Ex parte KAMBOJ et al.; Ex parte FOLDES et al. - Page 111


                  Appeal No.  1999-2200                                                                                        
                  Application No.  08/896,063                                                                                  
                                                   Appeal No. 1999-1377                                                        
                                                Application No. 08/264,578                                                     
                          Claim 14 is illustrative of the subject matter on appeal and is reproduced                           
                  below:                                                                                                       
                          14. A method of assaying a candidate ligand for interaction with a human                             
                              NR3 protein selected from the group consisting of:                                               
                                 NR3-1 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and                                      
                                 NR3-2 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 with the                                  
                                 exception that the serine residue at position 407 is an asparagine                            
                                 residue,                                                                                      
                              which comprises the steps of incubating the candidate ligand under                               
                              appropriate conditions with a cell having incorporated expressibly                               
                              therein a heterologous polynucleotide encoding said NR3 protein, or                              
                              with a membrane preparation derived therefrom, and then determining                              
                              the extent of binding between the human NR3 protein and the candidate                            
                              ligand.                                                                                          
                  GROUNDS OF REJECTION82                                                                                       

                          Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112, second paragraph, as being                               
                  indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter                     
                  which appellants regard as the invention.  Particularly, sections b), c) and d) of this                      
                  claim reference a modified amino acid sequence, wherein amino acids are                                      
                  replaced by amino acids encoded by the nucleotides of a second sequence.                                     
                          Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable                            
                  over Monyer in view of Puckett, Schofield and Grenningloh.                                                   




                                                                                                                               
                  82 We note the examiner made a new ground of rejection over claim 21 in the                                  
                  Examiner’s Answer.                                                                                           

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