Appeal No. 2006-2556 Page 2
Application No. 09/977,155
The specification discloses “that members of the LDL receptor gene family
undergo endoproteolytic processing events that result in the release of their cytoplasmic
tails into the cytoplasm.” Id. Thus, “[t]he invention provides methods and compositions
for modeling and detecting LDL receptor transmembrane signaling by detecting
proteolysis of an LDL receptor transmembrane domain.” Id. at page 2.
The specification discloses that proteolytic cleavage of the LDL receptor
transmembrane domain can be assayed by detecting the release of the C-terminal tail
from the cell membrane. Id. For example, the C-terminal tail can be fused to a
detectable marker such as a transcription factor domain which, when released from the
membrane by proteolytic cleavage, will trigger expression of a responsive reporter. Id.
Discussion
1. Claim construction
Claims 1-20 are pending.
The examiner has objected to claim 10 as being dependent upon a rejected base
claim, but has indicated that it would be allowable if rewritten in independent form
including all of the limitations of the base claim. See Examiner’s Answer, page 6.
Claims 1-9 and 11-20 are on appeal.
Appellants have not argued the claims separately. Therefore, the claims subject
to each rejection stand or fall together. 37 CFR § 41.37(c)(1)(vii). Claims 1 and 15 are
representative and read as follows:
1. A method for detecting proteolysis of an LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein)
receptor transmembrane domain, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a sample comprising a cell membrane comprising (i) a
polypeptide comprising an LDL receptor transmembrane domain fused to a
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