RNA silencing in animals as an antiviral defense
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsShou-Wei Ding, Hong-Wei Li, Wan-Xiang Li
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Abstract
The present invention provides recombinant DNA constructs for inactivation of viral or endogenous genes in a cell, wherein the construct comprises viral sequence sufficient to activate RNA silencing. In another aspect, the invention provides methods for identifying RNA silencing suppressors by sequence analysis and functional tests. In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method for identifying inhibitors of RNA silencing suppressors. In still other aspects, the invention comprises methods for identifying genes in the antiviral RNA silencing pathway, enhancers of the antiviral pathway, and methods of treating or preventing viral infections using enhancers of the pathway.
Claims4
A method for identifying a gene in an antiviral RNA silencing pathway of an animal, said method comprising:
- (a) providing an animal cell expressing a polynucleotide encoding FHV-ΔB2;
- (b) inhibiting the expression of a candidate gene in the antiviral RNA silencing pathway;
- and
- (c) testing for a rate or extent of FHV-ΔB2 RNA accumulation greater than that for a cell where the expression of said candidate gene in the antiviral RNA silencing pathway has not been inhibited.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.