Patent ID: 6107040
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: C12N

Abstract:
A method of screening for a compound that inhibits formation of an organism's 5' mRNA cap structure, comprising the steps of:a) replacing a host organism's genes encoding entire 5' mRNA capping functions with genes encoding 5' mRNA capping functions from a first organism, thereby producing a host organism expressing the first organism's complete capping apparatus;b) replacing a host organism's genes encoding entire 5' mRNA capping functions with genes encoding the 5' mRNA capping functions from a second organism, thereby producing a host organism expressing the second organism's complete capping apparatus, wherein said first organism and said second organism are not the same;c) treating said host organism expressing the first organism's complete capping apparatus and said host organism expressing the second organism's complete capping apparatus with a test compound; andd) comparing growth inhibition of the host organism expressing the first organism's complete capping apparatus with growth inhibition of the host organism expressing the second organism's complete capping apparatus, wherein growth inhibition of only the host organism expressing the first organism's complete capping apparatus relative to the host organism expressing the second organism's complete capping apparatus indicates that the test compound inhibits the 5' mRNA capping functions of the first organism, whereas growth inhibition of only the host organism expressing the second organism's complete capping apparatus relative to the host organism expressing the first organism's complete capping apparatus indicates that the test compound inhibits the 5' mRNA capping functions of the second organism.