Patent ID: 7723021

Claim:
An in vitro method for identifying an agent that inhibits a Vif activity in a cell, the method comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a cell that produces a Vif protein and an APOBEC3G protein with a test agent; and (b) determining the effect, if any, of the test agent on a Vif activity selected from the group consisting of association of a Vif protein with a high molecular weight complex comprising the APOBEC3G protein and cellular RNA, interference of a Vif protein with translation of APOBEC3G mRNA, and interference of a Vif protein with the intracellular localization of the APOBEC3G protein; wherein a higher level of the APOBEC3G protein in the cell contacted with the test agent compared to the level of APOBEC3G protein in a cell not treated with the test agent indicates that the test agent inhibits the Vif activity in the cell.