This invention provides a novel polypeptide useful in the field of medicines,
a novel DNA which encodes the novel polypeptide, a recombinant DNA molecule which
contains the novel DNA, a transformant transformed with the novel DNA or the recombinant
DNA molecule, a process for the purification of the novel polypeptide, a process
for the production of the novel polypeptide, an antibody which recognizes the novel
polypeptide, an oligonucleotide complementary to the novel DNA and a novel screening
method. Particularly this invention provides a novel polypeptide which is Fas ligand
or a fragment thereof. This novel polypeptide can be used as an effective ingredient
of a medicament for regulating the apoptosis in a living body. This novel polypeptide
is obtained by identifying a DNA fragment which encodes the novel polypeptide,
transforming a desired host with a recombinant DNA molecule which contains the
DNA fragment and purifying the novel polypeptide produced by the resulting transformant.
This novel polypeptide has a cytoplasmic domain, a transmembrane domain and extracellular
domain and takes part in apoptosis.
