Richard Edward Hardy

US Patent:

6376171, Apr 23, 2002

Filed:

Feb 23, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/511023

Inventors:

Richard W. Hardy - Maplewood MO
Gail W. Wertz - Birmingham AL

Assignee:

UAB Research Foundation - Birmingham AL

International Classification:

C12Q 170

US Classification:

435 5, 435 4, 435 3, 435 72

Abstract:

The present invention demonstrates that the M2-1 protein of respiratory syncytial virus has a conserved Cys -His motif known to bind zinc ions in other proteins and that mutations of the predicted zinc coordinating residues in the Cys -His motif affect the transcriptional antitermination activity of M2-1, its ability to interact with nucleocapsid protein, and the phosphorylation state of M2-1. This invention clearly demonstrates the requirement for conservation of the Cys -His motif in order to maintain the functional integrity of the M2-1 protein. Therefore, the present invention provides for methods of designing and screening compounds for antiviral activity towards respiratory syncytial virus based upon the loss of function of the M2-1 protein.