Screening Method for Antiviral Drugs
The method can be applied to discover a new class of antiviral drugs against protein-coated double-stranded DNA viruses, such as polyomavirus, papovirus, adenovirus and herpesvirus, by identification of compounds that inhibit the mechanism of viral uncoating.
The technology can be used for screening of existing compounds for antiviral properties and for development of an anti-viral drug discovery kit.
This screening technology is based on the discovery that protein-uncoating process of these viruses within infected cells is an active, regulated process. The method involves infecting susceptible host cells to a virus with or without a potential antiviral drug. In the absence of an antiviral drug, the virus will be transported into the host cell nucleus and become uncoated. The percentages of the virus appearing as intact virus and uncoated viral chromatin is determined in a certain nuclear fractions of the host cells. An effective inhibitor of the virus uncoating process shows a decrease in uncoated viral chromatin with a corresponding increase in intact virus, thus proves to possess antiviral property that can prevent the pathogens from becoming productive and infectious. An assay system based on this technology opens up the possibility to expand the search for antiviral drugs into a new class of compounds, allowing development of novel, effective antiviral therapies.
Inventor: Taylor, Ronald K. | LaPointe, Christian F.
Priority Number: US6887677B1
IPC Current: C07K001481 | C12N000952 | C12Q000137
US Class: 435023 | 435220 | 5360237
Assignee Applicant: Trustees of Dartmouth College,Hanover
Title: Compounds and methods for identifying compounds which inhibit a new class of aspartyl proteases
Usefulness: Compounds and methods for identifying compounds which inhibit a new class of aspartyl proteases
Summary: For designing inhibitors of TFPP-like aspartyl protease. These TFPP-like aspartyl proteases inhibitors are useful as antibacterial drugs and in the identification of antibacterial drugs. These may also be used to inhibit virulence factor production by bacteria and inhibit bacterial infections in a host, and to inhibit development of drug resistant strains of bacteria when administered in combination with a second known antibacterial agent (claimed).
化工/材料
化工/材料应用
美国
