Inventors:
William Hahn - Boston MA, US
Kenkichi Masutomi - Tokyo, JP
Yoshiko Maida - Tokyo, JP
Yoshihide Hayashizaki - Tokyo, JP
Timo Lassmann - Tokyo, JP
Assignee:
JAPAN HEALTH SCIENCES FOUNDATION - Tokyo
RIKEN - Saitama
DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE, INC. - Boston MA
International Classification:
A61K 38/45, C12N 9/96, G01N 33/573, C12N 5/071, C12Q 1/68, C12M 1/40, A61P 19/02, A61P 35/00, A61P 35/02, A61P 11/06, A61P 17/14, A61P 7/06, A61P 3/00, C07K 14/00
US Classification:
424 943, 435188, 435 61, 435 78, 435375, 435 619, 4352871, 424 945, 530358
Abstract:
The invention provides compositions comprising a TERT-RMRP or TERT-RNA complex and methods of treating subjects with genetic diseases in which gene silencing is either increased by administering the compositions of the invention or decreased by administering an inhibitor of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) activity of these compositions. Moreover, the invention provides methods of screening for agonists and antagonists of RdRP activity and TERT-RMRP complex formation. Finally, the invention provides a method of identifying a RNA molecule that forms a complex with a TERT polypeptide and has RdRP activity.