Patent ID: 7101676

Claim:
A method for determining whether a compound inhibits formation of a complex between an HIV nucleocapsid protein 7 (NCp7) polypeptide and an HIV Ψ-site oligonucleotide comprising the steps of: (a) admixing an NCp7 polypeptide with a compound; (b) adding an HIV Ψ-site oligonucleotide selected from SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:8 to the admixture of step (a) so as to form an HIV Ψ-site oligonucleotide-NCp7 polypeptide complex; (c) determining amounts of complex formed in step (b); and (d) comparing the amount of complex formed in step (b) in the presence of the compound with the amount of complex formed in the absence of the compound, thereby determining whether the compound inhibits complex formation, wherein a decrease in the amount of complex formed in the presence of the compound indicates that the compound inhibits complex formation.