Methods for targeting RNA molecules
AssigneeVariagenics, Inc.
InventorsLing X. Shen, Gregory L. Verdine, James P. Basilion, Vincent P. Stanton, Jr.
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Abstract
Described are methods for identifying targets in RNA molecules based on differences in RNA secondary structure related to sequence variances between different allelic forms. Also described are methods for identifying or developing small molecules which can be used to modulate a target RNA by creation of protein-small-molecule-RNA complexes, as well as compositions which include such small molecules and methods of using those small molecules and compositions.
Claims24
A method for identifying a potential small molecule inhibitor which inhibits an activity of a cellular RNA by inducing formation of a complex with the cellular RNA and with a cellular protein, wherein the potential small molecule inhibitor comprises a first moiety, a second moiety and a linker joining the first moiety and the second moiety, the method comprising:
- a) identifying a first moiety which binds to at least a portion of a selected cellular protein;
- b) identifying a second moiety which binds to at least a fragment of a target cellular RNA;
- and
- c) testing a small molecule comprising the first moiety and the second moiety and a linker joining the first and second moieties to determine whether the small molecule binds to at least a portion of a selected cellular protein and to at least a fragment of a target cellular RNA,
- wherein a small molecule comprising the first moiety and the second moiety and a linker joining the first and second moieties is a potential small molecule inhibitor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.