North Carolina State University

The State University of New York

Duke University

Health Research, Inc.

Veri-Q, Inc.

Paul F Agris

Lloyd G Mitchell

Christopher D J Pearce

Salman Ashraf

Kathleen A McDonough

Thorsten M Seyler

Ryan Schneider

Carol Hall

Ville Vare

Xingqing Xiao

Provided is a method for inhibiting the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, including contacting said bacteria with a first compound and a second compound, wherein the first compound is a compound of Formula I: and the second compound is an antibiotic other than a compound of Formula I. Also provided is a composition including the first compound and the second compound.

Method for inhibiting growth of bacteria

The present disclosure identifies compounds that bind to a t-RNA-dependent riboswitch of aaRS gene expression unique to Gram-positive bacteria. The compounds have anti-bacterial activity.

T-box riboswitch-binding anti-bacterial compounds

Disclosed are peptides that exhibit good binding to the anticodon stem and loop of human lysine tRNA species, tRNALys3. The starting point was the 15-amino-acid sequence, RVTHHAFLGAHRTVG, found to bind selectively to hypermodified tRNALys3. The peptide backbone conformation was determined via atomistic simulation of the peptide-ASLLys3complex and then held fixed throughout the search. Analysis of the binding structure and the various contributions to the binding energy shows that: 1) two hydrophilic residues (asparagine (ASN) at site 11 and the cysteine (CYS) at site 12) 'recognize' the ASLLys3 due to the VDW energy, and thereby contribute to its binding specificity, and 2) the positively-charged arginines (ARG) at sites 4 and 13 preferentially attract the negatively-charged sugar rings and the phosphate linkages, and thereby contribute to the binding affinity.

Peptide inhibitor of HIV reverse transcription

This application describes an antibody that specifically binds to a synthetic oligomer (e.g., an oligonucleotide or oligopeptide) having a organic protecting group covalently bound thereto, which antibody does not bind to that synthetic oligomer when the organic protecting group is not covalently bound thereto. Methods of making and using such antibodies are also disclosed, along with cells for making such antibodies and articles carrying immobilized oligomers that can be used in assay procedures with such antibodies.

Methods and compositions for determining the purity of chemically synthesized nucleic acids

Host RNA/viral protein interaction as a target of intervention in the replication of viruses, e.g., the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are described. The target being upstream of the final replication product, and being crucial to the viral replication, is less likely to be genetically altered to drug resistance. Peptides that intervene in this RNA/viral protein interaction are also described, as well as compositions containing the same and methods of use thereof.

Peptides and methods of use as therapeutics and screening agents

A method of screening for compounds useful for inhibiting retrovirus propagation in a host for the retrovirus, wherein the retrovirus primes reverse transcription in the host by binding of a specific host tRNA to retrovirus RNA at at least a pair of separate binding sites on the host tRNA, comprises contacting the specific host tRNA to the retrovirus RNA in the presence of the test compound, and then determining whether the compound inhibits the binding of the specific host tRNA to the retrovirus RNA in the presence of the test compound.

Antibacterial and antiviral agents and methods of screening for the same

Methods of inhibiting microbial propagation, and screening for compounds that inhibit microbial propagation, are described. A method of inhibiting microbial propagation comprises inhibiting ribosomal binding of a specific microbial tRNA in the microbe by an amount sufficient to inhibit microbe propagation. A method of screening for compounds useful for inhibiting microbial propagation comprises contacting a specific microbial tRNA to a ribosome that binds that tRNA in the presence of the test compound, and then determining whether the compound inhibits the binding of that tRNA.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Paul F Agris