North Carolina State University

Hemosol Inc.

Salman Ashraf

Paul F Agris

Diana H Pliura

Anthony A Magnin

Diane E Wiffen

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.

Antibacterial agents and methods of screening for the same

A preselected hemoglobin species is separated from contaminants having a different acidity from that of the preselected hemoglobin species, by an overload displacement chromatography process. To remove more acidic contaminants, the process is conducted under anion exchange conditions. To remove more basic contaminants, the process is conducted under cation exchange conditions. In either case, the exchange column is overloaded to displace the hemoglobin species therefrom with contaminants having greater affinity for the column, and using the impure hemoglobin solution as the displacer.

Purification of hemoglobin by displacement chromatography

Hemoglobin is purified from a crude solution thereof, to obtain an aqueous solution containing at least 99% of a preselected hemoglobin species, by a two stage displacement chromatography process. One of the stages is conducted under anionic exchange conditions, and the other under cationic exchange conditions. In both stages, the exchange column is overloaded to displace the hemoglobin species therefrom with contaminants having greater affinity for the column, and using the impure hemoglobin solution as the displacer. Normally, anionic exchange is conducted first, with contaminants more acidic than the hemoglobin displacing the hemoglobin from the column and themselves remaining attached to the column for separation. The cationic exchange process is conducted second, on the eluent from the first column, and in this stage, the more basic contaminants displace the hemoglobin from the column under overload conditions, to yield a substantially pure hemoglobin solution.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Salman Ashraf