Loading patent…
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsJames J. Schmidt, Robert G. Stafford
Estimating the term…
In this application is described substrates for high-throughput assays of clostridial neurotoxin proteolytic activities. Two types of substrates are described for use in assays for the proteolytic activities of clostridial neurotoxins: (1) modified peptides or proteins that can serve as FRET substrates and (2) modified peptides or proteins that can serve as immobilized substrates. In both types a fluorescent molecules is present in the substrate, eliminating the requirement for the addition of a fluorigenic reagent. The assays described can be readily adapted for use in automated or robotic systems.
A clostridial neurotoxin substrate comprising any peptide or protein that can serve as a substrate for the proteolytic activity of any clostridial neurotoxin, said protein or peptide having been modified to contain a signal moiety on one side of the cleavage site, and a moiety on the other side of the cleavage site that quenches the magnitude of that signal such that when the substrate is cleaved, an increase in signal is produced.
A botulinum neurotoxin substrate comprising any peptide or protein that can serve as a substrate for the proteolytic activity of any clostridial neurotoxin, said protein or peptide having been modified so that it can be attached on one side of the proteolytic cleavage site to a solid material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.