Patent ID: 7022319

Claim:
A recombinant retroviral vector system comprising: (a) A recombinant vector comprising, (i) a 5′ long terminal repeat region comprising the structure U3-R-U5; (ii) one or more coding sequences, said sequences being inserted into the body of the vector outside of the 5′ and a 3′ long terminal repeat regions, wherein at least one sequence encodes for at least one therapeutic antimicrobial peptide, wherein the antimicrobial peptide is selected from the group consisting of: melittin, cecropin, magainin, a preform thereof, a preproform thereof, a biologically active analogue thereof having antimicrobial activity, and a combination thereof; and (iii) a 3′ long terminal repeat region comprising a completely or partially deleted U3 region, wherein said deleted U3 region is replaced by a polylinker sequence which comprises at least one unique restriction site and at least one insertion of a heterologous DNA fragment, wherein the heterologous DNA fragment regulates the expression of at least one of the coding sequences of said vector, and comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: regulatory elements and promoters, wherein after infection of a target cell, the U3 region of said 5′ long terminal repeat region is replaced by said polylinker sequence, resulting in at least one of said coding sequences becoming operatively linked to said heterologous DNA fragment and said heterologous DNA fragment regulating the expression of at least one of said coding sequences in said target cell; and (b) a packaging cell line harboring at least one retroviral construct coding for proteins required for said recombinant vector to be packaged.