid analogs in general. Furthermore, the amino acid can be D (dextrorotary) or L (levorotary).

[0112] In a specific embodiment, the lats derivative is a chimeric, or fusion, protein comprising a lats protein or fragment thereof (preferably consisting of at least a domain or motif of the lats protein, or at least 10 amino acids of the lats protein) joined at its amino- or carboxy-terminus via a peptide bond to an amino acid sequence of a different protein. In one embodiment, such a chimeric protein is produced by recombinant expression of a nucleic acid encoding the protein (comprising a lats-coding sequence joined in-frame to a coding sequence for a different protein). Such a chimeric product can be made by ligating the appropriate nucleic acid sequences encoding the desired amino acid sequences to each other by methods known in the art, in the proper coding frame, and expressing the chimeric product by methods commonly known in the art. Alternatively, such a chimeric product may be made by protein synthetic techniques, e.g., by use of a peptide synthesizer. Chimeric genes comprising portions of lats fused to any heterologous protein-encoding sequences may be constructed. A specific embodiment relates to a chimeric protein comprising a fragment of lats of at least six amino acids.

[0113] In another specific embodiment, the lats derivative is a molecule comprising a region of homology with a lats protein. By way of example, in various embodiments, a first protein region can be considered “homologous” to a second protein region when the amino acid sequence of the first region is at least 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 90%, or 95% identical, when compared to any sequence in the second region of an equal number of amino acids as the number contained in the first region or when compared to an aligned sequence of the second region that has been aligned by a computer homology program known in the art. For example, a molecule can comprise one or more regions homologous to a lats domain (see Section 5.6.1) or a portion thereof.

[0114] Other specific embodiments of derivatives and analogs are described in the subsection below and examples sections infra.

[0115] 5.6.1. Derivatives of Lats Containing One or More Domains of the Protein

[0116] In a specific embodiment, the invention relates to lats derivatives and analogs, in particular lats fragments and derivatives of such fragments, that comprise, or alternatively consist of, one or more domains of a lats protein, including but not limited to a lats C-terminal domain 3 (LCD3), lats C-terminal domain 2 (LCD2), lats C-terminal domain 1 (LCD1), kinase domain, kinase subdomains, lats flanking domain (LFD) (amino-terminal to the kinase domain), lats split domain 1 (LSD1), lats split domain 2 (LSD2), SH3-binding domain, and opa repeat domain, functional (e.g., binding) fragments of any of the foregoing, or any combination of the foregoing. In particular examples relating to the human, mouse and Drosophila lats proteins, such domains are identified in Examples Sections 6 and 8, and in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 13.

[0117] A specific embodiment relates to molecules comprising specific fragments of lats that are those fragments in the respective lats protein most homologous to specific fragments of a human or mouse lats protein. A fragment comprising a domain of a lats homolog can be identified by protein analysis methods as described in Sections 5.3.2 or 6.

[0118] In a specific embodiment, a lats protein, derivative or analog is provided that has a kinase domain and has a phosphorylated serine situated within 20 residues upstream of an Ala-Pro-Glu consensus in subdomain eight of its kinase domain. In another embodiment, a lats protein derivative or analog is provided with a kinase domain and with a dephosphorylated serine situated within 20 residues upstream of an Ala-Pro-Glu consensus in subdomain eight of its kinase domain, or in which the serine situated within 20 residues upstream of that consensus has been deleted or substituted by another amino acid. In a specific embodiment, the invention provides various phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms of the lats protein, derivative, or analog that are active kinase forms. Both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of lats at different residues could potentially activate lats. In another specific embodiment, the invention provides various phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms of the lats protein, derivative or analog that are inactive kinase forms. Phosphorylation can be carried out by any methods known in the art, e.g., by use of a kinase. Dephosphorylation can be carried out by use of any methods known in the art, e.g., by use of a phosphatase.

[0119] Another specific embodiment relates to a derivative or analog of a lats protein that is a dominant-active protein kinase. Such a derivative or analog comprises a lats kinase domain that has been mutated so as to be dominantly active (exhibit constitutively active kinase activity). It is known that acidic residues such as Glu and Asp sometimes mimic a phosphorylated residue, and changing the phosphorylatable Ser or Thr residue in subdomain eight into a Glu or Asp residue has been previously used to produce constitutively active kinases (Mansour et al., 1994, Science 265:966-970). Thus, changing a serine or threonine residue situated within 20 residues upstream of an Ala-Pro-Glu consensus in subdomain eight of a lats kinase domain into another residue (e.g., Glu, Asp) may be used to make a dominant-active lats protein kinase. For example, changing Ser9l4 in Drosophila lats, or changing Ser909 in h-lats, into a Glu residue could produce a dominant active lats kinase.

[0120] Another specific embodiment relates to a derivative or analog of lats that is a dominant-negative protein kinase. Protein kinases can be mutated into dominant negative forms. Expression of a dominant negative protein kinase can suppress the activity of the wild-type form of the same kinase. Dominant negative forms of protein kinases are often obtained by expressing an inactive form of a kinase (Milarski and Saltiel, 1994, J. Biol. Chem. 269(33):21239-21243) or by expressing a noncatalytic domain of a kinase (Lu and Means, 1994, EMBO J. 12:2103-2113; Yarden et al., 1992, EMBO J. 11:2159-2166). Thus, a lats dominant-negative kinase can be obtained by mutating the kinase domain so as to be inactive (e.g., by deletion and/or point mutation). By way of example, a lats derivative that is a dominant-negative kinase is a lats protein that lacks a kinase domain but comprises one or more of the other domains of the lats protein; e.g., a lats protein derivative truncated at about the beginning of the kinase domain (i.e., a lats fragment containing only sequences amino-terminal to the kinase domain). By way of another example, a lats derivative that is a dominant-negative kinase is a lats protein in which one of the residues conserved among serine/threonine kinases (see Hanks et al., 1988, Science 241:42-52) is mutated (deleted or substituted by a different residue).

[0121] In another specific embodiment, a molecule is provided that comprises one or more domains (or functional portion thereof) of a lats protein but that also lacks one or more domains (or functional portion thereof) of a lats protein. In particular examples, lats protein derivatives are provided that lack an opa repeat domain. By way of another example, such a protein may also lack all or a portion of the kinase domain, but retain at least the SH3-binding domain of a lats protein. In another embodiment, a molecule is provided that comprises one or more domains (or functional portion thereof) of a lats protein, and that has one or more mutant (e.g., due to deletion or point mutation(s)) domains of a lats protein (e.g., such that the mutant domain has decreased function). By way of example, the kinase domain may be mutant so as to have reduced, absent, or increased kinase activity.

5.7. Assays of Lats Proteins, Derivatives and Analogs

[0122] The functional activity of lats proteins, derivatives and analogs can be assayed by various methods.

[0123] For example, in one embodiment, where one is assaying for the ability to bind or compete with wild-type lats for binding to anti-lats antibody, various immunoassays known in the art can be used, including but not limited to competitive and non-competitive assay systems using techniques such as radioimmunoassays, ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), “sandwich” immunoassays, immunoradiometric assays, gel diffusion precipitin reactions, immunodiffusion assays, in situ immunoassays (using colloidal gold, enzyme or radioisotope labels, for example), western blots, precipitation reactions, agglutination assays (e.g., gel agglutination assays, hemagglutination assays), complement fixation assays, immunofluorescence assays, protein A assays, and immunoelectrophoresis assays, etc. In one embodiment, antibody binding is detected by detecting a label on the primary antibody. In another embodiment, the primary antibody is detected by detecting binding of a secondary antibody or reagent to the primary antibody. In a further embodiment, the secondary antibody is labelled. Many means are known in the art for detecting binding in an immunoassay and are within the scope of the present invention.

[0124] In another embodiment, where a lats-binding protein is identified, the binding can be assayed, e.g., by means well-known in the art. In another embodiment, physiological correlates of lats binding to its substrates (signal transduction) can be assayed.

[0125] In another embodiment, kinase assays can be used to measure lats kinase activity. Such assays can be carried out by methods well known in the art. By way of example, a lats protein is contacted with a substrate (e.g., a known substrate of serine/threonine kinases) in the presence of a 32P-labeled phosphate donor, and any phosphorylation of the substrate is detected or measured.

[0126] In another embodiment, in insect or other model systems, genetic studies can be done to study the phenotypic effect of a lats mutant that is a derivative or analog of wild-type lats (see Section 6, infra).

[0127] In addition, assays that can be used to detect or measure the ability to inhibit, or alternatively promote, cell proliferation are described in Section 5.9.

[0128] Other methods will be known to the skilled artisan and are within the scope of the invention. cl 5.8. Therapeutic Uses

[0129] The invention provides for treatment or prevention of various diseases and disorders by administration of a therapeutic compound (termed herein “Therapeutic”). Such “Therapeutics” include but are not limited to: lats proteins and analogs and derivatives (including fragments) thereof (e.g., as described hereinabove); antibodies thereto (as described hereinabove); nucleic acids encoding the lats proteins, analogs, or derivatives (e.g., as described hereinabove); lats antisense nucleic acids, and lats agonists and antagonists. Disorders involving cell overproliferation are treated or prevented by administration of a Therapeutic that promotes lats function. Disorders in which cell proliferation is deficient or is desired are treated or prevented by administration of a Therapeutic that antagonizes (inhibits) lats function. The above is described in detail in the subsections below.

[0130] Generally, administration of products of a species origin or species reactivity (in the case of antibodies) that is the same species as that of the patient is preferred. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, a human lats protein, derivative, or analog, or nucleic acid, or an antibody to a human lats protein, is therapeutically or prophylactically administered to a human patient.

[0131] Additional descriptions and sources of Therapeutics that can be used according to the invention are found in Sections 5.1 through 5.7 herein.

[0132] 5.8.1. Treatment and Prevention of Disorders Involving Overproliferation of Cells

[0133] Diseases and disorders involving cell overproliferation are treated or prevented by administration of a Therapeutic that promotes (i.e., increases or supplies) lats function. Examples of such a Therapeutic include but are not limited to lats proteins, derivatives, or fragments that are functionally active, particularly that are active in inhibiting cell proliferation (e.g., as demonstrated in in vitro assays or in animal models or in Drosophila), and nucleic acids encoding a lats protein or functionally active derivative or fragment thereof (e.g., for use in gene therapy). Other Therapeutics that can be used, e.g., lats agonists, can be identified using in vitro assays or animal models, or assays in Drosophila, examples of which are described infra.

[0134] In specific embodiments, Therapeutics that promote lats function are administered therapeutically (including prophylactically): (1) in diseases or disorders involving an absence or decreased (relative to normal or desired) level of lats protein or function, for example, in patients where lats protein is lacking, genetically defective, biologically inactive or underactive, or underexpressed; or (2) in diseases or disorders wherein in vitro (or in vivo) assays (see infra) indicate the utility of lats agonist administration. The absence or decreased level in lats protein or function can be readily detected, e.g., by obtaining a patient tissue sample (e.g., from biopsy tissue) and assaying it in vitro for RNA or protein levels, structure and/or activity of the expressed lats RNA or protein. Many methods standard in the art can be thus employed, including but not limited to kinase assays, immunoassays to detect and/or visualize lats protein (e.g., Western blot, immunoprecipitation followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunocytochemistry, etc.) and/or hybridization assays to detect lats expression by detecting and/or visualizing lats mRNA (e.g., Northern assays, dot blots, in situ hybridization, etc.), etc.

[0135] Diseases and disorders involving cell overproliferation that can be treated or prevented include but are not limited to malignancies, premalignant conditions (e.g., hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia), benign tumors, hyperproliferative disorders, benign dysproliferative disorders, etc. Examples of these are detailed below.

[0136] In a specific embodiment, the Therapeutic used, that promotes lats function, is a lats protein, derivative or analog comprising a lats kinase domain (and optionally also a lats LFD, or the remainder of the lats sequence) in which a serine within 20 residues upstream of the Ala-Pro-Glu consensus in subdomain eight of the kinase domain is phosphorylated or substituted by another residue (e.g., Glu, Asp).

[0137] In another specific embodiment, the Therapeutic used, that promotes lats function, is a derivative or analog comprising a kinase domain of a lats protein that has been mutated so as to be dominantly active.

[0138] 5 .8.1.1. Malignancies

[0139] Malignancies and related disorders that can be treated or prevented by administration of a Therapeutic that promotes lats function include but are not limited to those listed in Table 1 (for a review of such disorders, see Fishman et al., 1985, Medicine, 2d Ed., J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia):

TABLE 1
MALIGNANCIES AND RELATED DISORDERS
Leukemia
acute leukemia
acute lymphocytic leukemia
acute myelocytic leukemia
myeloblastic
promyelocytic
myelomonocytic
monocytic
erythroleukemia
chronic leukemia
chronic myelocytic (granulocytic) leukemia
chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Polycythemia vera
Lymphoma
Hodgkin's disease
non-Hodgkin's disease
Multiple myeloma
Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
Heavy chain disease
Solid tumors
sarcomas and carcinomas
fibrosarcoma
myxosarcoma
liposarcoma
chondrosarcoma
osteogenic sarcoma
chordoma
angiosarcoma
endotheliosarcoma
lymphangiosarcoma
lymphangioendotheliosarcoma
synovioma
mesothelioma
Ewing's tumor
leiomyosarcoma
rhabdomyosarcoma
colon carcinoma
pancreatic cancer
breast cancer
ovarian cancer
prostate cancer
squamous cell carcinoma
basal cell carcinoma
adenocarcinoma
sweat gland carcinoma
sebaceous gland carcinoma
papillary carcinoma
papillary adenocarcinomas
cystadenocarcinoma
medullary carcinoma
bronchogenic carcinoma
renal cell carcinoma
hepatoma
bile duct carcinoma
choriocarcinoma
seminoma
embryonal carcinoma
Wilms' tumor
cervical cancer
uterine cancer
testicular tumor
lung carcinoma
small cell lung carcinoma
bladder carcinoma
epithelial carcinoma
glioma
astrocytoma
medulloblastoma
craniopharyngioma
ependymoma
pinealoma
hemangioblastoma
acoustic neuroma
oligodendroglioma
menangioma
melanoma
neuroblastoma
retinoblastoma

[0140] In specific embodiments, malignancy or dysproliferative changes (such as metaplasias and dysplasias), or hyperproliferative disorders, are treated or prevented in the bladder, breast, colon, lung, melanoma, pancreas, or uterus. In other specific embodiments, sarcoma, or leukemia is treated or prevented.

[0141] 5.8.1.2. Premalignant Conditions

[0142] The Therapeutics of the invention that promote lats activity can also be administered to treat premalignant conditions and to prevent progression to a neoplastic or malignant state, including but not limited to those disorders listed in Table 1. Such prophylactic or therapeutic use is indicated in conditions known or suspected of preceding progression to neoplasia or cancer, in particular, where non-neoplastic cell growth consisting of hyperplasia, metaplasia, or most particularly, dysplasia has occurred (for review of such abnormal growth conditions, see Robbins and Angell, 1976, Basic Pathology, 2d Ed., W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, pp. 68-79.) Hyperplasia is a form of controlled cell proliferation involving an increase in cell number in a tissue or organ, without significant alteration in structure or function. As but one example, endometrial hyperplasia often precedes endometrial cancer. Metaplasia is a form of controlled cell growth in which one type of adult or fully differentiated cell substitutes for another type of adult cell. Metaplasia can occur in epithelial or connective tissue cells. Atypical metaplasia involves a somewhat disorderly metaplastic epithelium. Dysplasia is frequently a forerunner of cancer, and is found mainly in the epithelia; it is the most disorderly form of non-neoplastic cell growth, involving a loss in individual cell uniformity and in the architectural orientation of cells. Dysplastic cells often have abnormally large, deeply stained nuclei, and exhibit pleomorphism. Dysplasia characteristically occurs where there exists chronic irritation or inflammation, and is often found in the cervix, respiratory passages, oral cavity, and gall bladder.

[0143] Alternatively or in addition to the presence of abnormal cell growth characterized as hyperplasia, metaplasia, or dysplasia, the presence of one or more characteristics of a transformed phenotype, or of a malignant phenotype, displayed in vivo or displayed in vitro by a cell sample from a patient, can indicate the desirability of prophylactic/therapeutic administration of a Therapeutic that promotes lats function. As mentioned supra, such characteristics of a transformed phenotype include morphology changes, looser substratum attachment, loss of contact inhibition, loss of anchorage dependence, protease release, increased sugar transport, decreased serum requirement, expression of fetal antigens, disappearance of the 250,000 dalton cell surface protein, etc. (see also id., at pp. 84-90 for characteristics associated with a transformed or malignant phenotype).

[0144] In a specific embodiment, leukoplakia, a benign-appearing hyperplastic or dysplastic lesion of the epithelium, or Bowen's disease, a carcinoma in situ, are pre-neoplastic lesions indicative of the desirability of prophylactic intervention.

[0145] In another embodiment, fibrocystic disease (cystic hyperplasia, mammary dysplasia, particularly adenosis (benign epithelial hyperplasia)) is indicative of the desirability of prophylactic intervention.

[0146] In other embodiments, a patient which exhibits one or more of the following predisposing factors for malignancy is treated by administration of an effective amount of a Therapeutic: a chromosomal translocation associated with a malignancy (e.g., the Philadelphia chromosome for chronic myelogenous leukemia, t(14;18) for follicular lymphoma, etc.), familial polyposis or Gardner's syndrome (possible forerunners of colon cancer), benign monoclonal gammopathy (a possible forerunner of multiple myeloma), and a first degree kinship with persons having a cancer or precancerous disease showing a Mendelian (genetic) inheritance pattern (e.g., familial polyposis of the colon, Gardner's syndrome, hereditary exostosis, polyendocrine adenomatosis, medullary thyroid carcinoma with amyloid production and pheochromocytoma, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, neurofibromatosis of Von Recklinghausen, retinoblastoma, carotid body tumor, cutaneous melanocarcinoma, intraocular melanocarcinoma, xeroderma piqmentosum, ataxia telangiectasia, Chediak-Higashi syndrome, albinism, Fanconi's aplastic anemia, and Bloom's syndrome; see Robbins and Angell, 1976, Basic Pathology, 2d Ed., W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, pp. 112-113) etc.)

[0147] In another specific embodiment, a Therapeutic of the invention is administered to a human patient to prevent progression to breast, colon, lung, pancreatic, or uterine cancer, or melanoma or sarcoma.

[0148] 5.8.1.3. Hyperproliferative and Dysproliferative Disorders

[0149] In another embodiment of the invention, a Therapeutic that promotes lats activity is used to treat or prevent hyperproliferative or benign dysproliferative disorders. Specific embodiments are directed to treatment or prevention of cirrhosis of the liver (a condition in which scarring has overtaken normal liver regeneration processes), treatment of keloid (hypertrophic scar) formation (disfiguring of the skin in which the scarring process interferes with normal renewal), psoriasis (a common skin condition characterized by excessive proliferation of the skin and delay in proper cell fate determination), benign tumors, fibrocystic conditions, and tissue hypertrophy (e.g., prostatic hyperplasia).

[0150] 5.8.1.4. Gene Therapy

[0151] In a specific embodiment, nucleic acids comprising a sequence encoding a lats protein or functional derivative thereof, are administered to promote lats function, by way of gene therapy. Gene therapy refers to therapy performed by the administration of a nucleic acid to a subject. In this embodiment of the invention, the nucleic acid produces its encoded protein that mediates a therapeutic effect by promoting lats function.

[0152] Any of the methods for gene therapy available in the art can be used according to the present invention. Exemplary methods are described below.

[0153] For general reviews of the methods of gene therapy, see Goldspiel et al., 1993, Clinical Pharmacy 12:488-505; Wu and Wu, 1991, Biotherapy 3:87-95; Tolstoshev, 1993, Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 32:573-596; Mulligan, 1993, Science 260:926-932; and Morgan and Anderson, 1993, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 62:191-217; May, 1993, TIBTECH 11(5):155-215). Methods commonly known in the art of recombinant DNA technology which can be used are described in Ausubel et al. (eds.), 1993, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, NY; and Kriegler, 1990, Gene Transfer and Expression, A Laboratory Manual, Stockton Press, NY.

[0154] In a preferred aspect, the Therapeutic comprises a lats nucleic acid that is part of an expression vector that expresses a lats protein or fragment or chimeric protein thereof in a suitable host. In particular, such a nucleic acid has a promoter operably linked to the lats coding region, said promoter being inducible or constitutive, and, optionally, tissue-specific. In another particular embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule is used in which the lats coding sequences and any other desired sequences are flanked by regions that promote homologous recombination at a desired site in the genome, thus providing for intrachromosomal expression of the lats nucleic acid (Koller and Smithies, 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8932-8935; Zijlstra et al., 1989, Nature 342:435-438).

[0155] Delivery of the nucleic acid into a patient may be either direct, in which case the patient is directly exposed to the nucleic acid or nucleic acid-carrying vector, or indirect, in which case, cells are first transformed with the nucleic acid in vitro, then transplanted into the patient. These two approaches are known, respectively, as in vivo or ex vivo gene therapy.

[0156] In a specific embodiment, the nucleic acid is directly administered in vivo, where it is expressed to produce the encoded product. This can be accomplished by any of numerous methods known in the art, e.g., by constructing it as part of an appropriate nucleic acid expression vector and administering it so that it becomes intracellular, e.g., by infection using a defective or attenuated retroviral or other viral vector (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,286), or by direct injection of naked DNA, or by use of microparticle bombardment (e.g., a gene gun; Biolistic, Dupont), or coating with lipids or cell-surface receptors or transfecting agents, encapsulation in liposomes, microparticles, or microcapsules, or by administering it in linkage to a peptide which is known to enter the nucleus, by administering it in linkage to a ligand subject to receptor-mediated endocytosis (see e.g., Wu and Wu, 1987, J. Biol. Chem. 262:4429-4432) (which can be used to target cell types specifically expressing the receptors), etc. In another embodiment, a nucleic acid-ligand complex can be formed in which the ligand comprises a fusogenic viral peptide to disrupt endosomes, allowing the nucleic acid to avoid lysosomal degradation. In yet another embodiment, the nucleic acid can be targeted in vivo for cell specific uptake and expression, by targeting a specific receptor (see, e.g., PCT Publications WO 92/06180 dated Apr. 16, 1992 (Wu et al.); WO 92/22635 dated Dec. 23, 1992 (Wilson et al.); WO92/20316 dated Nov. 26, 1992 (Findeis et al.); WO93/14188 dated Jul. 22, 1993 (Clarke et al.), WO 93/20221 dated Oct. 14, 1993 (Young)). Alternatively, the nucleic acid can be introduced intracellularly and incorporated within host cell DNA for expression, by homologous recombination (Koller and Smithies, 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8932-8935; Zijlstra et al., 1989, Nature 342:435-438).

[0157] In a specific embodiment, a viral vector that contains the lats nucleic acid is used. For example, a retroviral vector can be used (see Miller et al., 1993, Meth. Enzymol. 217:581-599). These retroviral vectors have been modified to delete retroviral sequences that are not necessary for packaging of the viral genome and integration into host cell DNA. The lats nucleic acid to be used in gene therapy is cloned into the vector, which facilitates delivery of the gene into a patient. More detail about retroviral vectors can be found in Boesen et al., 1994, Biotherapy 6:291-302, which describes the use of a retroviral vector to deliver the mdrl gene to hematopoietic stem cells in order to make the stem cells more resistant to chemotherapy. Other references illustrating the use of retroviral vectors in gene therapy are: Clowes et al., 1994, J. Clin. Invest. 93:644-651; Kiem et al., 1994, Blood 83:1467-1473; Salmons and Gunzberg, 1993, Human Gene Therapy 4:129-141; and Grossman and Wilson, 1993, Curr. Opin. in Genetics and Devel. 3:110-114.

[0158] Adenoviruses are other viral vectors that can be used in gene therapy. Adenoviruses are especially attractive vehicles for delivering genes to respiratory epithelia. Adenoviruses naturally infect respiratory epithelia where they cause a mild disease. Other targets for adenovirus-based delivery systems are liver, the central nervous system, endothelial cells, and muscle. Adenoviruses have the advantage of being capable of infecting non-dividing cells. Kozarsky and Wilson, 1993, Current Opinion in Genetics and Development 3:499-503 present a review of adenovirus-based gene therapy. Bout et al., 1994, Human Gene Therapy 5:3-10 demonstrated the use of adenovirus vectors to transfer genes to the respiratory epithelia of rhesus monkeys. Other instances of the use of adenoviruses in gene therapy can be found in Rosenfeld et al., 1991, Science 252:431-434; Rosenfeld et al., 1992, Cell 68:143-155; and Mastrangeli et al., 1993, J. Clin. Invest. 91:225-234.

[0159] Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has also been proposed for use in gene therapy (Walsh et al., 1993, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 204:289-300.

[0160] Another approach to gene therapy involves transferring a gene to cells in tissue culture by such methods as electroporation, lipofection, calcium phosphate mediated transfection, or viral infection. Usually, the method of transfer includes the transfer of a selectable marker to the cells. The cells are then placed under selection to isolate those cells that have taken up and are expressing the transferred gene. Those cells are then delivered to a patient.

[0161] In this embodiment, the nucleic acid is introduced into a cell prior to administration in vivo of the resulting recombinant cell. Such introduction can be carried out by any method known in the art, including but not limited to transfection, electroporation, microinjection, infection with a viral or bacteriophage vector containing the nucleic acid sequences, cell fusion, chromosome-mediated gene transfer, microcell-mediated gene transfer, spheroplast fusion, etc. Numerous techniques are known in the art for the introduction of foreign genes into cells (see e.g., Loeffler and Behr, 1993, Meth. Enzymol. 217:599-618; Cohen et al., 1993, Meth. Enzymol. 217:618-644; Cline, 1985, Pharmac. Ther. 29:69-92) and may be used in accordance with the present invention, provided that the necessary developmental and physiological functions of the recipient cells are not disrupted. The technique should provide for the stable transfer of the nucleic acid to the cell, so that the nucleic acid is expressible by the cell and preferably heritable and expressible by its cell progeny.

[0162] The resulting recombinant cells can be delivered to a patient by various methods known in the art. In a preferred embodiment, epithelial cells are injected, e.g., subcutaneously. In another embodiment, recombinant skin cells may be applied as a skin graft onto the patient. Recombinant blood cells (e.g., hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells) are preferably-administered intravenously. The amount of cells envisioned for use depends on the desired effect, patient state, etc., and can be determined by one skilled in the art.

[0163] Cells into which a nucleic acid can be introduced for purposes of gene therapy encompass any desired, available cell type, and include but are not limited to epithelial cells, endothelial cells, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, muscle cells, hepatocytes; blood cells such as T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, megakaryocytes, granulocytes; various stem or progenitor cells, in particular hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, e.g., as obtained from bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, fetal liver, etc.

[0164] In a preferred embodiment, the cell used for gene therapy is autologous to the patient.

[0165] In an embodiment in which recombinant cells are used in gene therapy, a lats nucleic acid is introduced into the cells such that it is expressible by the cells or their progeny, and the recombinant cells are then administered in vivo for therapeutic effect. In a specific embodiment, stem or progenitor cells are used. Any stem and/or progenitor cells which can be isolated and maintained in vitro can potentially be used in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention. Such stem cells include but are not limited to hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), stem cells of epithelial tissues such as the skin and the lining of the gut, embryonic heart muscle cells, liver stem cells (PCT Publication WO 94/08598, dated Apr. 28, 1994), and neural stem cells (Stemple and Anderson, 1992, Cell 71:973-985).

[0166] Epithelial stem cells (ESCs) or keratinocytes can be obtained from tissues such as the skin and the lining of the gut by known procedures (Rheinwald, 1980, Meth. Cell Bio. 21A:229). In stratified epithelial tissue such as the skin, renewal occurs by mitosis of stem cells within the germinal layer, the layer closest to the basal lamina. Stem cells within the lining of the gut provide for a rapid renewal rate of this tissue. ESCs or keratinocytes obtained from the skin or lining of the gut of a patient or donor can be grown in tissue culture (Rheinwald, 1980, Meth. Cell Bio. 21A:229; Pittelkow and Scott, 1986, Mayo Clinic Proc. 61:771). If the ESCs are provided by a donor, a method for suppression of host versus graft reactivity (e.g., irradiation, drug or antibody administration to promote moderate immunosuppression) can also be used.

[0167] With respect to hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), any technique which provides for the isolation, propagation, and maintenance in vitro of HSC can be used in this embodiment of the invention. Techniques by which this may be accomplished include (a) the isolation and establishment of HSC cultures from bone marrow cells isolated from the future host, or a donor, or (b) the use of previously established long-term HSC cultures, which may be allogeneic or xenogeneic. Non-autologous HSC are used preferably in conjunction with a method of suppressing transplantation immune reactions of the future host/patient. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, human bone marrow cells can be obtained from the posterior iliac crest by needle aspiration (see, e.g., Kodo et al., 1984, J. Clin. Invest. 73:1377-1384). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the HSCs can be made highly enriched or in substantially pure form. This enrichment can be accomplished before, during, or after long-term culturing, and can be done by any techniques known in the art. Long-term cultures of bone marrow cells can be established and maintained by using, for example, modified Dexter cell culture techniques (Dexter et al., 1977, J. Cell Physiol. 91:335) or Witlock-Witte culture techniques (Witlock and Witte, 1982, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79:3608-3612).

[0168] In a specific embodiment, the nucleic acid to be introduced for purposes of gene therapy comprises an inducible promoter operably linked to the coding region, such that expression of the nucleic acid is controllable by controlling the presence or absence of the appropriate inducer of transcription.

[0169] Additional methods that can be adapted for use to deliver a nucleic acid encoding a lats protein or functional derivative thereof are described in Section 5.8.2.2.2.

[0170] 5.8.2. Treatment and Prevention of Disorders in which Cell Proliferation is Desired

[0171] Diseases and disorders involving a deficiency in cell proliferation (growth) or in which cell proliferation is otherwise desirable for treatment or prevention, are treated or prevented by administration of a Therapeutic that antagonizes (inhibits) lats function (in particular, lats-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation). Therapeutics that can be used include but are not limited to anti-lats antibodies (and fragments and derivatives thereof containing the binding region thereof), lats derivatives or analogs that are dominant-negative kinases, lats antisense nucleic acids, and lats nucleic acids that are dysfunctional (e.g., due to a heterologous (non-lats sequence) insertion within the lats coding sequence) that are used to “knockout” endogenous lats function by homologous recombination (see, e.g., Capecchi, 1989, Science 244:1288-1292). In a specific embodiment of the invention, a nucleic acid containing a portion of a lats gene in which lats sequences flank (are both 5′ and 3′ to) a different gene sequence, is used, as a lats antagonist, to promote lats inactivation by homologous recombination (see also Koller and Smithies, 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8932-8935; Zijlstra et al., 1989, Nature 342:435-438). Other Therapeutics that inhibit lats function can be identified by use of known convenient in vitro assays, e.g., based on their ability to inhibit binding of lats to another protein (e.g., an SH3-domain containing protein), or inhibit any known lats function, as preferably assayed in vitro or in cell culture, although genetic assays (e.g., in Drosophila) may also be employed. Preferably, suitable in vitro or in vivo assays, are utilized to determine the effect of a specific Therapeutic and whether its administration is indicated for treatment of the affected tissue.

[0172] In specific embodiments, Therapeutics that inhibit lats function are administered therapeutically (including prophylactically): (1) in diseases or disorders involving an increased (relative to normal or desired) level of lats protein or function, for example, in patients where lats protein is overactive or overexpressed; or (2) in diseases or disorders wherein in vitro (or in vivo) assays (see infra) indicate the utility of lats antagonist administration. The increased levels in lats protein or function can be readily detected, e.g., by quantifying protein and/or RNA, by obtaining a patient tissue sample (e.g., from biopsy tissue) and assaying it in vitro for RNA or protein levels, structure and/or activity of the expressed lats RNA or protein. Many methods standard in the art can be thus employed, including but not limited to kinase assays, immunoassays to detect and/or visualize lats protein (e.g., Western blot, immunoprecipitation followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunocytochemistry, etc.) and/or hybridization assays to detect lats expression by detecting and/or visualizing respectively lats mRNA (e.g., Northern assays, dot blots, in situ hybridization, etc.), etc.

[0173] Diseases and disorders involving a deficiency in cell proliferation or in which cell proliferation is desired for treatment or prevention, and that can be treated or prevented by inhibiting lats function, include but are not limited to degenerative disorders, growth deficiencies, hypoproliferative disorders, physical trauma, lesions, and wounds; for example, to promote wound healing, or to promote regeneration in degenerated, lesioned or injured tissues, etc. In a specific embodiment, nervous system disorders are treated. In another specific embodiment, a disorder that is not of the nervous system is treated.

[0174] Lesions which may be treated according to the present invention include but are not limited to the following lesions:

[0175] (i) traumatic lesions, including lesions caused by physical injury or associated with surgery;

[0176] (ii) ischemic lesions, in which a lack of oxygen results in cell injury or death, e.g., myocardial or cerebral infarction or ischemia, or spinal cord infarction or ischemia;

[0177] (iii) malignant lesions, in which cells are destroyed or injured by malignant tissue;

[0178] (iv) infectious lesions, in which tissue is destroyed or injured as a result of infection, for example, by an abscess or associated with infection by human immunodeficiency virus, herpes zoster, or herpes simplex virus or with Lyme disease, tuberculosis, syphilis;

[0179] (v) degenerative lesions, in which tissue is destroyed or injured as a result of a degenerative process, including but not limited to nervous system degeneration associated with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's chorea, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;

[0180] (vi) lesions associated with nutritional diseases or disorders, in which tissue is destroyed or injured by a nutritional disorder or disorder of metabolism including but not limited to, vitamin B12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency, Wernicke disease, tobacco-alcohol amblyopia, Marchiafava-Bignami disease (primary degeneration of the corpus callosum), and alcoholic cerebellar degeneration;

[0181] (vii) lesions associated with systemic diseases including but not limited to diabetes or systemic lupus erythematosus;

[0182] (viii) lesions caused by toxic substances including alcohol, lead, or other toxins; and

[0183] (ix) demyelinated lesions of the nervous system, in which a portion of the nervous system is destroyed or injured by a demyelinating disease including but not limited to multiple sclerosis, human immunodeficiency virus-associated myelopathy, transverse myelopathy or various etiologies, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and central pontine myelinolysis.

[0184] Nervous system lesions which may be treated in a patient (including human and non-human mammalian patients) according to the invention include but are not limited to the lesions of either the central (including spinal cord, brain) or peripheral nervous systems.

[0185] Therapeutics which are useful according to this embodiment of the invention for treatment of a disorder may be selected by testing for biological activity in promoting the survival or differentiation of cells (see also Section 5.9). For example, in a specific embodiment relating to therapy of the nervous system, a Therapeutic which elicits one of the following effects may be useful according to the invention:

[0186] (i) increased sprouting of neurons in culture or in vivo;

[0187] (ii) increased production of a neuron-associated molecule in culture or in vivo, e.g., choline acetyltransferase or acetylcholinesterase with respect to motor neurons; or

[0188] (iii) decreased symptoms of neuron dysfunction in vivo.

[0189] Such effects may be measured by any method known in the art. In preferred, non-limiting embodiments, increased sprouting of neurons may be detected by methods set forth in Pestronk et al. (1980, Exp. Neurol. 70:65-82) or Brown et al. (1981, Ann. Rev. Neurosci. 4:17-42); and increased production of neuron-associated molecules may be measured by bioassay, enzymatic assay, antibody binding, Northern blot assay, etc., depending on the molecule to be measured.

[0190] 5.8.2.1. Antisense Regulation of Lats Expression

[0191] In a specific embodiment, lats function is inhibited by use of lats antisense nucleic acids. The present invention provides the therapeutic or prophylactic use of nucleic acids of at least six nucleotides that are antisense to a gene or cDNA encoding lats or a portion thereof. A lats “antisense” nucleic acid as used herein refers to a nucleic acid capable of hybridizing to a portion of a lats RNA (preferably mRNA) by virtue of some sequence complementarity. The antisense nucleic acid may be complementary to a coding and/or noncoding region of a lats mRNA. Such antisense nucleic acids have utility as Therapeutics that inhibits lats function, and can be used in the treatment or prevention of disorders as described supra in Section 5.8.2 and its subsections.

[0192] The antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be oligonucleotides that are double-stranded or single-stranded, RNA or DNA or a modification or derivative thereof, which can be directly administered to a cell, or which can be produced intracellularly by transcription of exogenous, introduced sequences.

[0193] In a specific embodiment, the lats antisense nucleic acids provided by the instant invention can be used to promote regeneration or wound healing or to promote growth (larger size).

[0194] The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of the lats antisense nucleic acids of the invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, as described infra.

[0195] In another embodiment, the invention is directed to methods for inhibiting the expression of a lats nucleic acid sequence in a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell comprising providing the cell with an effective amount of a composition comprising an lats antisense nucleic acid of the invention.

[0196] Lats antisense nucleic acids and their uses are described in detail below.

[0197] 5.8.2.1.1. Lats Antisense Nucleic Acids

[0198] The lats antisense nucleic acids are of at least six nucleotides and are preferably oligonucleotides (ranging from 6 to about 50 oligonucleotides). In specific aspects, the oligonucleotide is at least 10 nucleotides, at least 15 nucleotides, at least 100 nucleotides, or at least 200 nucleotides. The oligonucleotides can be DNA or RNA or chimeric mixtures or derivatives or modified versions thereof, single-stranded or double-stranded. The oligonucleotide can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety, or phosphate backbone. The oligonucleotide may include other appending groups such as peptides, or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al., 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al., 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. WO 88/09810, published Dec. 15, 1988) or blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. WO 89/10134, published Apr. 25, 1988), hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (see, e.g., Krol et al., 1988, BioTechniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents (see, e.g., Zon, 1988, Pharm. Res. 5:539-549).

[0199] In a preferred aspect of the invention, a lats antisense oligonucleotide is provided, preferably of single-stranded DNA. In a most preferred aspect, such an oligonucleotide comprises a sequence antisense to the sequence encoding an SH3 binding domain or a kinase domain of a lats protein, most preferably, of a human lats protein.

[0200] The oligonucleotide may be modified at any position on its structure with substituents generally known in the art.

[0201] The lats antisense oligonucleotide may comprise at least one modified base moiety which is selected from the group including but not limited to 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5,-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine.

[0202] In another embodiment, the oligonucleotide comprises at least one modified sugar moiety selected from the group including but not limited to arabinose, 2-fluoroarabinose, xylulose, and hexose.

[0203] In yet another embodiment, the oligonucleotide comprises at least one modified phosphate backbone-selected from the group consisting of a phosphorothioate, a phosphorodithioate, a phosphoramidothioate, a phosphoramidate, a phosphordiamidate, a methylphosphonate, an alkyl phosphotriester, and a formacetal or analog thereof.

[0204] In yet another embodiment, the oligonucleotide is an α-anomeric oligonucleotide. An α-anomeric oligonucleotide forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gautier et al., 1987, Nucl. Acids Res. 15:6625-6641).

[0205] The oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, hybridization-triggered cleavage agent, etc.

[0206] Oligonucleotides of the invention may be synthesized by standard methods known in the art, e.g. by use of an automated DNA synthesizer (such as are commercially available from Biosearch, Applied Biosystems, etc.). As examples, phosphorothioate oligonucleotides may be synthesized by the method of Stein et al. (1988, Nucl. Acids Res. 16:3209), methylphosphonate oligonucleotides can be prepared by use of controlled pore glass polymer supports (Sarin et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85:7448-7451), etc.

[0207] In a specific embodiment, the lats antisense oligonucleotide comprises catalytic RNA, or a ribozyme (see, e.g., PCT International Publication WO 90/11364, published Oct. 4, 1990; Sarver et al., 1990, Science 247:1222-1225). In another embodiment, the oligonucleotide is a 2′-0-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al., 1987, Nucl. Acids Res. 15:6131-6148), or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al., 1987, FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

[0208] In an alternative embodiment, the lats antisense nucleic acid of the invention is produced intracellularly by transcription from an exogenous sequence. For example, a vector can be introduced in vivo such that it is taken up by a cell, within which cell the vector or a portion thereof is transcribed, producing an antisense nucleic acid (RNA) of the invention. Such a vector would contain a sequence encoding the lats antisense nucleic acid. Such a vector can remain episomal or become chromosomally integrated, as long as it can be transcribed to produce the desired antisense RNA. Such vectors can be constructed by recombinant DNA technology methods standard in the art. Vectors can be plasmid, viral, or others known in the art, used for replication and expression in mammalian cells. Expression of the sequence encoding the lats antisense RNA can be by any promoter known in the art to act in mammalian, preferably human, cells. Such promoters can be inducible or constitutive. Such promoters include but are not limited to: the SV40 early promoter region (Bernoist and Chambon, 1981, Nature 290:304-310), the promoter contained in the 3′ long terminal repeat of Rous sarcoma virus (Yamamoto et al., 1980, Cell 22:787-797), the herpes thymidine kinase promoter (Wagner et al., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:1441-1445), the regulatory sequences of the metallothionein gene (Brinster et al., 1982, Nature 296:39-42), etc.

[0209] The antisense nucleic acids of the invention comprise a sequence complementary to at least a portion of an S RNA transcript of a lats gene, preferably a human lats gene. However, absolute complementarity, although preferred, is not required. A sequence “complementary to at least a portion of an RNA,” as referred to herein, means a sequence having sufficient complementarity to be able to hybridize with the RNA, forming a stable duplex; in the case of double-stranded lats antisense nucleic acids, a single strand of the duplex DNA may thus be tested, or triplex formation may be assayed. The ability to hybridize will depend on both the degree of complementarity and the length of the ahtisense nucleic acid. Generally, the longer the hybridizing nucleic acid, the more base mismatches with a lats RNA it may contain and still form a stable duplex (or triplex, as the case may be). One skilled in the art can ascertain a tolerable degree of mismatch by use of standard procedures to determine the melting point of the hybridized complex.

[0210] 5.8.2.1.2. Therapeutic Use of Lats Antisense Nucleic Acids

[0211] The lats antisense nucleic acids can be used to treat (or prevent) disorders of a cell type that expresses, or preferably overexpresses, lats. In a specific embodiment, such a disorder is a growth deficiency. In a preferred embodiment, a single-stranded DNA antisense lats oligonucleotide is used.

[0212] Cell types which express or overexpress lats RNA can be identified by various methods known in the art. Such methods include but are not limited to hybridization with a lats-specific nucleic acid (e.g. by Northern hybridization, dot blot hybridization, in situ hybridization), observing the ability of RNA from the cell type to be translated in vitro into lats, immunoassay, etc. In a preferred aspect, primary tissue from a patient can be assayed for lats expression prior to treatment, e.g., by immunocytochemistry or in situ hybridization.

[0213] Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention (see Section 5.10), comprising an effective amount of a lats antisense nucleic acid in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, can be administered to a patient having a disease or disorder which is of a type that expresses or overexpresses lats RNA or protein.

[0214] The amount of lats antisense nucleic acid which will be effective in the treatment of a particular disorder or condition will depend on the nature of the disorder or condition, and can be determined by standard clinical techniques. Where possible, it is desirable to determine the antisense cytotoxicity of the tumor type to be treated in vitro, and then in useful animal model systems prior to testing and use in humans.

[0215] In a specific embodiment, pharmaceutical compositions comprising lats antisense nucleic acids are administered via liposomes, microparticles, or microcapsules. In various embodiments of the invention, it may be useful to use such compositions to achieve sustained release of the lats antisense nucleic acids. In a specific embodiment, it may be desirable to utilize liposomes targeted via antibodies to specific identifiable tumor antigens (Leonetti et al., 1990, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87:2448-2451; Renneisen et al., 1990, J. Biol. Chem. 265:16337-16342).

[0216] Additional methods that can be adapted for use to deliver a lats antisense nucleic acid are described in Section 5.8.1.4.

5.9. Demonstration of Therapeutic or Prophylactic Utility

[0217] The Therapeutics of the invention are preferably tested in vitro, and then in vivo for the desired therapeutic or prophylactic activity, prior to use in humans. For example, In vitro assays which can be used to determine whether administration of a specific Therapeutic is indicated, include in vitro cell culture assays in which a patient tissue sample is grown in culture, and exposed to or otherwise administered a Therapeutic, and the effect of such Therapeutic upon the tissue sample is observed. In one embodiment, where the patient has a malignancy, a sample of cells from such malignancy is plated out or grown in culture, and the cells are then exposed to a Therapeutic. A Therapeutic which inhibits survival or growth of the malignant cells is selected for therapeutic use in vivo. Many assays standard in the art can be used to assess such survival and/or growth; for example, cell proliferation can be assayed by measuring 3H-thymidine incorporation, by direct cell count, by detecting changes in transcriptional activity of known genes such as proto-oncogenes (e.g., fos, myc) or cell cycle markers; cell viability can be assessed by trypan blue staining, differentiation can be assessed visually based on changes in morphology, etc.

[0218] In another embodiment, a Therapeutic is indicated for use which exhibits the desired effect, inhibition or promotion of cell growth, upon a patient cell sample from tissue having or suspected of having a hyper- or hypoproliferative disorder, respectively. Such hyper- or hypoproliferative disorders include but are not limited to those described in Sections 5.8.1 through 5.8.3 infra.

[0219] In another specific embodiment, a Therapeutic is indicated for use in treating cell injury or a degenerative disorder (see Section 5.8.2) which exhibits in vitro promotion of growth/proliferation of cells of the affected patient type. Regarding nervous system disorders, see also Section 5.8.2.1 for assays that can be used.

[0220] In various specific embodiments, in vitro assays can be carried out with representative cells of cell types involved in a patient's disorder, to determine if a Therapeutic has a desired effect upon such cell types.

[0221] In another embodiment, cells of a patient tissue sample suspected of being pre-neoplastic are similarly plated out or grown in vitro, and exposed to a Therapeutic. The Therapeutic which results in a cell phenotype that is more normal (i.e., less representative of a pre-neoplastic state, neoplastic state, malignant state, or transformed phenotype) is selected for therapeutic use. Many assays standard in the art can be used to assess whether a pre-neoplastic state, neoplastic state, or a transformed or malignant phenotype, is present. For example, characteristics associated with a transformed phenotype (a set of in vitro characteristics associated with a tumorigenic ability in vivo) include a more rounded cell morphology, looser substratum attachment, loss of contact inhibition, loss of anchorage dependence, release of proteases such as plasminogen activator, increased sugar transport, decreased serum requirement, expression of fetal antigens, disappearance of the 250,000 dalton surface protein, etc. (see Luria et al., 1978, General Virology, 3d Ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York pp. 436-446).

[0222] In other specific embodiments, the in vitro assays described supra can be carried out using a cell line, rather than a cell sample derived from the specific patient to be treated, in which the cell line is derived fromor displays characteristic(s) associated with the malignant, neoplastic or pre-neoplastic disorder desired to be treated or prevented, or is derived from the cell type upon which an effect is desired, according to the present invention.

[0223] Compounds for use in therapy can be tested in suitable animal model systems prior to testing in humans, including but not limited to rats, mice, chicken, cows, monkeys, rabbits, etc. For in vivo testing, prior to administration to humans, any animal model system known in the art may be used.

5.10. Therapeutic/Prophylactic Administration and Compositions

[0224] The invention provides methods of treatment (and prophylaxis) by administration to a subject of an effective amount of a Therapeutic of the invention. In a preferred aspect, the Therapeutic is substantially purified. The subject is preferably an animal, including but not limited to animals such as cows, pigs, horses, chickens, cats, dogs, etc., and is preferably a mammal, and most preferably human. In a specific embodiment, a non-human mammal is the subject.

[0225] Formulations and methods of administration that can be employed when the Therapeutic comprises a nucleic acid are described in Sections 5.8.1.4 and 5.8.2.2 above; additional appropriate formulations and routes of administration can be selected from among those described hereinbelow.

[0226] Various delivery systems are known and can be used to administer a Therapeutic of the invention, e.g., encapsulation in liposomes, microparticles, microcapsules, recombinant cells capable of expressing the Therapeutic, receptor-mediated endocytosis (see, e.g., Wu and Wu, 1987, J. Biol. Chem. 262:4429-4432), construction of a Therapeutic nucleic acid as part of a retroviral or other vector, etc. Methods of introduction include but are not limited to intradermal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, subcutaneous, intranasal, epidural, and oral routes. The compounds may be administered by any convenient route, for example by infusion or bolus injection, by absorption through epithelial or mucocutaneous linings (e.g., oral mucosa, rectal and intestinal mucosa, etc.) and may be administered together with other biologically active agents. Administration can be systemic or local. In addition, it may be desirable to introduce the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention into the central nervous system by any suitable route, including intraventricular and intrathecal injection; intraventricular injection may be facilitated by an intraventricular catheter, for example, attached to a reservoir, such as an Ommaya reservoir. Pulmonary administration can also be employed, e.g., by use of an inhaler or nebulizer, and formulation with an aerosolizing agent.

[0227] In a specific embodiment, it may be desirable to administer the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention locally to the area in need of treatment; this may be achieved by, for example, and not by way of limitation, local infusion during surgery, topical application, e.g., in conjunction with a wound dressing after surgery, by injection, by means of a catheter, by means of a suppository, or by means of an implant, said implant being of a porous, non-porous, or gelatinous material, including membranes, such as sialastic membranes, or fibers. In one embodiment, administration can be by direct injection at the site (or former site) of a malignant tumor or neoplastic or pre-neoplastic tissue.

[0228] In another embodiment, the Therapeutic can be delivered in a vesicle, in particular a liposome (see Langer, Science 249:1527-1533 (1990); Treat et al., in Liposomes in the Therapy of Infectious Disease and Cancer, Lopez-Berestein and Fidler (eds.), Liss, New York, pp. 353-365 (1989); Lopez-Berestein, ibid., pp. 317-327; see generally ibid.)

[0229] In yet another embodiment, the Therapeutic can be delivered in a controlled release system. In one embodiment, a pump may be used (see Langer, supra; Sefton, CRC Crit. Ref. Biomed. Eng. 14:201 (1987); Buchwald et al., Surgery 88:507 (1980); Saudek et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 321:574 (1989)). In another embodiment, polymeric materials can be used (see Medical Applications of Controlled Release, Langer and Wise (eds.), CRC Pres., Boca Raton, Fla. (1974); Controlled Drug Bioavailability, Drug Product Design and Performance, Smolen and Ball (eds.), Wiley, N.Y. (1984); Ranger and Peppas, J. Macromol. Sci. Rev. Macromol. Chem. 23:61 (1983); see also Levy et al., Science 228:190 (1985); During et al., Ann. Neurol. 25:351 (1989); Howard et al., J. Neurosurg. 71:105 (1989)). In yet another embodiment, a controlled release system can be placed in proximity of the therapeutic target, i.e., the brain, thus requiring only a fraction of the systemic dose (see, e.g., Goodson, in Medical Applications of Controlled Release, supra, vol. 2, pp. 115-138 (1984)).

[0230] Other controlled release systems are discussed in the review by Langer (Science 249:1527-1533 (1990)).

[0231] In a specific embodiment where the Therapeutic is a nucleic acid encoding a protein Therapeutic, the nucleic acid can be administered in vivo to promote expression of its encoded protein, by constructing it as part of an appropriate nucleic acid expression vector and administering it so that it becomes intracellular, e.g., by use of a retroviral vector (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,286), or by direct injection, or by use of microparticle bombardment (e.g., a gene gun; Biolistic, Dupont), or coating with lipids or cell-surface receptors or transfecting agents, or by administering it in linkage to a homeobox-like peptide which is known to enter the nucleus (see e.g., Joliot et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:1864-1868), etc. Alternatively, a nucleic acid Therapeutic can be introduced intracellularly and incorporated within host cell DNA for expression, by homologous recombination.

[0232] The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions. Such compositions comprise a therapeutically effective amount of a Therapeutic, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In a specific embodiment, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable” means approved by a regulatory agency of the Federal or a state government or listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia or other generally recognized pharmacopeia for use in animals, and more particularly in humans. The term “carrier” refers to a diluent, adjuvant, excipient, or vehicle with which the therapeutic is administered. Such pharmaceutical carriers can be sterile liquids, such as water and oils, including those of petroleum, animal, vegetable or synthetic origin, such as peanut oil, soybean oil, mineral oil, sesame oil and the like. Water is a preferred carrier when the pharmaceutical composition is administered intravenously. Saline solutions and aqueous dextrose and glycerol solutions can also be employed as liquid carriers, particularly for injectable solutions. Suitable pharmaceutical excipients include starch, glucose, lactose, sucrose, gelatin, malt, rice, flour, chalk, silica gel, sodium stearate, glycerol monostearate, talc, sodium chloride, dried skim milk, glycerol, propylene, glycol, water, ethanol and the like. The composition, if desired, can also contain minor amounts of wetting or emulsifying agents, or pH buffering agents. These compositions can take the form of solutions, suspensions, emulsion, tablets, pills, capsules, powders, sustained-release formulations and the like. The composition can be formulated as a suppository, with traditional binders and carriers such as triglycerides. Oral formulation can include standard carriers such as pharmaceutical grades of mannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharine, cellulose, magnesium carbonate, etc. Examples of suitable pharmaceutical carriers are described in “Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences” by E. W. Martin. Such compositions will contain a therapeutically effective amount of the Therapeutic, preferably in purified form, together with a suitable amount of carrier so as to provide the form for proper administration to the patient. The formulation should suit the mode of administration.

[0233] In a preferred embodiment, the composition is formulated in accordance with routine procedures as a pharmaceutical composition adapted for intravenous administration to human beings. Typically, compositions for intravenous administration are solutions in sterile isotonic aqueous buffer. Where necessary, the composition may also include a solubilizing agent and a local anesthetic such as lignocaine to ease pain at the site of the injection. Generally, the ingredients are supplied either separately or mixed together in unit dosage form, for example, as a dry lyophilized powder or water free concentrate in a hermetically sealed container such as an ampoule or sachette indicating the quantity of active agent. Where the composition is to be administered by infusion, it can be dispensed with an infusion bottle containing sterile pharmaceutical grade water or saline. Where the composition is administered by injection, an ampoule of sterile water for injection or saline can be provided so that the ingredients may be mixed prior to administration.

[0234] The Therapeutics of the invention can be formulated as neutral or salt forms. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts include those formed with free amino groups such as those derived from hydrochloric, phosphoric, acetic, oxalic, tartaric acids, etc., and those formed with free carboxyl groups such as those derived from sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium, ferric hydroxides, isopropylamine, triethylamine, 2-ethylamino ethanol, histidine, procaine, etc.

[0235] The amount of the Therapeutic of the invention which will be effective in the treatment of a particular disorder or condition will depend on the nature of the disorder or condition, and can be determined by standard clinical techniques. In addition, in vitro assays may optionally be employed to help identify optimal dosage ranges. The precise dose to be employed in the formulation will also depend on the route of administration, and the seriousness of the disease or disorder, and should be decided according to the judgment of the practitioner and each patient's circumstances. However, suitable dosage ranges for intravenous administration are generally about 20-500 micrograms of active compound per kilogram body weight. Suitable dosage ranges for intranasal administration are generally about 0.01 pg/kg body weight to 1 mg/kg body weight. Effective doses may be extrapolated from dose-response curves derived from in vitro or animal model test systems.

[0236] Suppositories generally contain active ingredient in the range of 0.5% to 10% by weight; oral formulations preferably contain 10% to 95% active ingredient.

[0237] The invention also provides a pharmaceutical pack or kit comprising one or more containers filled with one or more of the ingredients of the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention. Optionally associated with such container(s) can be a notice in the form prescribed by a governmental agency regulating the manufacture, use or sale of pharmaceuticals or biological products, which notice reflects approval by the agency of manufacture, use or sale for human administration.

5.11. Additional Use of Inhibition of Lats Function to Promote Increased Growth

[0238] Inhibition of lats function (e.g., by administering a compound that inhibits lats function as described in Sections 5.8.2 through 5.8.2.1.2 above), has utility that is not limited to therapeutic or prophylactic applications. For example, lats function can be inhibited in order to increase growth of animals (e.g., cows, horses, pigs, goats, deer, chickens) and plants (particularly edible plants, e.g., tomatoes, melons, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables), particularly those that are food or material sources. For example, antisense inhibition (preferably where the lats antisense nucleic acid is under the control of a tissue-specific promoter) can be used in plants or animals to increase growth where desired (e.g., in the fruit or muscle). For example, a lats antisense nucleic acid under the control of a temperature-sensitive promoter can be administered to a plant or animal, and the desired portion of the (or the entire) plant or animal can be subjected to heat in order to induce antisense nucleic acid production, resulting lats inhibition, and resulting cell proliferation. In other embodiments, chemical mutagenesis, or homologous recombination with an insertionally inactivated lats gene (see Capecchi, 1989, Science 244:1288-1292 and Section 5.14 infra) can be carried out to reduce or destroy endogenous lats function, in order to achieve increased growth. Suitable methods, modes of administration and compositions, that can be used to inhibit lats function are described in Sections 5.8.2 through 5.8.2.1.2, above. Methods to make plants recombinant are commonly known in the art and can be used. Regarding methods of plant transformation (e.g., for transformation with a lats antisense nucleic acid or with a sequence encoding a lats derivative that is a dominant-negative kinase), see e.g., Valvekens et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:5536-5540. Regarding methods of targeted gene inactivation in plants (e.g., to inactivate lats), see e.g., Miao and Lam, 1995, The Plant J. 7:359-365.

[0239] Inhibition of lats function can also have uses in vitro, e.g., to expand cells in vitro, including but not limited to stem cells, progenitor cells, muscle cells, fibroblasts, liver cells, etc., e.g., to grow cells/tissue in vitro prior to administration to a patient (preferably a patient from which the cells were derived), etc.

5.12. Additional Use of Inhibition of Lats Function to Inhibit Cellular Senescence

[0240] Inhibition of lats function (e.g., by administering a compound that inhibits lats function as-described in Sections 5.8.2 through 5.8.2.1.2 above), also has utility in the inhibition of cellular senescence. Thus, inhibition of lats function can be carried out to delay or prevent the onset of cellular senescence, in vivo or in vitro. In a specific embodiment, cellular senescence is delayed or prevented without incurring the onset of cell malignancy or its in vitro correlate, a transformed phenotype.

[0241] Thus, for example, a lats antagonist (e.g., anti-lats antibody, lats derivatives or analogs that are dominant-negative kinases; lats antisense nucleic acids, etc.) can be administered to a subject to inhibit or prevent aging or cell death or the effects of aging or cell death (e.g., in the skin, wrinkling, loss of elasticity, less uniform skin tone; in the skin and elsewhere, loss of known characteristics of proper physiological function such as expression of characteristic antigens, secreted molecules, etc.) In one embodiment, a lats antagonist is applied topically, e.g., in a cream or gel, to the skin of the subject. In another embodiment, a lats antagonist is injected, e.g., intradermally, intraperitoneally, or intramuscularly.

[0242] In a specific embodiment, a lats antagonist is contacted with cells grown in culture, e.g., by addition of the antagonist to the culture medium or by adsorption of the antagonist to the culture plate or flask prior to seeding of the cells, in order to inhibit or delay senescence in vitro, e.g., to delay “crisis” phase. For example, such a method can be carried out in order to lengthen the time that cells-can be kept alive in vitro, e.g., in order to facilitate conducting studies of the toxicity of a compound (e.g., a lead drug candidate) upon such cells, to study the effect of a molecule upon cell function, and, generally, to study the function of such cells. Such cells include but are not limited to neurons of the central nervous system (e.g., hippocampal, hypothalmic) or peripheral nervous system, glial cells, fibroblasts, kidney cells, liver cells, heart cells, muscle cells, endothelial cells, melanocytes, and hematopoietic cells such and T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, granulocytes, and mast cells.

[0243] In vitro assays of senescence are well known in the art and can be used to screen potential lats antagonists prior to use in this aspect of the invention (see, e.g., Hubbard and Ozer, 1995, “Senescence and immortalization of human cells,” in Cell Growth and Apoptosis, A Practical Approach, Ch. 12, Studzinski, G. P. (ed.), Oxford University Press, Inc., New York, N.Y., pp. 229-248.

5.13. Diagnosis and Screening

[0244] Lats proteins, analogues, derivatives, and subsequences thereof, lats nucleic acids (and sequences complementary thereto), anti-lats antibodies, have uses in diagnostics. Such molecules can be used in assays, such as immunoassays, to detect, prognose, diagnose, or monitor various conditions, diseases, and disorders affecting lats expression, or monitor the treatment thereof. In particular, such an immunoassay is carried out by a method comprising contacting a sample derived from a patient with an anti-lats antibody under conditions such that immunospecific binding can occur, and detecting or measuring the amount of any immunospecific binding by the antibody. In a specific aspect, such binding of antibody, in tissue sections, can be used to detect aberrant lats localization or aberrant (e.g., low or absent) levels of lats. In a specific embodiment, antibody to lats can be used to assay in a patient tissue or serum sample for the presence of lats where an aberrant level of lats is an indication of a diseased condition. By “aberrant levels,” is meant increased or decreased levels relative to that present, or a standard level representing that present, in an analogous sample from a portion of the body or from a subject not having the disorder.

[0245] The immunoassays which can be used include but are not limited to competitive and non-competitive assay systems using techniques such as western blots, radioimmunoassays, ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), “sandwich” immunoassays, immunoprecipitation assays, precipitin reactions, gel diffusion precipitin reactions, immunodiffusion assays, agglutination assays, complement-fixation assays, immunoradiometric assays, fluorescent immunoassays, protein A immunoassays, to name but a few.

[0246] Lats genes and related nucleic acid sequences and subsequences, including complementary sequences, can also be used in hybridization assays. Lats nucleic acid sequences, or subsequences thereof comprising about at least 8 nucleotides, can be used as hybridization probes. Hybridization assays can be used to detect, prognose, diagnose, or monitor conditions, disorders, or disease states associated with aberrant changes in lats expression and/or activity as described supra. In particular, such a hybridization assay is carried out by a method comprising contacting a sample containing nucleic acid with a nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to lats DNA or RNA, under conditions such that hybridization can occur, and detecting or measuring any resulting hybridization.

[0247] In specific embodiments, diseases and disorders involving overproliferation of cells can be diagnosed, or their suspected presence can be screened for, or a predisposition to develop such disorders can be detected, by detecting decreased levels of lats protein, lats RNA, or lats functional activity (e.g., kinase activity, SH3 domain-binding activity, etc.), or by detecting mutations in lats RNA, DNA or protein (e.g., translocations in lats nucleic acids, truncations in the lats gene or protein, changes in nucleotide or amino acid sequence relative to wild-type lats) that cause decreased expression or activity of lats. Such diseases and disorders include but are not limited to those described in Section 5.8.1 and its subsections. By way of example, levels of lats protein can be detected by immunoassay, levels of lats RNA can be detected by hybridization assays (e.g., Northern blots, dot blots), lats kinase activity can be measured by kinase assays commonly known in the art, lats binding to an SH3 domain-containing protein can be done by binding assays commonly known in the art, translocations and point mutations in lats nucleic acids can be detected by Southern blotting, RFLP analysis, PCR using primers that preferably generate a fragment spanning at least most of the lats gene, sequencing of the lats genomic DNA or cDNA obtained from the patient, etc.

[0248] In a preferred embodiment, levels of lats mRNA or protein in a patient sample are detected or measured, in which decreased levels indicate that the subject has, or has a predisposition to developing, a malignancy or hyperproliferative disorder; in which the decreased levels are relative to the levels present in an analogous sample from a portion of the body or from a subject not having the malignancy or hyperproliferative disorder, as the case may be.

[0249] In another specific embodiment, diseases and disorders involving a deficiency in cell proliferation or in which cell proliferation is desirable for treatment, are diagnosed, or their suspected presence can be screened for, or a predisposition to develop such disorders can be detected, by detecting increased levels of lats protein, lats RNA, or lats functional activity (e.g., kinase activity, SH3 domain binding activity, etc.), or by detecting mutations in lats RNA, DNA or protein (e.g., translocations in lats nucleic acids, truncations in the gene or protein, changes in nucleotide or amino acid sequence relative to wild-type lats) that cause increased expression or activity of lats. Such diseases and disorders include but are not limited to those described in Section 5.8.2 and its subsections. By way of example, levels of lats protein, levels of lats RNA, lats kinase activity, lats binding activity, and the presence of translocations or point mutations can be determined as described above.

[0250] In a specific embodiment, levels of lats mRNA or protein in a patient sample are detected or measured, in which increased levels indicate that the subject has, or has a predisposition to developing, a growth deficiency or degenerative or hypoproliferative disorder; in which the increased levels are relative to the levels present in an analogous sample from a portion of the body or from a subject not having the growth deficiency, degenerative, or hypoproliferative disorder, as the case may be.

[0251] Kits for diagnostic use are also provided, that comprise in one or more containers an anti-lats antibody, and, optionally, a labeled binding partner to the antibody. Alternatively, the anti-lats antibody can be labeled (with a detectable marker, e.g., a chemiluminescent, enzymatic, fluorescent, or radioactive moiety). A kit is also provided that comprises in one or more containers a nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to lats RNA. In a specific embodiment, a kit can comprise in one or more containers a pair of primers (e.g., each in the size range of 6-30 nucleotides) that are capable of priming amplification [e.g., by polymerase chain reaction (see e.g., Innis et al., 1990, PCR Protocols, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, Calif.), ligase chain reaction (see EP 320,308) use of Qβ replicase, cyclic probe reaction, or other methods known in the art] under appropriate reaction conditions of at least a portion of a lats nucleic acid. A kit can optionally further comprise in a container a predetermined amount of a purified lats protein or nucleic acid, e.g., for use as a standard or control.

5.14. Screening for Lats Agonists and Antagonists

[0252] Lats nucleic acids, proteins, and derivatives also have uses in screening assays to detect molecules that specifically bind to lats nucleic acids, proteins, or derivatives and thus have potential use as agonists or antagonists of lats, in particular, molecules that thus affect cell proliferation. In a preferred embodiment, such assays are performed to screen for molecules with potential utility as anti-cancer drugs or lead compounds for drug development. The invention thus provides assays to detect molecules that specifically bind to lats nucleic acids, proteins, or derivatives. For example, recombinant cells expressing lats nucleic acids can be used to recombinantly produce lats proteins in these assays, to screen for molecules that bind to a lats protein. Molecules (e.g., putative binding partners of lats) are contacted with the lats protein (or fragment thereof) under conditions conducive to binding, and then molecules that specifically bind to the lats protein are identified. Similar methods can be used to screen for molecules that bind to lats derivatives or nucleic acids. Methods that can be used to carry out the foregoing are commonly known in the art.

[0253] By way of example, diversity libraries, such as random or combinatorial peptide or nonpeptide libraries can be screened for molecules that specifically bind to lats. Many libraries are known in the art that can be used, e.g., chemically synthesized libraries, recombinant (e.g., phage display libraries), and in vitro translation-based libraries.

[0254] Examples of chemically synthesized libraries are described in Fodor et al., 1991, Science 251:767-773; Houghten et al., 1991, Nature 354:84-86; Lam et al., 1991, Nature 354:82-84; Medynski, 1994, Bio/Technology 12:709-710; Gallop et al., 1994, J. Medicinal Chemistry 37(9):1233-1251;. Ohlmeyer et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:10922-10926; Erb et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11422-11426; Houghten et al., 1992, Biotechniques 13:412; Jayawickreme et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:1614-1618; Salmon et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:11708-11712; PCT Publication No. WO 93/20242; and Brenner and Lerner, 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:5381-5383.

[0255] Examples of phage display libraries are described-in Scott and Smith, 1990, Science 249:386-390; Devlin et al., 1990, Science, 249:404-406; Christian, R. B., et al., 1992, J. Mol. Biol. 227:711-718); Lenstra, 1992, J. Immunol. Meth. 152:149-157; Kay et al., 1993, Gene 128:59-65; and PCT Publication No. WO 94/18318 dated Aug. 18, 1994.

[0256] In vitro translation-based libraries include but are not limited to those described in PCT Publication No. WO 91/05058 dated Apr. 18, 1991; and Mattheakis et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:9022-9026.

[0257] By way of examples of nonpeptide libraries, a benzodiazepine library (see e.g., Bunin et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:4708-4712) can be adapted for use. Peptoid libraries (Simon et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:9367-9371) can also be used. Another example of a library that can be used, in which the amide functionalities in peptides have been permethylated to generate a chemically transformed combinatorial library, is described by Ostresh et al. (1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11138-11142).

[0258] Screening the libraries can be accomplished by any of a variety of commonly known methods. See, e.g., the following references, which disclose screening of peptide libraries: Parmley and Smith, 1989, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 251:215-218; Scott and Smith, 1990, Science 249:386-390; Fowlkes et al., 1992; BioTechniques 13:422-427; Oldenburg et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:5393-5397; Yu et al., 1994, Cell 76:933-945; Staudt et al., 1988, Science 241:577-580; Bock et al., 1992, Nature 355:564-566; Tuerk et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6988-6992; Ellington et al., 1992, Nature 355:850-852; U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,815, U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,346, all to Ladner et al.; Rebar and Pabo, 1993, Science 263:671-673; and PCT Publication No. WO 94/18318.

[0259] In a specific embodiment, screening can be carried out by contacting the library members with a lats protein (or nucleic acid or derivative) immobilized on a solid phase and harvesting those library members that bind to the protein (or nucleic acid or derivative). Examples of such screening methods, termed “panning” techniques are described by way of example in Parmley and Smith, 1988, Gene 73:305-318; Fowlkes et al., 1992, BioTechniques 13:422-427; PCT Publication No. WO 94/18318; and in references cited hereinabove.

[0260] In another embodiment, the two-hybrid system for selecting interacting proteins in yeast (Fields and Song, 1989, Nature 340:245-246; Chien et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:9578-9582) can be used to identify molecules that specifically bind to a lats protein or derivative.

[0261] In addition, Drosophila can be used as a model system in order to detect genes that phenotypically interact with lats. For example, overexpression of lats in Drosophila eye leads to a smaller and rougher eye. Mutagenesis of the fly genome can be performed, followed by selecting flies in which the mutagenesis has resulted in suppression or enhancement of the small rough eye phenotype; the mutated genes in such flies are likely to encode proteins that interact/bind with lats.

5.15. Animal Models

[0262] The invention also provides animal models.

[0263] In one embodiment, animal models for diseases and disorders involving cell overproliferation (e.g., as described in Section 5.8.1) are provided. Such an animal can be initially produced by promoting homologous recombination between a lats gene in its chromosome and an exogenous lats gene that has been-rendered biologically inactive (preferably by insertion of a heterologous sequence, e.g., an antibiotic resistance gene). In a preferred aspect, this homologous recombination is carried out by transforming embryo-derived stem (ES) cells with a vector containing the insertionally inactivated lats gene, such that homologous recombination occurs, followed by injecting the ES cells into a blastocyst, and implanting the blastocyst into a foster mother, followed by the birth of the chimeric animal (“knockout animal”) in which a lats gene has been inactivated (see Capecchi, 1989, Science 244:1288-1292). The chimeric animal can be bred to produce additional knockout animals. Such animals can be mice, hamsters, sheep, pigs, cattle, etc., and are preferably non-human mammals. In a specific embodiment, a knockout mouse is produced.

[0264] Such knockout animals are expected to develop or be predisposed to developing diseases or disorders involving cell overproliferation (e.g., malignancy) and thus can have use as animal models of such diseases and disorders, e.g., to screen for or test molecules (e.g., potential anti-cancer therapeutics) for the ability to inhibit overproliferation (e.g., tumor formation) and thus treat or prevent such diseases or disorders.

[0265] In a different embodiment of the invention, transgenic animals that have incorporated and express a functional lats gene have use as animal models of diseases and disorders involving deficiencies in cell proliferation or in which cell proliferation is desired. Such animals can be used to screen for or test molecules for the ability to promote proliferation and thus treat or prevent such diseases and disorders.

5.16. Methods of Identifying Tumor Suppressor Genes and Other Genes with Identifiable Phenotypes

[0266] The invention also provides methods of identifying a tumor suppressor gene (or potential tumor suppressor gene) comprising identifying an overproliferation phenotype in a genetic mosaic, and isolating a gene that is mutated in cells exhibiting the overproliferation phenotype. The genetic mosaic is achieved by induction of somatic cells in an animal that is heterozygous for an induced mutation to become homozygous for the mutation, at any desired developmental stage. The mutation can be induced by any known method, e.g., X-ray exposure or chemical mutation exposure or insertion of a transposable element (e.g., P-element). A genetic mosaic is produced by induction of homozygosity by mitotic recombination between homologous arms of both parental chromosomes, which is achieved using a site-specific recombination system [a sequence capable of expressing a site-specific recombinase; and its target sites (sequences at which the recombinase promotes recombination)], that have been inserted in the homozygous arms of both parental chromosomes. The target sites are preferably inserted close to the centromere on each chromosome arm (the closer to the centromere, the more preferred), so that mitotic recombination events will result in cells being homozygous for the mutation located on the chromosome arm distal to the insertion of the target site. For example, an FLP recombinase can be used with FRT target sites; Cre recombinase can be used with lox target sites. The recombinase coding sequence, used to express recombinase, preferably, but need not be, intrachromosomally situated. For at least one chromosome, the target sites are intrachromosomally inserted on the homologous arms of both parental (maternal and paternal) chromosomes.

[0267] The genetic mosaic can be an animal, e.g., mouse, hamster, sheep, pig, cow, Drosophila, etc., and is preferably a non-human mammal.

[0268] In a specific embodiment relating to the production of a non-human mammal that is a genetic mosaic, a recombinase target site is introduced onto one arm of a chromosome in an embryo-derived stem cell (ES). The target site can be introduced into the cell by homologous recombination (by use of flanking sequences from the desired site of intrachromosomal integration) or by random integration resulting from cell transformation (e.g., by transfection, electroporation), etc. This ES is then injected into a blastocyst, the blastocyst is implanted into a foster mother, followed by birth of the recombinant animal. This mammal is bred to a wild-type female, to produce siblings. Siblings carrying the target site insertion are mated, and offspring carrying the target site on the homologous arms of both parental chromosomes are isolated (“the target strain”). A target strain member is then mutagenized and mated with a non-mutagenized target strain member of the opposite sex (preferably also carrying a recombinant nucleic acid encoding and capable of expressing a recombinase that promotes recombination at the target sites), to obtain a target strain member that is heterozygous for the mutation. Provision of the recombinase (by expression) in mitotically active cells of a developing animal or an adult animal-promotes mitotic recombination between the homologous arms of the parental chromosomes, resulting in a cell that is homozygous for the mutation. Cells that display a mutant phenotype by virtue of their being homozygous for the mutation are then detected, and the mutant gene can be genetically mapped by any known method, and can be isolated.

[0269] In a Drosophila animal, a site-specific recombination system can be introduced by use of P-element-mediated insertions.

[0270] In one embodiment, target sites are introduced onto homologous arms of both of a set of parental chromosomes, for one chromosome. In another embodiment, target sites are introduced onto homologous arms of both of a set of parental chromosomes, for a plurality of chromosomes.

[0271] The recombinase can be under the control of a constitutive (e.g., phosphorylated kinase promoter) or inducible (e.g., heat shock promoter) or tissue-specific promoter. The recombinase can be expressed episomally (e.g., from a plasmid) or chromosomally. Once the recombination system is introduced into the animal, genetic mosaicism is produced by the activity of the recombinase (which promotes recombination at the target sites).

[0272] In a specific embodiment, an animal is used that contains a recombinant nucleic acid encoding an FLP recombinase (Broach and Hicks, 1980, Cell 21:501-508) such that it is expressible by a cell of the animal, and intrachromosomal insertions of an FRT site on the homologous arms of both parental chromosomes; and genetic mosaicism is produced by inducing mitotic recombination between the FRT sites on the homologous chromosome arms after FLP recombinase expression (e.g., by heat shock, when expression of the FLP recombinase is under the control of a heat shock promoter).

[0273] In another specific embodiment, an animal is used that contains a recombinant nucleic acid encoding a Cre recombinase (Sauer and Henderson, 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:5166-5170) such that it is expressible by a cell of the animal, and intrachromosomal insertions of a lox site on homologous arms of both parental chromosomes; and genetic is mosaicism is produced by inducing mitotic recombination between the lox sites on the homologous chromosome arms after Cre recombinase expression.

[0274] The animal may optionally further comprise intrachromosomal insertions of marker genes (comprising a sequence encoding a protein containing a reporter group such as an epitope tag), to facilitate confirmation and/or monitoring of recombination events. For example, in a non-human mammal, a marker gene (e.g., lacZ) operably linked to a constitutive promoter can be inserted, on the same chromosome arm as that carrying the target site and the induced mutation.

[0275] In a specific embodiment, the overproliferation phenotype is the formation of overproliferated outgrowth tissue in a non-position-dependent fashion. In another specific embodiment, the overproliferation phenotype is the formation of a normal structure of larger than normal size.

[0276] The above-described genetic mosaics have uses not only in identifying tumor suppressor genes, but, more generally, in identifying genes with an identifiable phenotype, i.e., those genes which in mutated form cause an observable mutant phenotype to be displayed in the genetic mosaic.

[0277] In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of identifying genes with an observable mutant phenotype by use of human (or other animal) tissue culture cells that have incorporated a site-specific recombination system such as described above. The site-specific recombination system can be introduced by methods such as described above, so as to introduce a recombinant source of recombinase and effect intrachromosomal insertions of the recombinase target sites on the homologous arms of both of a set of parental chromosomes, for one or more chromosomes. In a preferred aspect relating to this use of culture cells, the recombinase target sites are ligated to a selectable marker (e.g., an antibiotic resistance gene), and cells are obtained that have the target sites on each of the homologous chromosome arms, by selecting under selection conditions of relatively high stringency (e.g., by increasing the antibiotic concentration in the cell medium), As with the use of genetic mosaics as described above, once mitotic recombination is induced between the target sites on the homologous chromosome arms, one then identifies cells displaying a mutant phenotype, and recovers a gene mutated in cells exhibiting the mutant phenotype. For example, a potential tumor suppressor gene can be identified by isolating a gene that is mutated in cultured cells exhibiting a transformed phenotype.

6. IDENTIFYING TUMOR SUPPRESSORS IN GENETIC MOSAICS: THE DROSOPHILA LATS GENE ENCODES A PUTATIVE PROTEIN KINASE

[0278] We have identified recessive overproliferation mutations by screening and examining clones of mutant cells in genetic mosaics of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster (FIG. 1A). Flies that carry small groups of somatic cells mutated for negative regulators of cell proliferation or tumor suppressors are viable, yet the overproliferated mutant tissues can be readily identifiable.

[0279] One way to generate mosaic animals is to induce mitotic recombination in developing heterozygous individuals (FIG. 1B). Recently, it was found that the site-specific recombination system from yeast, the FLP recombinase and its target site FRT, can be used to induce high frequency of mitotic recombination in Drosophila (Golic and Lindquist, 1989, Cell 59:499-509; Golic, 1991, Science 252:958-961). To produce and analyze genetic mosaics, a series of special Drosophila strains were constructed, containing the FLP/FRT recombination system on genetically marked chromosomes (Xu and Rubin, 1993, Development 117:1223-1237). Using these strains, high frequencies of mosaicism can be produced for more than 95% of the Drosophila genes. We have used these strains to identify overproliferation mutations in mosaic animals.

[0280] Our results show that screening for overproliferation mutations in mosaic animals is a powerful way to identify negative regulators of cell proliferation and potential tumor suppressor genes. One of the identified genes, large tumor suppressor (lats), has been cloned, and encodes a predicted novel protein kinase. Mutations in lats cause dramatic overproliferation phenotypes and various developmental defects in both mosaic animals and homozygous mutants.

6.1. Materials and Methods

[0281] Genetics

[0282] Fly stocks and crosses were grown on standard medium at 25° C. unless otherwise indicated. The F1 mosaic screens were modified from the one described in Xu and Rubin (1993, Development 117:1223-1237) and in Xu and Harrison (1994, Methods in Cell Biology 44:655-682). Briefly, the F1 mosaic individuals were produced from three crosses: Mutagenized y w hsFLP1; P[ry+; hs-neo; FRT]40A males were mated to the y w hsFLP1; P[ry+; y+]25F, P[mini-w+; hs-NM]31E, P[ry+; hs-neo; FRT]40A females. Mutagenized y w hsFLP1; P[ry+; hs-neo; FRT]42D males were mated to the y w hsFLP1; P[ry+; hs-neo; FRT]42D, P[ry+; y+]44B, P[mini-w+; hs-NM]46F/CyO females. Finally, mutagenized y w hsFLP1; P[ry+; hs-neo; FRT]82B males were mated to the y w hsFLP1; P[ry+; hs-neo; FRT]82B, P[mini-w+; hs-πM]87E, Sb63b, P[ry+; y+]96E females. The male parents were irradiated with X-rays (4000 r) and were removed from the crosses after four days of mating. The eggs from the crosses were collected for every 12 hours and aged for another 30 hours before being incubated in a 38° C. water bath for 60 minutes. The F1 animals were then returned to normal culture conditions until eclosion. About 25,000 F1 adults from these crosses were examined. Each P-induced lethal mutation was recombined onto one of the FRT-carrying arms using the neoR and w− double selection as described in Xu and Harrison (1994, Methods in Cell Biology 44:655-682) before examining its clonal phenotype.

[0283] The latsx1 mutation was meiotically mapped to the right of claret. It was further localized to the 100A1-5 region since it complemented Df(3R)tll O(100A2-5; 100C2-3) and failed to complement Df(3R)tll PRx(100A1-2; 100B4-5) and Df(3R)tll20(100A1-3; 100B1-2). A saturation genetic screen had previously been performed for this interval, and three lethal complementation groups,l (3)100Aa, l (3)100Ab and the zfh-1, were isolated (Lai et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:4122-4126). The latsx1 mutation failed to complement the EMS-induced mutations in l (3)100Aa (latsa1-a15), but complement mutations in l (3)100Ab and zfh-1. The clonal phenotypes were examined for latsx1, P1, a1, a2, a6, and a10 induced either with the FLP/FRT-marker system or X-ray irradiation.

[0284] The latsP1 allele was recovered from a mosaic male produced from the cross of y w hsFLP1; P[ry+; hs-neo; FRT]82B x y w P[lacZ; w+]5; P[ry+; hs-neo; FRT]82B/delta2-3, Sb. The mutant chromosome was cleaned up before performing complementation tests and an excision screen (Robertson et al., 1988, Genetics 118:461-470). Two hundred and fifteen excision lines were established that had lost the w+ gene in the P[lacZ; w+] element (Bier et al., 1989, Genes Dev. 3:1273-1287). In about 50% of these lines, the pupal lethality had been reverted completely to wild type, indicating the mutant phenotype is caused by the P-element insertion. Five lines were found to cause lethality at late embryonic and/or early first instar larval stages. The remaining lines were found to cause lethality at larval and pupal stages or to produce viable mutant animals. All of these mutant excision lines (except one which is located outside the 100A1-5 region) failed to complement latsx1 and latsP1, but do complement mutations in the zfh-1 and l (3)100Ab loci.

[0285] The insert in lats cDNA A2 was cloned into the pCaSpeR-hs vector (Thummel and Pirrotta, 1992, Drosophila Inform. Service 71:150) for germ line transformation. Three of the transformed lines were tested and were able to rescue the lethality of the latsa1/latsx1, latsP1 and latse26−1 animals after one hour heat shock for every 24 hours during larval and pupal development.

[0286] Histology

[0287] Fixation and sectioning (2 mm) of adult Drosophila tissues were performed as described (Tomlinson and Ready, 1987, Dev. Biol. 123:264-275). Scanning electron microscopy was performed as described (Xu and Artavanis-Tsakonas, 1990, Genetics 126:665-677).

[0288] Nucleic Acid Manipulation

[0289] A P1 genomic clone (DS02640) mapped in the 100A1-7 region was obtained from the Berkeley Drosophila Genome Center (personal communication; Hartl et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:6824-6829). DNA fragments from this P1 clone and genomic DNA obtained by plasmid rescue from the latsP1 mutant (Bier et al., 1989, Genes Dev. 3:1273-1287) were used to isolate several overlapping cosmids including CLT-52 from the genomic library prepared by J. Tamkun. Genomic DNA from +7.5 (BglII) to −4.2 (EcoRI; FIG. 3) was used to screen a total imaginal disc cDNA library prepared by A. Cowman. screening approximately 2 million phage yielded three groups of cDNAs (five lats cDNAs; fifteen T1 cDNAs; fourteen T2 cDNAs). The sizes of the inserts in the lats cDNAs are as follows: 5.6 kb in A2; 5.1 kb in B1; 1.1 kb in 9 and 4; and 0.9 kb in B3.

[0290] Genomic DNA from latsx1/TM6B, latsa1-a15/TM6B, latsP1/TM6B, latse7−2/TM6B, latse78/TM6B, latse100/TM6B, latse119/TM6B and latse148/TM6B flies was digested with a combination of the EcoRI, BamHI, BglII and XhoI restriction enzymes for Southern analysis.

[0291] DNA Sequencing

[0292] DNA sequence was determined by the dideoxy chain termination method (Sanger et al., 1977, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463-5467) using Tag polymerase (Perkin Elmer) and Sequenase (U.S. Biochemical Corp.). The sequences of lats cDNAs were determined from both strands using templates generated from plasmids containing EcoRI fragments inserted into the pBlueScriptII vector. Templates generated from DNase 1 deletion subclones were also used. The complete sequences of cDNAs A2 and 9 were determined; partial sequences were determined for cDNAs B1 and 4. Templates of genomic DNA were generated from plasmids containing EcoRI fragments and were sequenced on one strand using synthetic oligonucleotide primers. Mutant DNA from the latsa1 allele was amplified with PCR reactions using synthetic oligonucleotide primers and cloned in the pBlueScript II vector for sequencing.

6.2. Results

[0293] Screening for Overproliferation Mutations in Mosaic Animals

[0294] We have screened individuals carrying clones of cells that were homozygous for either X-ray or P-element induced mutations for overproliferation phenotypes. (FIG. 1B; Materials and Methods). Two types of overproliferation phenotypes were sought: a) Clones of mutant cells formed overproliferated, outgrowth tissues in a non-position-dependent fashion; b) Clones of mutant cells formed normal structures, but proliferated faster than wild-type cells such that the sizes of the mutant clones were larger than their wt twin-spot clones. Three independent mutations were identified that caused the first type of phenotype (FIGS. 2A-2E). A mutation which was allelic to one of the original mutations was later found to cause the second type of phenotype (see below). All three mutations in the first class caused embryonic and/or early larval lethality and they represented single alleles of different loci since they had different chromosome locations. One of them was identified among 215 randomly chosen lethal mutations in which each were caused by a P-element insertion in a different essential gene (Karpen and Spradling, 1992, Genetics 132:737-753; Berkeley Drosophila Genome Center, personal communication). In addition to these overproliferation mutations, one P-induced mutation was found to cause both unpatterned outgrowth and duplications of patterned structures in mosaic animals, suggesting that this mutation may not directly affect cell proliferation.

[0295] The lats Locus is Defined by a Single Complementation Group of Mutations that Cause Defects Throughout Development

[0296] The mutations caused different levels of overproliferation. One mutation (latsx1) produced much more dramatic overproliferated clones than the ones produced by the other mutations (FIGS. 2A, 2B). The lats mutant clones induced in first instar larvae can be as large as ⅕ of the body size. Tumorous outgrowth caused by latsx1 was found in all the tissues that had been examined including eyes, legs, wings, heads, notums, antenna, and abdominal cuticles. The latsx1 mutation was genetically mapped in the 100A1-5 region and the locus was further defined by a single complementation group of over fifty alleles including mutations induced by X-ray, EMS, P-element insertion and imprecise excision of the P-element (Table 2; Materials and Methods).

TABLE 2
The alleles of the lats locus*
		Phenotypes
	Phenotypes of	of mutant	Representative	No. of
Alleles	homozygous animals	clones	alleles	alleles
Strong	Late embryonic and	Large	latsx1, latsa1,	14
	early 1st instar	outgrowth	latsa4
	larval lethal
Medium	Late larval and pupal	Large	latsp1, latse124	16
	lethal, normal size of	outgrowth
	animals
	Pupal lethal, giant	Large	latse26−1	3
	animals	outgrowth
Weak	Semi-viable and	Mutant	latsa10, latse53−2	17
	viable: rough eye	clones
	outgrowth on head,	larger or
	wing held-out, sterile	normal in
		size
*The various alleles of the lats gene are classified into three main groups as indicated in the left column. Their phenotypes, displayed in either homozygous mutant animals or clones of mutant cells in mosaic animals, are listed in the next two columns respectively. For a given viable or semi-viable allele, the homozygous mutant animals display one, two, three, or all four of the listed phenotypes. Representative alleles and the numbers of
#alleles for each group are given in the two right columns. The origins of these alleles are described in the Material and Methods.

[0297] Removing the P-element insertion reverted the lethal chromosome into wild type, indicating the P-element insertion is responsible for the mutant phenotype. Furthermore, five of the imprecise excision lines caused late embryonic and early larval lethality which were stronger than the pupal lethality phenotype caused by the latsP1 mutation. These five excision lines failed to complement latsx1, but complemented the mutations in two other complementation groups (l(3)100Ab and zfh-1) in the 100A1-5 region, indicating that these two genes were not affected by the excision alleles.

[0298] The lats alleles can be classified into three main groups (Table 2). Strong alleles caused homozygous animals to die at a late embryonic stage or shortly after hatching with no obvious cuticular defect. Mutations in the group of medium alleles cause lethality at different times in larval and pupal development. This group was further divided into two subgroups because three of the excision alleles not only caused pupal lethality, but the sizes of the homozygous mutant animals were also significantly larger than wt animals (FIG. 2C). The weak mutations caused either one or a combination of the following phenotypes: held out wings with broadened blades, rough eye with ventral outgrowth, outgrowth on the dorsal-anterior region of the head and partial to complete sterility (Table 2).

[0299] Proliferation defects were observed in both mutant clones in mosaic animals and homozygous mutants. Clones of cells on the head that were homozygous for strong or medium alleles formed unpatterned, overproliferated tissues with many lobes or folds. The mutant cells seemed to be “budding out” of the surface to form new proliferation centers or lobes (FIGS. 2A, 2F, 2H). The sizes and the shapes of these mutant cells were very irregular. Cells several times larger than their neighbors were often seen in mutant clones, indicating problematic cell division (FIGS. 2F, 2G). Furthermore, lats mutant clones behaved differently from clones mutant for the previously identified Drosophila tumor suppressor genes such as dlg, lgl and hyd. The dlg, lgl or hyd mutant cells proliferated slower than wt cells and thus, the mutant clones induced in first instar larvae were competed away during growth and did not form detectable clones in the adults (Bryant, 1987, Experimental and genetic analysis of growth and cell proliferation in Drosophila imaginal discs, in “Genetic Regulation of Development,” A. R. Liss, New York, pp. 339-372; Woods and Bryant, 1989; Dev. Biol. 134:222-235; Mansfield et al., 1994, Dev. Biol. 165:507-526; Allen Shearn, personal communication). In contrast, the lats mutant clones induced at similar developmental stages formed dramatic overproliferated tissues, suggesting the mutant cells proliferated faster than wt cells. Consistent with this notion, clones of cells mutant for a weak lats allele (latsa10) produced normal looking tissues, but the mutant clones were significantly larger than their wt twin-spot clones. In homozygous animals, the imaginal discs and the central nervous system in many of the pupal lethal mutants were dramatically overproliferated (FIGS. 2D, 2E). The discs lost the single layer of epithelial structure and formed multi-layer, deformed tissues. The lats overproliferation phenotype was not caused by prevention of differentiation. Cells in the overproliferated mutant clones on the body differentiated and produced bristles and hairs, although the morphologies of these structures were not wild type (FIGS. 2I-2L). Careful examination of multiple mutant clones confirmed that lats caused mutant cells (w31 cells in the eye, y bristles and enlarged-base hairs on the body) to overproliferate and did not affect the surrounding wt tissues. Finally, the frequency of overproliferated clones was similar to wt clonal frequency induced with the same FRT element, indicating that loss of the lats function alone is sufficient to initiate the overproliferation process.

[0300] Cloning of the Lats Gene

[0301] Genomic DNA from the 100A1-5 region was isolated using probes mapped to this region (Materials and Methods). A restriction map of the relevant genomic region is illustrated in FIG. 3. Genomic DNA flanking the P-insertion site (+7.5 to −4.2) was used to screen a total imaginal disc cDNA library. A group of cDNAs corresponding to a 5.7 kb transcript (lats) was found to contain sequence from the region where the P-element was inserted (FIG. 3). Two other groups of cDNAs were also isolated (T1 and T2). The 5.7 kb transcript was located in an intron of the T1 gene (FIG. 3). The intron-exon structure of the 5.7 transcription unit was determined by Southern and sequence analysis of the cDNA clones and the corresponding genomic DNA (Materials and Methods). The zfh-1 gene was found to be located at the left side of the 5.7 kb transcription unit (FIG. 3; Fortini et al., 1991, Mechanisms of Development 34:113-122).

[0302] In addition to latsP1, genomic DNA from the five strong excision alleles was analyzed. All of them deleted exon sequences from the 5.7 kb transcript and, in addition, three of them also deleted sequences in the next transcript (T2; FIG. 3). Furthermore, DNA from the X-ray and EMS induced mutants was analyzed with cDNA probes made from the 5.7 kb, T2 and T1 transcripts. In two cases alterations were detected in the 5.7 kb transcription unit: a 0.4 kb and a 0.3 kb deletions associated with latsa1 and latsa4, respectively (FIG. 3). The 446 bp deletion in latsa1 was revealed by sequencing. It removed codons 92 to 238 of the open reading frame and caused a frame shift from codon 239 (FIG. 5). Finally, transformants containing a cDNA corresponding to the 5.7 transcript driving by the hsp70 promoter rescued the lethality of both strong and medium lats alleles. These findings indicate that the 5.7 kb transcription unit which correspond to the lats gene and strong latsalleles including latsal were either amorphic or nearly amorphic alleles.

[0303] The Lats Gene Encodes a Putative Protein-Serine/Threonine Kinase

[0304] The 5.7 kb lats transcript was detected throughout development (FIG. 4) and in both adult males and females (data not shown). In addition, probes from the 5.7 kb transcript also detected a second transcript, which is about 1 kb shorter (4.7 kb), in young embryos (0-4 hrs; FIG. 4) and in adult males and females. Northern analysis showed there was more maternally deposited 4.7 kb transcripts than 5.7 kb transcripts in young embryos (0-2 hrs; FIG. 4). The 5.7 kb transcript became the dominant message at the embryonic stage (4-6 hrs), known to have zygotic gene expression (FIG. 4). No effort was made to isolate cDNA clones corresponding to the 4.7 kb transcript; thus the exact sequence of this short transcript is not known. However, a polyadenylation signal consensus sequence was found at nucleotide position 4655-4660 in the 5.7 kb transcript and in the corresponding genomic DNA (FIG. 5) and a 0.51 kb probe from the 3′ end of the 5.7 kb transcript did not hybridize to the 4.7 kb transcript while a 1 kb probe from the 5′ untranslated region of the 5.7 kb transcript hybridized to both the 5.7 kb and 4.7 kb transcripts. This suggests that the 4.7 kb transcript may be a truncated version of the 5.7 kb transcript. The genomic and cDNA sequence corresponding to the 5.7 kb transcript was determined (Materials and Methods). The entire 5720 bp cDNA sequence, which is interrupted by seven introns, and the putative lats product (lats), deduced from the long open reading frame, are illustrated in FIG. 5. An interesting feature of the 5.7 kb transcript is the existence of a 141 bp segment located in the 3′ untranslated region (FIG. 5), which is identical to the first 141 bp of the 5′ untranslated region of the class I transcript from the Drosophila phospholipase C gene, plc-21 (Shortridge et al., 1991, J. Biol. Chem. 266:12474-12480). The functional significance of this sequence motif is unknown. It could be a regulatory target sequence that is shared by both genes.

[0305] There are 34 differences between the lats cDNA and genomic sequences and 31 of them do not affect the deduced amino acid sequence. In the remaining three differences, one changes the serine 206 in cDNA into a cysteine. The second change in the genomic sequence adds an additional glutamine in the poly-glutamine opa repeat (FIG. 6; Wharton et al., 1985, Cell 40:55-62). The third is the addition of a fifteen bp sequence in the genomic DNA after the nucleotide 2644 of the cDNA. This sequence could be translated into another copy of the Arg-Glu-Arg-Asp-Gln (part of SEQ ID NO:2) peptide. However, this sequence is not present in the two independent cDNA clones that were sequenced.

[0306] The predicted lats product contains 1099 amino acid residues. The kinase domain of lats is more similar to protein-serine/threonine kinases than to protein-tyrosine kinases, especially in the sequences of the domains VI and VIII defined by Hanks et al. (1988, Science 241:42-52); protein-serine/threonine kinase consensus in domain VI: Asp-Leu-Lys-Pro-Glu-Asn (SEQ ID NO:9). Lats sequence in domain VI: Arg-Asp-Ile-Lys-Pro-Asp-Asn (836-842) (part of SEQ ID NO:2); protein-serine/threonine kinase consensus in domain VIII: Gly-Thr/Ser-X-X-Tyr/Phe-X-Ala-Pro-Glu (SEQ ID NO:10). Lats sequence in domain VIII: Gly-Thr-Pro-Asn-Tyr-Ile-Ala-Pro-Glu (917-925) (part of SEQ ID NO:2). The C-terminal half of lats shares extensive sequence similarity with a group of six proteins including the Dbf20 and Dbf2 cell cycle protein-ser/thr kinases from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Johnston et al., 1990, Mol. Cell. Biol. 10:1358-1366; Toyn et al., 1991, Gene 104:63-70; Toyn and Johnston, 1994, EMBO J. 13:1103-1113), and the COT-1 putative protein kinase from Neurospora crassa (Yarden et al., 1992; EMBO J. 11:2159-2166) (FIGS. 6A, 6B). The sequence similarity between the kinase domains of lats and these proteins (39-49% identity) is much higher than the sequence similarity observed between the different subgroups of protein-ser/thr kinases (20-25% identity; Hanks et al., 1988, Science 241:42-52). However, there is an insertion of about 40 amino acid residues within the kinase domains of these proteins, sharing little sequence similarity (denoted by a black bar in FIG. 6B). The human myotonic dystrophy protein kinases (MDPK) also have significant similarity with the C-terminal region of lats (Brook et al., 1992, Cell 68:799-808; Fu et al., 1993; Science 260:235-238, Mahadevan et al., 1993, Hum. Mol. Genet. 2:299-304), but their kinase domains do not contain this ˜40 amino acid insertion. In addition, lats and these proteins also share significant levels of sequence similarity in the two regions (each contains −100-150 amino acids) flanking the kinase domain (20-28% identity; FIGS. 6A, 6B). In the case of Dbf20, its entire sequence except for the C-terminal most residues can be aligned with lats, indicating lats is a close relative of Dbf20. A poly-glutamine opa repeat is located near the middle of the protein (FIG. 5; Wharton et al., 1985, Cell 40:55-62). The N-terminal half of lats contains many short homopolymeric runs including poly-proline which makes up about 15% of the residues. At least one of the proline-rich stretches closely matches the consensus of SH3-binding sites (FIG. 3B; Ren et al., 1993, Science 259:1157-1161), raising the possibility that it may interact with SH3-containing proteins. No putative signal sequence appears in the lats protein, indicating that it is an intracellular protein.

6.3. Discussion

[0307] Screening for Mutations in Mosaic Animals to Identify and Study Potential Tumor Suppressors

[0308] The comparison between mosaic flies and tumor patients is simplistic yet useful. Tumor patients contain wt tumor suppressor genes in most of their cells and only small groups of cells sustain mutations in tumor suppressors. We have searched for recessive overproliferation mutations in mosaic animals. Flies that carry somatic cells mutated for tumor suppressors or negative regulators of cell proliferation are viable, yet the overproliferation mutant phenotype is readily identifiable. Therefore, mosaic flies, which are in a fashion analogous to tumor patients, provide a mean to screen for potential tumor suppressors. Three overproliferation mutations were identified in our screen. They were not identified as “interesting” mutations in screens for embryonic lethal mutations. Identifying overproliferation mutations in homozygous mutant larvae and pupae is not only biased against embryonic lethals, but also laborious, since it requires establishment of individual lines before examining the potential phenotypes. Further screens for overproliferation mutations in mosaic animals will allow us to identify other important players in pathways that negatively regulate cell proliferation.

[0309] The overproliferation phenotypes that we observed were caused by loss of function in a single gene. In humans, it was suggested that most retinoblastomas are caused by defects in a single tumor suppressor (Knudson, 1971, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 68:820-823). On the other hand, evidence indicates that tumorigenesis in other human tissues (e.g., colon cancer) is a multistep process which involves inactivation of more than one gene (Fearon and Vogelstein, 1990, Cell 61:759-767; Vogelstein and Kinzler, 1993, Trends Genet. 9:138-141). Overproliferation caused by defects in multiple genes is unlikely to be detected in our screens unless these genes are located on the same chromosome arm. To identify this type of gene, one could perform a modified mosaic screen which induces clones of cells to become homozygous for more than one mutagenized chromosome arm.

[0310] Lats Affects Many Tissues Throughout Development

[0311] The lats gene is genetically defined by a single complementation group that consists of various alleles causing a wide range of defects. Different alleles were found to cause lethality at almost every stage during development: embryo, early larvae, late larvae, early pupae, late pupae and pharate-adult. The embryonic lethality occurs in the pharate first instar stage. The early embryonic requirements for lats could well be masked by the wt products that are maternally deposited in the egg. Weak lats alleles produce viable animals with phenotypes ranging from rough eye to sterility. The lats transcripts were detected throughout development up to adult stage, consistent with the observation that lats mutants affect all these stages. Although mutations at lats cause many defects, affecting cell proliferation could cause most of the phenotypes including overproliferation in mutant clones, lethality at the various stages, tissue overproliferation on the head, broadened wing blade, and sterility in homozygous mutants. However, phenotypes such as extra cuticle deposits and malformed bristles and hairs are evidence of defects in differentiation.

[0312] The different behavior of the lats mutant clones and clones mutant for other previously identified Drosophila tumor suppressors is interesting. Cells mutant for dig, lgl or hyd seem to fail to receive growth regulation signals. They proliferated slower than wt cells during larval stages when the cells were instructed to proliferate, and they failed to terminate proliferation in late larval and pupal stages when the wt cells have ceased proliferation. On the other hand, the lats mutant clones induced during the larval stages were overproliferated, and later the mutant cells on the body were differentiated to form adult cuticular structures. Thus, lats could be a negative regulator that monitors the rate of proliferation.

[0313] The lats gene is located in a complex region. The 5′ end of the lats 5.7 kb transcript (cDNA) is only about 550 bp away from the T2 transcript and its 3′ end is about 1.5 kb away from the zfh-1 transcript. Furthermore, all three of these closely located transcripts are located in an intron of the T1 transcription unit. Thus, a sizable deletion in the 5.7 kb transcription unit could affect the function of any of the genes in the region, which makes it difficult to determine which transcript is responsible for the lats phenotype. The fact that P-element transform lines carrying a cDNA from the 5.7 kb transcript under the hsp70 promoter rescued all types of lats alleles demonstrated that the 5.7 kb transcription unit is the lats gene.

[0314] The Lats Putative Protein-Ser/Thr Kinase Shares Homology with Proteins that are Involved in Regulation of Cell Cycle and Growth in Budding Yeast and Neurospora

[0315] All 11 subdomains of the kinase domain that are found in previously identified protein kinases (Hanks et al., 1988, Science 241:42-52) are conserved in lats. This predicts that lats is a protein kinase. Furthermore, the sequence comparisons suggest lats to be a ser/thr kinase as the lats kinase domain is more similar to protein-ser/thr kinases than to protein-tyr kinases. The C-terminal half of lats shares extensive sequence similarity with a group of six proteins. Mutations are known for three of these genes and in each case they affect either cell cycle or growth. The cot-1 (colonial temperature sensitive-1) gene of Neurospora was identified by a temperature sensitive mutant that causes compact colony growth (Mitchell and Mitchell, 1954, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 40:436-440; Galsworthy, 1966, Diss. Abstr. 26:6348). Wild-type filamentous ascomycete Neurospora grows on solid media by continuous hyphal elongation and branching to form-spreading colonies. Strains lacking functional cot-1 gene are viable, but their hyphae branch extensively, resulting in compact colonial growth (Yarden et al., 1992, EMBO J. 11:2159-2166). This extensive branching phenotype is somewhat similar to the growth property of the lats mutant clones: the lats mutant cells continue to “bud” out of the surface to form new proliferation lobes. Another homologous gene, the DBF2 gene of the budding yeast, was identified in a genetic screen for mutations causing defects in DNA synthesis (Johnston and Thomas, 1982, Mol. Gen. Genet. 186:439-444). The temperature sensitive alleles of DBF2 were found to both delay the initiation of S phase and also to arrest the cell cycle during nuclear division (Johnston et al., 1990, Mol. Cell. Biol. 10:1358-1366). The DBF20 gene was identified through cross hybridization with DBF2 DNA (Toyn et al., 1991, Gene 104:63-70). Strains carrying deletions for either DBF2 or DBF20 are viable; however, deleting both genes in the same strain causes lethality. The kinase activities of both proteins have been shown to be specific for serine/threonine residues and are regulated during the cell cycle (Toyn and Johnston, 1994, EMBO J. 13:1103-1113). In the case of Dbf20, its entire sequence except the 20 most C-terminal residues can be aligned with lats. The mutant phenotype of lats and its sequence homology with the cell cycle protein kinases is consistent with the notion that lats might be directly involved in regulation of the cell cycle. The N-terminal half of lats contains many proline-rich stretches and at least one of them closely matches the consensus sequence of SH3 binding sites (Ren et al., 1993, Science 259:1157-1161), raising the possibility that this region could be a regulatory domain for the lats kinase, which binds to SH3 domain-containing proteins.

[0316] In recent years, many protein kinases have been identified to be involved in regulation of the cell cycle and cell proliferation. While Weel is an inhibitor of the Cdc2 kinase (Russell and Nurse, 1987, Cell 49:559-567; Featherstone and Russell, 1991, Nature 349:808-811), all other previously identified protein kinases are positive regulators of cell proliferation. They are either required for completion of the cell cycle or for signalling cells to proliferate. Lats is the first predicted protein-ser/thr kinase that has been shown to cause overproliferation when its function is removed. Studies of lats and other overproliferation mutations in Drosophila will provide a better understanding of how cell proliferation is regulated during development and how mutations could lead to abnormal growth.

7. ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MAMMALIAN LATS HOMOLOGS

[0317] As described herein, we have cloned and sequenced both mouse and human lats homologs.

7.1. Isolation and Characterization of Mouse Lats Homologs

[0318] cDNA clones for two different lats homologs in mice were obtained as follows.

Screening of Mouse Homologs:
Probe:	A 2.2 kb BamHI fragment containing the kinase
	domain of the Drosophila lats gene was labeled
	with 32P by random labeling
Library:	Newborn mouse brain lambda ZAP cDNA library
	from Stratagene
Hybridization	45° C., overnight in	6x	SSC
Condition:		5x	Denhart's
		0.5%	SDS (sodium
			dodecyl sulfate)
		100 μg/ml	salmon sperm DNA
Wash:	50° C., 30 min. × 4, in	2x	SSC
		0.1%	SDS
Results:	Three positive clones were identified. (M41 clone
	for the m-lats gene, and M51 and M31 clones for the
	m-lats2 gene.)

[0319] Two different mouse lats homologs, termed m-lats and m-lats2, respectively, were isolated and sequenced. Both the m-lats and m-lats2 clones are missing a small amount of the 5′ end of their respective genes. The cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:5) and deduced protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:6) of m-lats are shown in FIG. 7. The cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:7) and deduced protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) of m-lats2 are shown in FIG. 8.

[0320] Portions of both the m-lats and m-lats2 cDNAs were used as probes to screen a mouse genomic library, under standard hybridization conditions. Genomic clones for both me-lats and m-lats2 have been isolated that contain most of the coding regions of these genes.

7.2. Isolation and Characterization of Human Lats Homologs

[0321] cDNA clones for at least one human lats homolog were obtained as follows.

Screening of Human Homologs (moderately stringent conditions):
Probe:	A 2.1 kb PstI fragment containing the kinase
	domain of the m-lats gene was labeled with 32P
	by random labeling
Library:	Fetal human brain lambda gt10 cDNA library
	from Clontech
Hybridization	55° C., overnight in	6x	SSC
Condition:		5x	Denhart's
		0.5%	SDS
		100 μg/ml	salmon sperm DNA
Wash:	60° C., 30 min. × 2, in	1x	SSC
		0.1%	SDS
Results:	About 20 positive clones were identified for the
	h-lats gene.

[0322] One human lats homolog, termed h-lats, was isolated and sequenced. The cDNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:3) and deduced protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:4) of h-lats are shown in FIG. 9. The deduced protein sequence is full-length. The complete coding sequence of the h-lats cDNA was inserted into a bacterial cloning vector (derived from Bluescript (KS)-vector; Stratagene) to form plasmid pBS(KS)-h-lats (FIG. 10). The total size of pBS(KS)-h-lats is 6.96 kb.

[0323] A h-lats cDNA fragment was used as a probe under conditions of moderate stringency to screen a human genomic cosmid library. Genomic h-lats clones were isolated. Over 70 kb of the genomic h-lats sequence has been isolated; the isolated sequences include all of the h-lats coding sequence (but not all the exon sequences).

[0324] An m-lats2 cDNA fragment was used as a probe to screen a human genomic phage library under the conditions described above, except that hybridization was carried out at 50° C., and washing was carried out at 55° C. with 2×SSC, 0.1% SDS. Two genomic h-lats clones have been isolated that specifically hybridize to m-lats2 cDNA probes and do not hybridize to m-lats and h-lats cDNA probes.

8. CONSERVATION OF SEQUENCES AND DOMAIN STRUCTURE AMONG LATS HOMOLOGS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES

[0325] Comparison of the sequences of Drosophila lats, h-lats, m-lats, and m-lats2 showed a startlingly high degree of sequence conservation, both overall and within domains of the lats protein. An alignment of the h-lats (SEQ ID NO:4) and m-lats (SEQ ID NO:6) protein sequences is shown in FIG. 11. The overall amino acid sequence identity between h-lats and m-lats is 93%. An alignment of the h-lats (SEQ ID NO:4) and m-lats2 (SEQ ID NO:8) protein sequences is shown in FIG. 12.

[0326] Homologous domains (i.e., domains conserved) between the different lats homologs were identified. FIG. 13 presents an alignment of the h-lats protein sequence (SEQ ID NO: 4) and the Drosophila lats protein sequence (SEQ ID NO:2), and indicates the domains identified as conserved among the lats homologs from the various species.

[0327] The identified domains were as follows:

[0328] (1) Lats C-Terminal Domain 3 (LCD3)

[0329] The last three amino acids (VYV) are completely conserved in all four homologs including Drosophila lats, h-lats, m-lats, and m-lats2.

(2) Lats C-terminal domain 2 (LCD2)
amino acid residues
h-lats          1077-1086
Drosophila lats 1075-1084

[0330] This domain is completely conserved in all four homologs including Drosophila lats, h-lats, m-lats, and m-lats2 (10/10 identical residues).

(3) Lats C-terminal domain 1 (LCD1)
amino acid residues
h-lats          1032-1043
Drosophila lats 1035-1047

[0331] This domain is completely conserved among Drosophila lats, h-lats, and m-lats (12/12 identical), and is highly conserved between any of the foregoing and m-lats2 (11/12 identical).

(4) Kinase domain
amino acid residues
h-lats          703-1014
Drosophila lats 711-1018

[0332] This domain is highly conserved among the four homologs (76% identical between Drosophila lats and h-lats; 99% identical between h-lats and m-lats; 83% identical between h-lats and m-lats2).

[0333] A potential phosphorylation residue in Drosophila lats and the mammalian homologs that could lead to the activation of the lats kinases after phosphorylation was identified.

[0334] Activities of protein kinases are often regulated by varying the phosphorylation state of specific serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues. Phosphorylation of a serine or threonine within twenty residues upstream of an Ala-Pro-Glu consensus in subdomain eight of the kinase domain, is often required for catalytic activities of many protein-ser/thr kinases (Hanks et al., 1988, Science 241:42-52). For example, Thr167 and Thr197 are phosphorylated in Cdc2 of fission yeast and in the cardiac muscle adenosine 3′,5′-phosphate dependent protein kinase, respectively (Ducommun et al., 1991, EMBO J. 10:3311-3319; Gould et al., 1991, EMBO J. 10:3297-3309; Shoji et al., 1983, Biochem. 22:3702-3709). A ser residue in a similar position of the lats kinase domain is conserved in Drosophila lats, h-lats, m-lats, and m-lats2 (Ser914 in Drosophila lats; Ser909 in h-lats). Thus, the activities of Drosophila lats and its mammalian homologs may be regulated by phosphorylation of this ser residue.

(5) Lats flanking domain (LFD)
amino acid residues
h-lats          607-702
Drosophila lats 612-710

[0335] LFD is a domain that flanks and is amino-terminal to the kinase domain. This domain is highly conserved between Drosophila lats and h-lats (68% identical) and is also highly conserved between h-lats and m-lats2 (71% identical). This domain is completely conserved between h-lats and m-lats (100% identical).

(6) Lats split domain 1 (LSD1)
amino acid residues
LSD1 Drosophila-lats          365-392
LSD1 anterior (LSD1a) h-lats  328-334
LSD1 posterior (LSD1p) h-lats 498-518

[0336] Certain lats domains have been termed split domains because the amino- (anterior) and carboxy- (posterior) portions of the domain appear separated from each other in at least one of the lats homologs. Split domains may constitute discontinuous binding/functional regions (e.g., brought together by tertiary structure). The LSD1a subdomain is completely conserved among Drosophila lats, h-lats, and m-lats (7/7 identical), and is not conserved in m-lats. The LSD1p subdomain is conserved between the four homologs (14/21 identical among Drosophila lats, h-lats, and m-lats; 13/21 identical between h-lats and m-lats2). The LSD1a and LSD1p subdomains are adjacent to each other in Drosophila lats and are separated in the mammalian homologs.

(7) Lats split domain 2 (LSD2)
amino acid residues
LSD2 Drosophila lats          536-544
LSD2 anterior (LSD2a) h-lats  28-31
LSD2 posterior (LSD2p) h-lats 555-559

[0337] Both the LSD2a and LSD2p subdomains are completely conserved among the four homologs. However, the two subdomains are adjacent to each other in Drosophila lats and are separated in the mammalian homologs.

(8) Putative SH3-binding domain (SH3-binding)
amino acid residues
h-lats          247-268
Drosophila lats 196-217

[0338] This domain is highly conserved among Drosophila lats, h-lats, and m-lats (10/22 identical), and does not exist in m-lats2.

[0339] The opa domain does not appear in the mammalian lats homologs.

9. FUNCTIONAL INTERCHANGEABILITY OF THE HUMAN AND DROSOPHILA LATS HOMOLOGS

9.1. Overexpression of Human Lats or of Drosophila Lats Causes a Smaller, Rough Eye in Drosophila

[0340] Overexpression of lats and h-lats in the developing Drosophila eye was carried out. The Drosophila lats cDNA and h-lats cDNA were each cloned into the pGMR P-element vector. This vector was constructed by Bruce Hay and Gerald M. Rubin at the University of California at Berkeley, and will direct the expression of a cDNA of interest in the posterior region of the developing third instar larval eye imaging disc of Drosophila. Ten independent transformant lines for each of the pGMR-lats and pGMR-h-lats constructs were generated. The adult eyes of all these lines displayed a small-rough eye phenotype (eyes smaller than normal, with irregular, rough appearance). This indicates that both lats and h-lats genes have the same biological effect when they are overexpressed in the developing Drosophila eye.

9.2. Human H-Lats Gene can Replace the Drosophila Homolog to Prevent Death in Drosophila Animals Having Mutant Drosophila Lats

[0341] The Drosophila lats cDNA was cloned into the pCaSpeR-hs vector (Thummel and Pirrotta, 1992, Drosophila Inform. Service 71:150) for germ line transformation of Drosophila. Three of the transformed lines were tested and were able to rescue the lethality of the latsa1/latsx1, latsP1 and latse26−1 animals after one hour heat shock for every 24 hours during larval and pupal development. The human h-lats cDNA (in a XhoI (blunted)-XbaI fragment) from pBS(SK)-h-lats (FIG. 10) was cloned into the HpaI-XbaI sites of the pCaSpeR-hs vector, to produce plasmid pCaSpeR-hs-h-lats (FIG. 14). Plasmid pCaSpeR-hs-h-lats was used for germ line transformant. Three of the pCaSpeR-hs-h-lats transformant lines were tested and were able to rescue the lethality of the latsP1 and latse26−1 animals under the same conditions used in rescuing experiments for the Drosophila gene.

10. HUMAN LATS EXPRESSION IS FOUND IN ALL NORMAL TISSUES TESTED AND IS ABSENT IN A LARGE NUMBER OF TUMOR CELL LINES

10.1. Human Lats Expression in Normal Tissues

[0342] The expression of human lats RNA was investigated in various adult tissues. A 1.2 kb BamHI fragment of the h-lats cDNA was used as a 32P-labeled probe for Northern analysis. Hybridization was to a nylon membrane containing polyA+ RNA from various human fetal and adult tissues, obtained from Clontech. The Northern analysis was carried out according to the recommended instructions of the manufacturer (Clontech). The results are shown in FIG. 15. h-lats was expressed in every tissue tested (fetal brain, fetal lung, fetal liver, fetal kidney, adult spleen, adult-thymus, adult prostate, adult testis, adult ovary, adult small intestine, adult colon, and adult blood leukocytes). Expression was higher in fetal tissues than in adult tissues.

10.2. Human Lats Expression in Various Tumor Cell Lines

[0343] The 32P-labeled BamHI fragment of h-lats was used as a probe for Northern analysis, for hybridization to total RNAs isolated from 42 different human tumor cell lines (obtained from the American Type Culture. Collection, Rockville, Md.). No h-lats expression was detected in 20 of the tumor lines (48%). The name and tissue origin of the tumor cell lines tested, and the results of the Northern analysis are presented in Table 3.

	TABLE 3
	Expression detected
	by Northern analyses
Name of tumor lines	Tumor Origin	YES	NO
5637	Bladder		X
RT4	Bladder	±*
HT-1376	Bladder		X
HT-1197	Bladder		X
BT-20	Breast	X
BT-474	Breast	X
ZR-75-1	Breast		X
ZR-75-30	Breast	X
BT-549	Breast		X
MDA-MB-453	Breast		X
MDA-MB-435S	Breast		X
HBL-100	Breast		X
LoVo	Colon		X
HT-29	Colon	X
HCT116	Colon	X
LS 180	Colon		X
DLD-1	Colon	X
WiDr	Colon	X
SW480	Colon	X
Caco-2	Colon	±
HEL 92.1.7	Erythroleukemia	X
MOLT-4	Leukemia	X
CEM-CM3	Leukemia	X
K-562	Leukemia	X
Jurkat	Leukemia		X
HUT 78	Lymphoma	X
SK-LU-1	Lung		X
A-427	Lung		X
Calu-1	Lung	X
NCI-H69	Lung	X
SK-MEL-3	Melanoma		X
SK-MEL-28	Melanoma		X
SK-MEL-31	Melanoma		X
MIA PaCa-2	Pancreas		X
BxPC-3	Pancreas		X
Hs 700T	Pancreas	X
Hs 766T	Pancreas	X
RD	Sarcoma		X
A-204	Sarcoma		X
AN3 CA	Uterine	X
SK-UT-1	Uterine	X
HEC-1-A	Uterine	±
*weak signal

[0344] Thus, 48% of the tumor cell lines tested had no detectable h-lats expression, whereas 100% of the normal tissues tested had detectable h-lats expression. It should be noted that the 48% figure may be an underestimate of the actual number of tumor cell lines that had decreased lats protein level or activity relative to normal tissue, since while lack of lats RNA (i.e., a transcriptional block) allows the conclusion that no lats protein is made, tumor cells that expressed the lats RNA may still have had no or low lats protein levels and/or activity due to the possible existence of a translational block or the presence of mutation(s) in an expressed lats protein.

11. DEPOSIT OF MICROORGANISM

[0345] Bacteria strain E. coli TG2 containing plasmid pBS(KS)-h-lats was deposited on Mar. 24, 1995 with the American Type Culture Collection, 1201 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852, under the provisions of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedures, and assigned Accession No. 69769.

[0346] The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the microorganism deposited or the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying figures. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0347] Various references are cited herein, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

Claims

1. A purified lats protein.

2. The protein of claim 1 which is a human protein.

3. The protein of claim 1 which is a D. melanogaster protein.

4. The protein of claim 1 which is a mouse protein.

5. The protein of claim 1 which is a mammalian protein.

6. The protein of claim 2 which comprises the amino acid sequence substantially as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4.

7. A purified protein encoded by a nucleic acid hybridizable to the lats DNA sequence in plasmid PBS(KS)-h-lats as deposited with the ATCC and assigned accession number 69769.

8. A purified protein encoded by a nucleic acid hybridizable to a DNA having a sequence consisting of the coding region of SEQ ID NO:7.

9. The protein of claim 2 which is encoded by plasmid pBS(KS)-h-lats as deposited with the ATCC and assigned accession number 69769.

10. A purified derivative or analog of the protein of claim 1, which displays one or more functional activities of a lats protein.

11. The derivative or analog of claim 10 which is able to be bound by an antibody directed against a lats protein.

12. A purified fragment of a lats protein comprising a domain of the lats protein selected from the group consisting of a lats C-terminal domain 3 (LCD3), lats C-terminal domain 2 (LCD2), lats C-terminal domain 1 (LCD1), kinase domain, a kinase subdomain, lats flanking domain (LFD), lats split domain 1 (LSD1), lats split domain 2 (LSD2), SH3-binding domain, and opa repeat domain.

13. A molecule comprising the fragment of claim 12.

14. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least 60% identity to a domain of a lats protein, in which the percentage identity is determined over an amino acid sequence of identical size to the domain.

15. A protein comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% identity to a domain of a lats protein, in which the percentage identity is determined over an amino acid sequence of identical size to the domain.

16. The derivative or analog of claim 10, which inhibits proliferation of a cell.

17. A chimeric protein comprising a fragment of a lats protein consisting of at least 6 amino acids fused via a covalent bond to an amino acid sequence of a second protein, in which the second protein is not a lats protein.

18. The chimeric protein of claim 17 in which the fragment of a lats protein is a fragment capable of being bound by an anti-lats antibody.

19. The fragment of claim 12 which additionally lacks one or more domains of the lats protein.

20. An antibody which is capable of binding a lats protein.

21. The antibody of claim 20 which is monoclonal.

22. A molecule comprising a fragment of the antibody of claim 21, which fragment is capable of binding a lats protein.

23. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a lats protein.

24. The nucleic acid of claim 23 which is a DNA.

25. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of claim 23.

26. The nucleic acid of claim 23 in which the lats protein is a human lats protein.

27. An isolated nucleic acid comprising the lats coding sequence contained in plasmid pBS(KS)-h-lats as deposited with the ATCC and assigned accession number 69769.

28. An isolated nucleic acid hybridizable to the lats DNA sequence in plasmid pBS(KS)-h-lats as deposited with the ATCC and assigned accession number 69769.

29. An isolated nucleic acid hybridizable to a DNA having a sequence consisting of the coding region of SEQ ID NO:7.

30. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a fragment of a lats gene consisting of at least 8 nucleotides.

31. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a fragment of a lats protein that displays one or more functional activities of the lats protein.

32. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the chimeric protein of claim 17.

33. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein, said protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4.

34. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the fragment of claim 12.

35. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the protein of claim 14.

36. A recombinant cell containing the nucleic acid of claim 23, in which the nucleotide sequence encoding the lats protein is under the control of a promoter that is not a native lats gene promoter.

37. A recombinant cell containing a nucleic acid vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim 26.

38. A recombinant cell containing the nucleic acid of claim 34.

39. A recombinant cell containing the nucleic acid of claim 35.

40. A method of producing a lats protein comprising growing a recombinant cell containing the nucleic acid of claim 23, in which the nucleotide sequence encoding the lats protein is under the control of a promoter that is not a native lats gene promoter, such that the encoded lats protein is expressed by the cell, and recovering the expressed lats protein.

41. A method of producing a lats protein comprising growing a recombinant cell containing a nucleic acid vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim 26 such that the encoded lats protein is expressed by the cell, and recovering the expressed lats protein.

42. A method of producing a lats fragment comprising growing a recombinant cell containing the nucleic acid of claim 34 such that the encoded lats fragment is expressed by the cell, and recovering the expressed lats fragment.

43. A method of producing a protein comprising a fragment of a lats protein, which method comprises growing a recombinant cell containing the nucleic acid of claim 35 such that the encoded protein is expressed by the cell, and recovering the expressed protein.

44. The product of the process of claim 40.

45. The product of the process of claim 41.

46. The product of the process of claim 42.

47. The product of the process of claim 43.

48. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a lats protein; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

49. The composition of claim 48 in which the lats protein is a human lats protein.

50. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the fragment of claim 12; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

51. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the protein of claim 14; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

52. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the chimeric protein of claim 17; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

53. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the nucleic acid of claim 23; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

54. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the nucleic acid of claim 35; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

55. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the recombinant cell of claim 36; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

56. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody that immunospecifically binds to a lats protein; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

57. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a fragment or derivative of an antibody that immunospecifically binds to a lats protein, said fragment or derivative containing the binding domain of the antibody; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

58. A method of treating or preventing a disease or disorder involving cell overproliferation in a subject comprising administering to a subject in which such treatment or prevention is desired a therapeutically effective amount of a molecule that promotes lats function.

59. The method according to claim 58 in which the disease or disorder is a malignancy.

60. The method according to claim 59 in which the disease or disorder is selected from the group consisting of bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, sarcoma, and uterine cancer.

61. The method according to claim 58 in which the subject is a human.

62. The method according to claim 58 in which the disease or disorder is selected from the group consisting of premalignant conditions, benign tumors, hyperproliferative disorders, and benign dysproliferative disorders.

63. The method according to claim 58 in which the molecule that promotes lats function is selected from the group consisting of a lats protein, a lats derivative or analog that is active in inhibiting cell proliferation, a nucleic acid encoding a lats protein, and a nucleic acid encoding a lats derivative or analog that is active in inhibiting cell proliferation.

64. The method according to claim 58 in which the molecule that promotes lats function is a lats derivative or analog that comprises a kinase domain of a lats protein that has been mutated so as to be dominantly active.

65. The method according to claim 58 in which the molecule that promotes lats function is the protein of claim 14.

66. A method of treating or preventing a disease or disorder involving a deficiency in cell proliferation or in which cell proliferation is desirable for treatment or prevention in a subject comprising administering to a subject in which such treatment or prevention is desired a therapeutically effective amount of a molecule that inhibits lats function.

67. The method according to claim 66 in which the molecule that inhibits lats function is selected from the group consisting of an anti-lats antibody or a fragment or derivative thereof containing the binding region thereof, a lats derivative or analog that is capable of being bound by an anti-lats antibody and that is a dominant-negative protein kinase, a lats antisense nucleic acid, and a nucleic acid comprising at least a portion of a lats gene into which a heterologous nucleotide sequence has been inserted such that said heterologous sequence inactivates the biological activity of the at least a portion of the lats gene, in which the lats gene portion flanks the heterologous sequence so as to promote homologous recombination with a genomic lats gene.

68. The method according to claim 66 in which the molecule that inhibits lats function is an oligonucleotide which (a) consists of at least six nucleotides; (b) comprises a sequence complementary to at least a portion of an RNA transcript of a lats gene; and (c) is hybridizable to the RNA transcript under moderately stringent conditions.

69. The method according to claim 66 in which the disease or disorder is selected from the group consisting of degenerative disorders, growth deficiencies, hypoproliferative disorders, physical trauma, lesions, and wounds.

70. An isolated oligonucleotide consisting of at least six nucleotides, and comprising a sequence complementary to at least a portion of an RNA transcript of a lats gene, which oligonucleotide is hybridizable to the RNA transcript under moderately stringent conditions.

71. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the oligonucleotide of claim 70; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

72. A method of inhibiting the expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a lats protein in a cell comprising providing the cell with an effective amount of the oligonucleotide of claim 70.

73. A method of diagnosing a disease or disorder characterized by an aberrant level of lats RNA or protein in a subject, comprising measuring the level of lats RNA or protein in a sample derived from the subject, in which an increase or decrease in the level of lats RNA or protein, relative to the level of lats RNA or protein found in an analogous sample not having the disease or disorder indicates the presence of the disease or disorder in the subject.

74. A method of diagnosing or screening for the presence of or a predisposition for developing a disease or disorder involving cell overproliferation in a subject comprising measuring the level of lats protein, lats RNA or lats functional activity in a sample derived from the subject, in which a decrease in the level of lats protein, lats RNA, or lats functional activity in the sample, relative to the level of lats protein, lats RNA, or lats functional activity found in an analogous sample not having the disease or disorder or a predisposition for developing the disease or disorder, indicates the presence of the disease or disorder or a predisposition for developing the disease or disorder.

75. A method of diagnosing or screening for the presence of or a predisposition for developing a disease or disorder involving cell overproliferation in a subject comprising detecting one or more mutations in lats DNA, RNA or protein derived from the subject in which the presence of said one or more mutations indicates the presence of the disease or disorder or a predisposition for developing the disease or disorder.

76. A method of diagnosing or screening for the presence of or a predisposition for developing a disease or disorder involving a deficiency in cell proliferation or in which cell proliferation is desirable for treatment or prevention in a subject comprising measuring the level of lats protein, lats RNA or lats functional activity in a sample derived from the subject, in which an increase in the level of lats protein, lats RNA, or lats functional activity in the sample, relative to the level of lats protein, lats RNA, or lats functional activity found in an analogous sample not having the disease or disorder or a predisposition for developing the disease or disorder, indicates the presence of the disease or disorder or a predisposition for developing the disease or disorder.

77. A kit comprising in one or more containers a molecule selected from the group consisting of an anti-lats antibody, a nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to a lats RNA, or a pair of nucleic acid primers capable of priming amplification of at least a portion of a lats nucleic acid.

78. A kit comprising in a container a therapeutically effective amount of a lats protein.

79. A method of increasing cell growth in animals or plants comprising inhibiting lats expression or activity in said animals or plants.

80. The method of claim 79 in which cell growth is increased in an edible plant.

81. The method of claim 79 in which cell growth is increased in a farm animal.

82. A method of identifying a molecule that specifically binds to a ligand selected from the group consisting of a lats protein, a fragment of a lats protein comprising a domain of the protein, and a nucleic acid encoding the protein or fragment, comprising (a) contacting said ligand with a plurality of molecules under conditions conducive to binding between said ligand and the molecules; and (b) identifying a molecule within said plurality that specifically binds to said ligand.

83. A recombinant non-human animal or plant that is the product of a process comprising introducing a nucleic acid encoding at least a domain of a lats protein into the plant or animal.

84. A recombinant plant containing and capable of expressing a lats antisense nucleic acid.

85. A recombinant non-human animal or plant in which a lats gene has been inactivated by a method comprising introducing a nucleic acid into the plant or animal or an ancestor thereof, which nucleic acid comprises a non-lats sequence flanked by lats genomic sequences that promote homologous recombination.

86. A method of identifying a tumor suppressor gene comprising (a) identifying an overproliferation phenotype in a genetic mosaic; and (b) isolating a gene that is mutated in cells exhibiting said overproliferation phenotype.

87. The method of claim 86 in which the genetic mosaic is an animal containing (a) a nucleic acid encoding and capable of expressing a recombinase, and (b) intrachromosomal insertions of a target site at which the recombinase promotes recombination, on the homologous arms of both of a set of parental chromosomes; and the genetic mosaic has been produced by a method comprising inducing expression of the recombinase.

88. The method of claim 87 in which the recombinase is an FLP recombinase, and the target site is an FRT site.

89. The method according to claim 87 in which the recombinase is a Cre recombinase, and the target site is a lox site.

90. The method of claim 86 in which the overproliferation phenotype is the formation of overproliferated outgrowth tissue.

91. The method of claim 86 in which the overproliferation phenotype is the formation of a normal structure of larger than normal size.

92. A non-human mammal comprising (a) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a recombinase operably linked to a promoter; and (b) intrachromosomal insertions into the homologous arms of both of a set of parental chromosomes, of a target site at which the recombinase can promote recombination.

93. The mammal of claim 92 which is heterozygous for an induced mutation.

94. The mammal of claim 93 in which the sequence encoding the recombinase is operably linked to an inducible promoter.

95. A method of making a genetic mosaic comprising inducing expression of the recombinase in the mammal of claim 93.

96. A method for identifying a gene with an identifiable mutant phenotype comprising: (a) identifying a mutant phenotype in a genetic mosaic animal, said genetic mosaic animal having been produced by a method comprising recombinantly expressing a recombinase within a cell of the animal so as to promote recombination at intrachromosomally inserted target sites on the homologous arms of both of a set of parental chromosomes; and (b) isolating a gene that is mutated in cells exhibiting said mutant phenotype.

97. A method for identifying a gene with an identifiable mutant phenotype comprising: (a) identifying a mutant phenotype in a cultured cell, said cultured cell having been produced by a method comprising recombinantly expressing a recombinase within said cultured cell so as to promote recombination at intrachromosomally inserted target sites on the homologous arms of both of a set of parental chromosomes; and (b) isolating a gene that is mutated in cells exhibiting said mutant phenotype.

98. The method of claim 97 in which the mutant phenotype is a transformed phenotype.

99. The mammal of claim 92 in which the promoter is not a native recombinase gene promoter.

100. A method of inhibiting cellular senescence in a subject comprising administering to a subject in which such inhibition is desired an amount of a molecule that inhibits lats function, effective to inhibit cellular senescence.

101. A method of inhibiting cellular senescence in cells in vitro comprising contacting cells in vitro with an amount of a molecule that inhibits lats function, effective to inhibit cellular senescence.

102. The method according to claim 100 in which the molecule that inhibits lats function is selected from the group consisting of an anti-lats antibody or a fragment or derivative thereof containing the binding region thereof, a lats derivative or analog that is capable of being bound by an anti-lats antibody and that is a dominant-negative protein kinase, a lats antisense nucleic acid, and a nucleic acid comprising at least a portion of a lats gene into which a heterologous nucleotide sequence has been inserted such that said heterologous sequence inactivates the biological activity of the at least a portion of the lats gene, in which the lats gene portion flanks the heterologous sequence so as to promote homologous recombination with a genomic lats gene.

103. The method according to claim 101 in which the molecule that inhibits lats function is selected from the group consisting of an anti-lats antibody or a fragment or derivative thereof containing the binding region thereof, a lats derivative or analog that is capable of being bound by an anti-lats antibody and that is a dominant-negative protein kinase, a lats antisense nucleic acid, and a nucleic acid comprising at least a portion of a lats gene into which a heterologous nucleotide sequence has been inserted such that said heterologous sequence inactivates the biological activity of the at least a portion of the lats gene, in which the lats gene portion flanks the heterologous sequence so as to promote homologous recombination with a genomic lats gene.