Patent ID: 6528252
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: C12N,C12Q,G01N,Y02A

Abstract:
A method of identifying a test substance for the ability to inhibit a protease, comprising the steps of:contacting a target cell comprising a protease with a viral display package in the presence of a test substance, wherein the viral display package comprises (a) a transferable label and (b) a recombinant viral envelope protein comprising in sequential order (i) a receptor-binding polypeptide which binds to a receptor on the surface of the target cell, (ii) a protease cleavage site for said protease expressed by the target cell, and (iii) a fusion-mediating polypeptide, such that proteolytic cleavage of said cleavage site does not permit substantial transfer of the transferable label from the viral display package to the target cell; and detecting the transferable label, if any, in the target cell, wherein detection of transferable label or a greater amount of transferable label in the target cell in the presence of the test substance relative to the absence of the test substance identifies the test substance as an inhibitor of said protease.