Polynucleotide Fragments of an Infectious Human Endogenous Retrovirus
AssigneeAvir Green Hills Biotechnology Research Development Trade AG
InventorsKlaus Wolff, Hubert Pehamberger, Andreas Grassauer, Thomas Muster
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Abstract
Nucleotide sequences and fragments which code for a human endogenous retrovirus which is infectious. “Fragments” according to the present invention relate also to specific fragments of the sequences inserted into the vector pCR4-Topo and deposited as MERV-env, MERV-gag, MERV-prt and MERV-pol as mentioned above. Additionally, methods of using such sequences, polypeptides encoded by such sequences, antibodies directs against such sequences, and methods and compositions relating to the same are all contemplated.
Claims20
1-111. (canceled)
An isolated antibody or fragment thereof directed against a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide molecule comprising all or a fragment of a nucleotide sequence of an infectious human endogenous retrovirus, which sequence is or is complementary to a sequence which:
- (a) has at least 98% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of at least 15 by thereof;
- (b) hybridizes under stringent conditions with the nucleotide sequence of said SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of at least 15 by thereof, wherein the stringent conditions are defined as 68° C. in saline-sodium citrate (SSC) hybridization buffer containing 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) followed by washing in a 2×SSC wash buffer at 68° C. followed by washing in a 0.5×SSC wash buffer at 68° C.;
- (c) differs from the sequences of (a) and/or (b) due to degeneration of the genetic code;
- and/or
- (d) comprises the sequence inserted into a vector pCR4-Topo and deposited as any of “MERV-env”, “MERV-gag”, “MERV-prt” and “MERV-pol” at the DSMZ on 26 Sep. 2001 or a fragment of at least 15 by of such a sequence.
A pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody or fragment thereof directed against a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide molecule comprising a base sequence complementary to the sequence of a polynucleotide molecule comprising all or a fragment of a nucleotide sequence of an infectious human endogenous retrovirus, which sequence is or is complementary to a sequence which:
- (a) has at least 98% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of at least 15 by thereof;
- (b) hybridizes under stringent conditions with the nucleotide sequence of said SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment of at least 15 by thereof, wherein the stringent conditions are defined as 68° C. in saline-sodium citrate (SSC) hybridization buffer containing 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) followed by washing in a 2×SSC wash buffer at 68° C. followed by washing in a 0.5×SSC wash buffer at 68° C.;
- (c) differs from the sequences of (a) and/or (b) due to degeneration of the genetic code;
- and/or
- (d) comprises the sequence inserted into a vector pCR4-Topo and deposited as any of “MERV-env”, “MERV-gag”, “MERV-prt” and “MERV-pol” at the DSMZ on 26 Sep. 2001 or a fragment of such a sequence;
- in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.