Yeast genes that affect viral replication

Abstract

An antiviral agent comprising an altered MAB1, MAB2, MAB3, or OLE1 gene, gene homologs or related genes is disclosed. In another embodiment, the present invention is a method of creating a virus resistant organism comprising creating a transgenic organism comprising an antiviral agent selected from the group of altered MAB1 genes, MAB2 genes, MAB3 genes or OLE1 genes, homologs of these genes, related genes and combinations of these genes and homologs.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An antiviral agent selected from the group consisting of an altered MAB1 gene, an altered MAB2 gene, an altered MAB3 gene, an altered OLE1 gene, gene homologs and related genes, wherein the agent is capable of inhibiting viral replication in a host cell.  
     
     
         2 . The agent of  claim 1  wherein the cell is a microbe.  
     
     
         3 . The agent of  claim 1  wherein the cell is a eukaryotic cell.  
     
     
         4 . The agent of  claim 3 , wherein the cell is a plant or animal cell.  
     
     
         5 . The agent of  claim 3  wherein the cell is a yeast cell.  
     
     
         6 . The agent of  claim 1 , wherein the agent comprises a dominant negative mutation.  
     
     
         7 . A method of creating a virus-resistant organism comprising creating a transgenic organism comprising an antiviral agent selected from the group of an altered MAB1 gene, MAB2 gene, MAB3 gene, OLE1 gene, homologs of these genes, related genes, and combinations of these genes and homologs.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the agent is a dominant negative mutation.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the organism is a plant.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the organism is an animal.  
     
     
         11 . A method of creating a virus-resistant organism comprising creating a transgenic organism comprising an antiviral agent selected from the group of antisense, sense, or double-stranded sequences designed to alter the expression of MAB1, MAB2, MAB3 or OLE1 or alter the expression of MAB1, MAB2 or MAB3 homologs or genes related to MAB1, MAB2 or MAB3.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the organism is a plant.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the organism is an animal.  
     
     
         14 . A method of decreasing viral replication in an organism comprising the step of decreasing the expression of MAB1, MAB2, MAB3, or OLE1 in the organism.  
     
     
         15 . A method of increasing or optimizing replication of a virus or virus derivative, by expression of MAB1, MAB2, MAB3 or OLE1 or a related or homolog gene from the same or different cell type, or combinations of such genes, or expression of modified versions of such genes, or alteration of the natural expression levels of such genes, to optimize the replication of the virus or derivative.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the viral derivative is an expression vector derivative.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the viral replication is within a plant cell.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the viral replication is within an animal cell.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the viral replication is within a microbial cell.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the viral replication is within a yeast cell.  
     
     
         21 . A method of evaluating a substance as an antiviral therapy, comprising the steps of 
 a) exposing a substance to a protein selected from the group consisting of the MAB1, MAB2, MAB3 or OLE1 expression products, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the stability of the expression product, wherein the inhibition of the expression product indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         22 . A method of evaluating a substance as an antiviral therapy, comprising the steps of 
 a) exposing a substance to a protein selected from the group consisting of the MAB1, MAB2, MAB3 or OLE1 expression products, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the stability of the expression product, wherein the inhibition of the expression product indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         23 . A method of evaluating a substance as antiviral therapy, comprising the step of 
 a) exposing the substance to a protein expression system, wherein the system expresses a protein selected from the group consisting of MAB1, MAB2, MAB3 or OLE1 expression products, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the expression level of the expression product, wherein the inhibition of the expression level indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         24 . A method of evaluating a substance as an antiviral therapy, comprising the step of 
 a) exposing a substance to a transcription system, wherein the system transcribes an mRNA product selected from the group consisting of MAB1, MAB2, MAB3 or OLE1 mRNAs, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the expression level of the mRNA product, wherein the inhibition of the expression level indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         25 . A method of evaluating a substance as an antiviral therapy, comprising the step of 
 a) exposing a substance to a transcription system, wherein the system transcribes an mRNA product selected from the group consisting of MAB1, MAB2, MAB3 or OLE1 mRNAs, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the stability of the mRNA product, wherein the decrease in stability indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         26 . A method of evaluating a substance as an antiviral therapy, comprising the steps of 
 a) exposing a substance to a Δ9 fatty acid desaturase enzyme, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the stability of the enzyme, wherein decrease in stability indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         27 . A method of evaluating a substance as an antiviral therapy, comprising the steps of 
 a) exposing a substance to a Δ9 fatty acid desaturase enzyme, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the activity of the enzyme, wherein the inhibition of activity indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         28 . A method of evaluating a substance as antiviral therapy, comprising the step of 
 a) exposing a substance to a protein expression system, wherein the system expresses a Δ9 fatty acid desaturase enzyme, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the expression level of the enzyme, wherein the inhibition of the expression level indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         29 . A method of evaluating a substance as an antiviral therapy, comprising the step of 
 a) exposing a substance to a transcription system, wherein the system transcribes a Δ9 fatty acid desaturase enzyme mRNA product, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the expression level of the mRNA product, wherein the inhibition of the expression level indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.    
     
     
         30 . A method of evaluating a substance as an antiviral therapy, comprising the step of 
 a) exposing a substance to a transcription system, wherein the system transcribes a Δ9 fatty acid desaturase enzyme mRNA product, and    b) evaluating the effect of the substance on the stability of the mRNA product, wherein the decrease in stability indicates that the substance is a possible antiviral therapy.