Mutated herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinases and uses thereof
AssigneeBoard of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
InventorsRichard Drake, Trenton Hinds, Cesar Compadre, Barry Hurlburt, Tammy Rechtin
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Abstract
The present invention provides new site-specific HSV-thymidine kinase mutants with improved nucleoside analog metabolizing activity due to low or no thymidine phosphorylation ability. Also provided is a method of killing target cells using such mutants combined with a prodrug.
Claims5
A vector comprising a DNA sequence encoding a mutant herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase protein, wherein said mutant protein has a non-glutamine residue at amino acid position 125 of wild type herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase protein, wherein said vector is capable of replication in a host and comprises, in operable linkage:
- a) optionally, an origin of replication;
- b) a promoter;
- and
- c) a DNA sequence encoding said mutant protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.