Minicell-based rational drug design
OwnerRoger A. Sabbadini, Mark W. Surberinventors
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Abstract
The invention provides compositions and methods for the production of achromosomal and anucleate cells useful for applications such as diagnositic and therapeutic uses, as well as research tools and agents for drug discovery.
Claims15
A minicell comprising a crystal of a membrane protein.
A method of determining the three-dimensional structure of a membrane protein, comprising preparing a crystal of said membrane protein in a minicell, and determining the three- dimensional structure of said crystal.
A method for identifying ligand-interacting atoms in a defined three-dimensional structure of a target protein, comprising (a) preparing one or more variant proteins of a target protein having a known or predicted three-dimensional structure, wherein said target protein binds a preselected ligand;
- (b) expressing and displaying a variant protein in a minicell;
- and (c) determining if a minicell displaying said variant protein binds said preselected ligand with increased or decreased affinity as compared to the binding of said preselected ligand to said target protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.