Trana Discovery, Inc.

North Carolina State University

Trana Discover, Inc.

Richard H Guenther

Samuel Perry Yenne

Jerzy Ryszard Szewczyk

Winnell H Newman

Dan Mitchell

Andrzej Malkiewicz

Steven A Lommel

Steven E Peterson

Ruben Guillermo Carbonell

Behnam Pourdeyhimi

Stefan Franzen

Daniel Sternbach

Sara Honarbakhsh

Joseph Christopher Ellis

LiNa Loo

Julie A Willoughby

Steve A Lommel

A first aspect of the invention is an agricultural composition comprising nanoparticles, an agrochemical active ingredient in the nanoparticles, and optionally (but in some embodiments preferably) a carrier for the nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles are viral particles or capsids, particularly plant viral particles or capsids. In some embodiments, the carrier comprises an inert or biodegradable carrier (e.g., a solid carrier) to which the nanoparticles are bound or in which the nanoparticles are suspended. In some embodiments, the carrier comprises inert or biodegradable polymer fibers.

Nanotechnology system for agricultural applications

Methods are disclosed for identifying antibacterial compounds which inhibit propagation of selected spectrum bacteria, which bacteria use specific tRNA to code for Ala, Met, Ser, or Leu that other bacteria do not use. In one embodiment, the selected spectrum bacteria use GCA to code for Ala, whereas other bacteria use a different codon to code for alanine. The methods involve determining whether putative inhibitors promote or inhibit complex formation between the tRNA and a bacterial ribosome, or between the tRNA and an aminoacyl synthetase. Compounds which promote or inhibit complex formation can disrupt protein production, which bacteria need to propagate. The identified antibacterial compounds can selectively inhibit bacterial propagation. By limiting their effects to the selected spectrum bacteria, these compounds can treat or prevent specific bacterial infections without disrupting the normal bacterial flora, the patients' microbiome, or causing antibacterial resistance.

Identification of selected spectrum antibiotics

Methods of inhibitingpropagation, and screening for compounds that inhibitpropagation, are described. A method of inhibitingpropagation comprises either inhibiting or stabilizing ribosomal binding of a specifictRNA in theby an amount sufficient to inhibitprotein expression. A method of screening for compounds useful for inhibitingpropagation comprises contacting a specifictRNA to a ribosome that binds that tRNA in the presence of the test compound and an mRNA that codes for methionine and arginine (i.e., includes the sequence AUGAGA), and then determining whether the compound inhibits the binding of that tRNA.

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Inhibitors of retroviral propagation, methods of treatment and prevention of retroviral infections using the inhibitors, and pharmaceutical compositions including the inhibitors, are disclosed.

Antiviral compounds and methods of use thereof

Methods of identifying inhibitors of retroviral propagation, tRNA used in the methods, and kits, including the tRNA, which can be used in the methods, are disclosed. Methods of treating or preventing retroviral infections by administering an effective amount of the inhibitors, and pharmaceutical compositions including the inhibitors, are also disclosed. The methods involve forming a mixture comprising a linear sequence of a tRNA anticodon stem loop fragment that is not capable of forming a stem-loop, a target nucleic acid molecule capable of binding to the tRNA anticodon stem loop fragment, and a test compound. The mixture is incubated under conditions that allow binding of the tRNA anticodon stem loop fragment and the target nucleic acid molecule in the absence of the test compound. Assays can then be performed that detect whether or not the test compound inhibits the binding of the tRNA anticodon stem loop fragment and the target nucleic acid molecule.

Compositions and methods for the identification of inhibitors of retroviral infection

The present invention is drawn to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the following compound:  The compound and other azacycle derivatives can be used in method of treatments for retroviral infections, such as HIV.

This invention is a process for the manufacture of a plant viral capsid to be used for the targeted delivery of therapeutics to diseased cells. The process uses a plant virus as the starting material. The choice of the plant virus overcomes a problem in the manufacture of a uniform starting material. The final product has an advantage over other plant virus-based delivery systems in that the plant virus selected has a natural structure that is resistant to breakdown during the delivery process. This system takes advantage of the reversible divalent cation switch that this capsid employs to assemble and disassemble.

Viral nanoparticle cell-targeted delivery platform

A biodegradable delivery system for actives such as pharmaceutical drugs. The delivery system includes actives infused into the capsid of a purified plant virus. The loaded capsids are embedding in electrospun biodegradable polymer fibers, forming a nonwoven fabric.

Biodegradable non-woven fabric having plant virus encapsulated actives for drug delivery

Compositions and methods for identifying inhibitors of RNA-target molecule interactions are provided as well as identifying inhibitors that block the role of tRNA in protein synthesis. The methods involve forming a mixture comprising a tRNA fragment molecule containing a modified nucleotide, a target molecule capable of binding to the tRNA fragment, and a test compound. The mixture is incubated under conditions that allow binding of the tRNA and the target molecule in the absence of the test compound. Assays can then be performed that detect whether or not the test compound inhibits the binding of the tRNA molecule and the target molecule. High throughput assays are also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Cary, NC, United States of America

Richard H Guenther