Nucleic acid ligands to HIV-RT and HIV-1 rev

A non-naturally occurring nucleic acid ligand to HIV-RT obtained according to a method for identifying an extended nucleic acid ligand from a candidate mixture of nucleic acids, said nucleic acid ligand being a ligand of HIV-RT comprising:

• a) contacting the candidate mixture with HIV-RT, wherein nucleic acids having an increased affinity to HIV-RT relative to the candidate mixture nucleic acids may be partitioned from the remainder of the candidate mixture;
• b) partitioning the increased affinity nucleic acids from the remainder of the candidate mixture;
• c) amplifying the increased affinity nucleic acids, in vitro, to yield a ligand-enriched mixture of nucleic acids;
• d) repeating steps a)-c), as necessary, to identify said nucleic acid ligand to HIV-RT;
• e) contacting a second candidate mixture of nucleic acids with HIV-RT, wherein said second candidate mixture is comprised of nucleic acids having a fixed region and a randomized region, said fixed region corresponding to said nucleic acid ligand to HIV-RT identified in d), and wherein nucleic acids having an increased affinity to HIV-RT relative to the candidate mixture nucleic acids may be partitioned from the remainder of the candidate mixture;
• f) partitioning the increased affinity nucleic acids from the remainder of the candidate mixture;
• g) amplifying the increased affinity nucleic acids to yield a ligand-enriched mixture of nucleic acids;
• and
• h) repeating steps e)-h), as necessary, whereby said nucleic acid ligand to HIV-RT may be obtained.

A non-naturally occurring nucleic acid ligand to HIV-1 Rev obtained according to a method for identifying a nucleic acid ligand from a candidate mixture of nucleic acids, said method comprising:

• a) contacting the candidate mixture with HIV-1 Rev, wherein nucleic acids having an increased affinity to HIV-1 Rev relative to the candidate mixture nucleic acids may be partitioned from the remainder of the candidate mixture;
• b) partitioning the increased affinity nucleic acids from the remainder of the candidate mixture;
• and
• c) amplifying the increased affinity nucleic acids, in vitro, to yield a ligand-enriched mixture of nucleic acids, whereby nucleic acid ligands to HIV-1 Rev may be identified and obtained.