Patent ID: 6812025
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: A61P,C07K,C12N,C12Q,C12Y

Abstract:
A method of determining whether a compound enhances formation of a complex between a p66 subunit polypeptide of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and a p51 subunit polypeptide of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase which comprises:a) contacting a yeast cell with the compound, which cell comprises (i) a first plasmid which expresses a fusion protein comprising the p66 subunit polypeptide of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, (ii) a second plasmid which expresses a fusion protein comprising the psi subunit polypeptide of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, and (iii) a reporter gene which is activated in the presence of a complex between the p66 subunit polypeptide and the p51 subunit polypeptide; b) determining a level of activity of the reporter gene in the cell in the presence of the compound; and c) comparing the level of activity of the reporter gene determined in step (b) with a level of activity of the reporter gene determined in the absence of the compound, wherein an increased level of activity of the reporter gene determined in step (b) compared to the level of activity determined in the absence of the compound indicates that the compound enhances formation of a complex between the p51 subunit polypeptide of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and the p66 subunit polypeptide of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.