Patent ID: 7122180
Filing Date: 2006-10-17
Classification: A61K,C07K,C12N

Abstract:
1. A nucleic acid construct which encodes non-infectious HIV particles, the construct comprising: a) at least one replacement mutation in the gag gene of a HIV genome of a HIV particle wherein the gag gene encodes the amino acid sequence of the nucleocapsid (NC) protein, wherein the replacement mutation produces a single amino acid substitution in at least one position selected from the group consisting of the 5′ flanking region (amino acids 1–14 of SEQ ID NO: 8), the 5′ Cys-His box (amino acids 15–28 of SEQ ID NO: 8), to peptide linker region (amino acids 29–35 of SEQ ID NO: 8), the 3′ Cys-His box (amino acids 36–49 of SEQ ID NO: 8) and the 3′ flanking region (amino acids 50–55 of SEQ ID NO: 8), such that the replacement mutation prevents viral RNA packaging; and b) at least one further replacement mutation in the pol gene of said HIV genome selected from the group consisting of