The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 24, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 28, 2011
Ilya V. Frolov, Galveston, TX (US);
Elena Frolova, Galveston, TX (US);
Scott C. Weaver, Galveston, TX (US);
Ilya V. Frolov, Galveston, TX (US);
Elena Frolova, Galveston, TX (US);
Scott C. Weaver, Galveston, TX (US);
The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention is drawn to generating attenuated and less cytopathic forms of New World alphaviruses that can be used in immunogenic compositions as vaccines against both Old and New World alphaviruses. In this regard, the present invention discloses that the N-terminal, ˜35-aa-long peptide of VEEV, EEEV and, most likely, of WEEV capsid proteins plays the most critical role in the downregulation of cellular transcription and development of cytopathic effect. The identified, VEEV-specific peptide, C30-68, includes two domains with distinguished functions. The integrity of both domains determines not only the intracellular distribution of C, but is also essential for direct capsid function in the inhibition of transcription. The replacement of the N-terminal fragment of Cby its SINV-specific counterpart in VEEV TC-83 genome does not affect virus replication in vitro, but makes it less cytopathic and more attenuated in vivo.