Claims
- 1. An isolated or purified mutant protein comprising at least a fragment of a mutant dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) enzyme, wherein said fragment possesses an affinity for asymmetric N,N-dimethyl arginine (ADMA), and wherein said mutant protein is deficient in hydrolyzing said ADMA to citrulline and/or releasing said citrulline, or both.
- 2. The mutant protein of claim 1, wherein said mutant DDAH enzyme possesses an affinity for asymmetric L,N-monomethyl arginine (LNMMA), and wherein said mutant protein is deficient in either hydrolyzing said LNMMA to citrulline or releasing said citrulline, or both.
- 3. The mutant protein of claim 1, wherein said fragment possesses an increased affinity for ADMA compared to wild-type DDAH.
- 4. The mutant protein of claim 1, wherein said mutant DDAH is derived from wild-type DDAH from animal cells.
- 5. The mutant protein of claim 4, wherein said animal cells are mammalian.
- 6. The mutant protein of claim 5, wherein said mammalian cells are human.
- 7. The mutant protein of claim 1, wherein said affinity for ADMA has a KA of at least about 1×107 M−1, or a KD of no more than 10−7 M.
- 8. The mutant protein of claim 1, further comprising a detectable label.
- 9. The mutant protein of claim 8, wherein said detectable label is a light absorber, fluorescer, chemiluminescer, enzyme, or radioisotope.
- 10. A method for determining the level of ADMA in a biological specimen comprising contacting said biological specimen with a mutant protein and assaying for the amount of ADMA that binds to said mutant protein, wherein the mutant protein is an isolated or purified mutant protein comprising at least a fragment of a mutant dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) enzyme, wherein said fragment possesses an affinity for asymmetric N,N-dimethyl arginine (ADMA), and wherein said mutant protein is deficient in hydrolyzing said ADMA to citrulline and/or releasing said citrulline, or both.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said ADMA in said biological specimen is labeled with a detectable label.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said detectable label is a light absorber, fluorescer, chemiluminescer, enzyme, or radioisotope.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein said assaying for the amount of ADMA that binds to said mutant protein comprises a fluorescent immunoassay.
- 14. The method of claim 11, wherein said assaying for the amount of ADMA that binds to said mutant protein comprises an enzyme immunoassay.
- 15. The method of claim 10, wherein said mutant protein is labeled with a detectable label.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said detectable label is a light absorber, fluorescer, chemiluminescer, enzyme, or radioisotope.
- 17. The method of claim 15, wherein said assaying for the amount of ADMA that binds to said mutant protein comprises a fluorescent immunoassay.
- 18. The method of claim 15, wherein said assaying for the amount of ADMA that binds to said protein comprises an enzyme immunoassay.
- 19. A method for determining the level of ADMA in a biological specimen comprising contacting said biological specimen with the mutant protein of claim 7 and assaying for the amount of ADMA that binds to said mutant protein.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said mutant protein is bound to a detectable label selected from the group consisting of fluorescers and enzymes.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein a molecule that binds to said mutant protein is bound to a solid surface and said assaying for the amount of ADMA that binds to said mutant protein comprises detecting the amount of said label bound to said surface.
- 22. The method of claim 10, wherein said mutant DDAH enzyme possesses an affinity for asymmetric L,N-monomethyl arginine (LNMMA), and wherein said mutant protein is deficient in either hydrolyzing said LNMMA to citrulline or releasing said citrulline, or both.
- 23. A kit for assaying for the amount of ADMA in a biological specimen comprising a mutant protein and at least one reagent, wherein the mutant protein is an isolated or purified mutant protein comprising at least a fragment of a mutant dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) enzyme, wherein said fragment possesses an affinity for asymmetric N,N-dimethyl arginine (ADMA), and wherein said mutant protein is deficient in hydrolyzing said ADMA to citrulline and/or releasing said citrulline, or both.
- 24. The kit of claim 23, further comprising an anti-(mutant protein) antibody.
- 25. The kit of claim 23, further comprising a detectable label.
- 26. The kit of claim 25, wherein said label is selected from the group consisting of fluorescers and enzymes.
Parent Case Info
[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/384,077, filed May 31, 2003.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT RIGHTS
[0003] A portion of the work performed during development of this invention utilized U.S. Government funds. The United States Government has certain rights to the invention described herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60384077 |
May 2002 |
US |