# US 7,407,744 B2 · Cytomegalovirus gene function and methods for developing antivirals, anti-CMV vaccines, and CMV-based vectors

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,407,744 B2
- Document ID: US7407744B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/897,508
- Filed: 2004-07-23
- Published: 2005-03-24
- Granted: 2008-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2003-07-25
- Assignees: The Regents of the University of California
- Inventors: Fenyong Liu; Walter Dunn; Cassie Chou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7407744B2

## CPC

- C12N 7/00: Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereof (preparing medicinal viral antigen or antibody compositions, e.g. virus vaccines, A61K39/00)
- C07K 14/005: from viruses
- C12Q 1/18: Testing for antimicrobial activity of a material
- C12N 2710/16122: New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes
- C12N 2710/16161: Methods of inactivation or attenuation
- G01N 2333/045: Cytomegalovirus
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C07K: PEPTIDES (peptides in foodstuffs A23; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs, working-up proteins for foodstuffs A23J; preparations for medicinal purposes A61K; peptides containing beta-lactam rings C07D; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, C07D; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type C07D519/02; macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units in their molecules, i.e. when the preparation does not provide for a specific; but for a random sequence of the amino acid units, homopolyamides and block copolyamides derived from amino acids C08G69/00; macromolecular products derived from proteins C08H1/00; preparation of glue or gelatine C09H; single cell proteins, enzymes C12N; genetic engineering processes for obtaining peptides C12N15/00; compositions for measuring or testing processes involving enzymes C12Q; investigation or analysis of biological material G01N33/00)
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A global functional analysis of HCMV genes is performed by constructing virus gene-deletion mutants and examining their growth phenotypes in different natural HCMV host cells. This systematic analysis of the HCMV genome identified 45 viral ORFs essential for viral replication and characterizes of 115 growth-dispensable viral genes. Of particular interest is the finding that HCMV encodes genes (temperance factors) that repress its own replication on a cell type-specific basis. In addition to HCMV, pathogen temperance may be a strategy employed by other infectious agents to enhance their long-term survivability within their respective host population.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for identifying biologically active agents that modulate cytomegalovirus replication, the method comprising:
combining a candidate biologically active agent with a mutant virus comprising a defined deletion of a temperance factor open reading frame (ORF) selected from UL9, UL 20a, UL 23 and US 30;
determining the effect of said agent virus replication; and
comparing the effect of said agent to that of a control.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said agent increases replication of said virus.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said agent decreases replication of said virus.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the mutant virus comprises a defined deletion of UL23 ORF.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the candidate agent mimicks the activity of the UL 23 temperance factor.