Cornell University

The State University of New York

Hua Shi

John T Lis

Zhen Qiu Huang

Li Niu

Albert J T Millis

Michael Kotlikoff

Daiying Xu

Vamsee Krishna Chatakonda

Kimi Nishikawa

Prabhat Kumar Mallik

Bo Shui

The present invention relates to a nucleic acid aptamer molecule that includes a domain that binds to an estrogen receptor, molecular complexes that include the nucleic acid aptamer molecule and an estrogen receptor, and constructed DMA molecules and expression systems, as well as host cells, that the contain an RNA aptamer molecule of the invention. Use of these aptamers and encoding constructs to inhibiting estrogen receptor activity in a cell and to treat estrogen receptor-positive cancers is also described.

Aptamer modulators of estrogen receptors

This invention relates to nucleic acid aptamers that recognize and bind the complement protein C3 or its biologically active proteolytic products and methods of their use. Particularly preferred are bi-functional aptamer construct that binding specifically with C3b or iC3b, and another target protein. Use of these molecular constructs for commandeering the opsonization process is also described herein.

Aptamer modulators of complement protein C3 and biologically active proteolytic products thereof

The present invention relates to novel nucleic acid ligands or aptamers that bind to and inhibit the activation of the &#x3b1;-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors. Also disclosed is a novel combination of technologies, i.e., SELEX and laser pulse photolysis for the selection and screening of aptamers that inhibit receptor function and are useful therefore, in the treatment of diseases associated with excessive activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors.

Nucleic acid inhibitors of glutamate receptors

The present invention relates to a nucleic acid aptamer having a first domain that binds to a fluorescent protein. The nucleic acid aptamer forms a molecular complex whereby the aptamer binds a fluorescent protein at the first domain. A constructed DNA molecule, expression systems, and host cells containing the molecular complex are also disclosed. The invention also relates to a system containing a first DNA molecule encoding the nucleic acid aptamer of the present invention and a second DNA molecule encoding a fluorescent protein capable of being bound by the first domain. Methods of detecting a molecular target and determining location of a molecular target using the nucleic acid aptamer of the invention are also disclosed.

Functional nucleic acid ligands to fluorescent proteins

A method of identifying RNA ligands which bind to a target molecule by treating a first pool of RNA ligands that collectively bind more than one target under conditions effective to reduce the concentration or eliminate the presence of one or more predominate target-binding RNA ligands from the first pool of RNA ligands; amplifying the RNA ligands in the treated first pool, thereby forming a second pool of RNA ligands that is enriched in one or more non-predominate target-binding RNA ligands of the first pool but not the one or more predominate target-binding RNA ligands thereof; and identifying one or more predominate target-binding RNA ligands that are present in the second pool at a higher concentration than other target-binding RNA ligands. Oligonucleotides and kits which can be used in practicing the present invention are also disclosed, as are aptamers that bind to a heat shock factor protein and their use.

Exhaustive selection of RNA aptamers against complex targets

The present invention relates to a monovalent RNA aptamer that binds to Drosophila splicing factor B and a multivalent RNA aptamer that includes at least two RNA aptamer sequences linked together. Also disclosed are isolated or constructed DNA molecules which encode either a monovalent RNA aptamer or a multivalent RNA aptamer of the present invention, an engineered gene encoding a multivalent RNA aptamer of the present invention, and host cells and expression systems which contain either a heterologous DNA molecule or a heterologous gene of the present invention. Further aspects of the present invention relate to a method of expressing a multivalent RNA aptamer in a cell, a method of increasing activity of a splicing factor protein in a cell, and a method of inhibiting activity of a target molecule in a cell. A transgenic non-human organism whose somatic and germ cell lines contain an engineered gene encoding a multivalent RNA aptamer is also disclosed.

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Ithaca, NY, United States of America

Hua Shi