University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Jonathan D Dinman

Stuart W Peltz

Kevin Czaplinski

Nilgun Ereken Tumer

Katalin A Hudak

Disclosed are transgenic plants containing an exogenous nucleic acid encoding an L3 protein. The plant exhibits increased resistance to viruses and/or fungi that infect plants. The L3 proteins include wild-type proteins, spontaneously occurring mutants and non-naturally occurring L3 mutants. Also disclosed are methods of reducing the toxicity of single-chain ribosome inhibitory proteins in cells, e.g., yeast, plant and animal cells, by co-administering the L3 protein with the RIP. Further disclosed are non-naturally occurring L3 mutants that (a) substantially fail to bind single-chain RIPs that bind endogenous L3 proteins, (b) are unable to maintain M1 killer virus, (c) promote altered programmed ribosomal frameshift efficiency, (d) exhibit resistance to peptidyltransferase inhibitors, and combinations of any of (a)&#x2013;(d).

Virus-resistant transgenic plants expressing L3

An isolated multiprotein complex ofcomponents is provided that is effective to modulate peptidyl transferase activity during translation. This complex includes a Modulator of Translation Termination protein (Mtt1p, also referred to as helicase B), a Upf1 protein, a peptidyl eukaryotic release factor 1 (eRF1) and a peptidyl eukaryotic release factor 3 (eRF3).

Subfamily of RNA helicases which are modulators of the fidelity of translation termination and uses thereof

This invention provides a method for modulating the efficiency of translation termination of messenger RNA. Also provided are methods of screening for compositions and agents capable of modulating translation termination.

Growing community of inventors

North Brunswick, NJ, United States of America

Jonathan D Dinman