Stabilized nucleic acids in gene and drug discovery and methods of use
First Claim
1. A method for screening a candidate antibiotic compound which inhibits the proliferation of a cell said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensitizing a cell by providing a sublethal level of an antisense nucleic acid complementary to at least a portion of a gene encoding a proliferation-required gene product in said cell, wherein said antisense nucleic acid is flanked on each end by at least one stem-loop structure;
(b) contacting said sensitized cell with a candidate antibiotic compound; and
(c) determining the degree to which said candidate antibiotic compound inhibits proliferation of said sensitized cell relative to a cell which has not been sensitized.
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Abstract
Stabilized nucleic acids for use in gene and drug discovery are disclosed. Vectors and host cells useful in the production of stabilized nucleic acids are also disclosed. Cell-based assays which employ stabilized antisense nucleic acids to identify and develop antibiotics and to identify genes required for proliferation are described. The use of stabilized nucleic acids to identify homologous nucleic acids required for the proliferation of heterologous organisms is also described. Inhibition of the expression of genes required for proliferation in heterologous organisms through the use of stabilized antisense nucleic acids is disclosed.
66 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for screening a candidate antibiotic compound which inhibits the proliferation of a cell said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) sensitizing a cell by providing a sublethal level of an antisense nucleic acid complementary to at least a portion of a gene encoding a proliferation-required gene product in said cell, wherein said antisense nucleic acid is flanked on each end by at least one stem-loop structure;
(b) contacting said sensitized cell with a candidate antibiotic compound; and
(c) determining the degree to which said candidate antibiotic compound inhibits proliferation of said sensitized cell relative to a cell which has not been sensitized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for identifying a gene which is required for proliferation of a cell comprising:
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(a) contacting a cell with an antisense nucleic acid flanked on each end by at least one stem-loop structure, (b) determining whether said antisense nucleic acid inhibits proliferation of said cell; and
(c) identifying the gene in said cell which encodes the mRNA which is complementary to said antisense nucleic acid or a portion thereof. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for manufacturing an antibiotic comprising the steps of:
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(a) contacting sensitized cells which express a sublethal level of an antisense nucleic acid flanked on each end by at least one stem-loop structure with a compound;
(b) identifying a compound which substantially inhibits the proliferation of said sensitized cells relative to cells which have not been sensitized; and
(c) manufacturing the compound so identified. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification