Patent ID: 6962785
Filing Date: 2005-11-08
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method of screening for compounds useful for inhibiting retrovirus propagation in a host for said retrovirus, wherein said retrovirus primes reverse transcription in said host by binding of a specific host tRNA to retrovirus RNA at a pair of separate binding sites on said host tRNA, said method comprising: contacting in vitro said specific host tRNA to said retrovirus RNA in the presence of said test compound; and then; determining whether said test compound inhibits the binding of said specific host tRNA to said retrovirus RNA; the inhibition of binding indicating said test compound is useful for inhibiting propagation of said virus in said host; whereby mutation of said retrovirus RNA to bind an alternate host tRNA for priming of reverse transcription requires a pair of mutations at a pair of separate tRNA binding sites in said retrovirus RNA.