Appeal No. 1995-2723
Application 07/858,747
1. A method for reducing the effect of inhibitory/instability sequences within the
coding region of a mRNA, wherein said effect of said inhibitory/instability sequences is a
post-transcriptional effect, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a gene which encodes said mRNA;
(b) identifying the inhibitory/instability sequences within said gene which encode
said inhibitory/instability sequences within the coding region of said mRNA;
(c) mutating said inhibitory/instability sequences within said gene by making
multiple point mutations;
(d) transfecting said mutated gene into a cell;
(e) culturing said cell in a manner to cause expression of said mutated gene;
(f) detecting the level of expression of said gene to determine whether the effect of
said inhibitory/instability sequences within the coding region of the mRNA has been
reduced.
6. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said mutating step changes the codons such
that the amino acid sequence encoded by the mRNA in unchanged.
10. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said mRNA encodes the GAG protein of a
Rev-dependent complex retrovirus.
The references relied upon by the examiner are:
Hatfield et al. (Hatfield) 5,082,767 Jan. 21, 1992
Schwartz et al. (Schwartz), "Distinct RNA Sequences in the gag Region of Human
Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Decrease RNA Stability and Inhibit Expression in the
Absence of Rev Protein," Journal of Virology, Vol. 66(1), pages 150-159, 1992.
Wisdom et al. (Wisdom), "The Protein-Coding Region of c-myc mRNA Contains a
Sequence that Specifies Rapid mRNA Turnover and Induction by Protein Synthesis
Inhibitor," Genes & Development, Vol. 5, pages 232-243, 1991.
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