Title: Methods for Blocking Adipocyte Differentiation and Triglyceride Accumulation with G-Alpha-i3 Inhibitors
Number: 20060154882
Filed: June 10, 2003 PCT Filed: June 10, 2003
Lead Inventor: Eric Marcusson, Isis Pharmaceuticals
According to its abstract, the patent application covers "methods for blocking adipocyte differentiation and triglyceride accumulation with inhibitors of G-alpha-i3. G-alpha-i3 inhibitors … include small molecules, antibodies, peptides (including dominant negative peptides) and antisense compounds, including ribozymes, inhibitory RNA molecules including siRNA molecules, and antisense oligonucleotides."
Title: Compounds for Targeting Hepatocytes
Number: 20060154867
Filed: Jan. 20, 2006
Lead Inventor: Alexander Sokoloff, Mirus
The patent application, its abstract states, covers "compounds that bind to and are internalized by hepatocytes. Association of these compounds to other molecules or complexes can be used to target the molecules or complexes to hepatocytes in vivo or in vitro."
Title: Efficient Gene Suppression Using a Transfer RNA Promoter in Herpes Virus Vectors to Deliver Small Interference RNAs
Number: 20060154370
Filed: Jan. 7, 2006
Inventor: Yuzhi Chen, University of Arkansas
"The invention provides herpes virus nucleic acid vectors for expressing shRNAs in mammalian cells and thereby silencing target genes," the patent application's abstract states. "The vectors include a herpes virus packaging signal sequence; a herpes virus origin of replication; a segment expressing a light-emitting marker; and a transfer RNA promoter upstream of a restriction endonuclease recognition sequence. A segment encoding an shRNA can be cloned into the restriction endonuclease recognition sequence," the abstract adds. "Thus, the invention also provides vectors containing: a herpes virus packaging signal sequence; a herpes virus origin of replication; a segment expressing a light-emitting marker; and a transfer RNA promoter linked to a segment encoding a short hairpin RNA that is adapted to degrade in vivo to a small interference RNA that is complementary to a segment of a target gene."
Title: Soluble RNA Polymerase Protein and Methods for the Use Thereof
Number: 20060154237
Filed: Oct. 17, 2003 PCT Filed: Oct. 17, 2003
Lead Inventor: Eugene Makeyev, RNA-Line Oy
According to the patent application's abstract, the invention comprises "a polymerase protein originating from a eukaryotic cell and involved in the RNA silencing pathway … in a purified soluble form that possesses a detectable RNA polymerization activity. This polymerase is useful in methods and kits for in vitro RNA synthesis."
The abstract adds that "a polymerase of the invention copies ssRNA templates to produce two types of reaction products: short and long RNA copies. It can also copy ssDNA templates. The polymerization does not require a primer for the initiation of RNA synthesis, although RNA synthesis can be also initiated in the presence of a primer. In addition to standard nucleotides polymerase of this invention also accepts a number of modified nucleotides," it states. "The polymerase is useful in many downstream applications such as production of labeled RNA probes or generation of trigger RNA molecules to induce RNA interference effects in living cells or suitable in vitro systems."