New York Blood Center, Inc.

Soohee Lee

Colvin M Redman

Colvin Redman

Colvin L Redman

A method for cleaving polypeptides includes contacting a polypeptide with a recombinant or isolated Kell protein having proteolytic activity for the polypeptide. A method for converting big endothelins-1, -2 and -3 to endothelins-1, -2 and -3 respectively comprises contacting the big endothelin with Kell protein having proteolytic activity for cleaving big endothelin-1, -2 and -3 to endothelin-1, -2 or -3 respectively. In another embodiment, the Kell protein cleaves vasoactive intestinal peptide.

Kell protein proteolytic activity

The invention provides a diagnostic method of determining Kell genotype by the identification of the molecular basis of a Kell polymorphism. Specifically, the invention provides a method for determining K1/K2 genotype with great accuracy, overcoming problems associated with traditional serological typing methods. The diagnostic method of the invention preferably employs amplification of K1/K2 nucleic acid sequences, and optionally employs differential cleavage of K1- and K2-specific nucleic acid sequences by a restriction enzyme. Also provided are nucleic acid oligomers useful as probes or primers for the method of the invention. Furthermore, diagnostic kits for the determination of Kell genotype are provided.

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Cliffside Park, NJ, United States of America

Soohee Lee