Viral material and nucleotide fragments associated with multiple sclerosis, for diagnostic, prophylactic and therapeutic purposes

Abstract

The invention provides viral material and nucleotide fragments associated with multiple sclerosis and/or rheumatoid arthritis for use in methods of diagnosis, prophylaxis, and therapy.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid comprising the pol gene of a retrovirus associated with multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis.  
     
     
         2 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein said pol gene encodes a reverse transcriptase comprising an enzymatic site between amino acid domains LPQG and YXDD, wherein said virus has a phylogenetic distance from HSERV-9 of 0.063±0.1.  
     
     
         3 . A nucleotide fragment comprising: 
 (i) a coding nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 87, its complementary sequence, SEQ ID NO: 88, its complementary sequence, and sequences encoding the peptide sequence defined by SEQ ID NO: 89, or    (ii) a portion of said coding nucleotide sequence, which encodes a peptide that is recognized by sera of patients infected with the MSRV-1 virus.    
     
     
         4 . A process for detecting, in a biological sample, a virus associated with multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, comprising: 
 contacting the nucleotide fragment of  claim 3  with said biological sample, and    determining whether the nucleotide fragment hybridizes with a nucleic acid sequence in said biological sample, wherein hybridization indicates the presences of said virus.    
     
     
         5 . A nucleic acid probe for the detection of a virus associated with multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, wherein said probe specifically hybridizes with the nucleotide fragment of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         6 . The probe of  claim 5 , consisting of between 10 and 1,000 monomers.  
     
     
         7 . A primer for the amplification by polymerization of a nucleic acid of a viral material associated with multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, comprising a nucleotide sequence having, for any succession of at least 20 contiguous monomers, at least 70% homology with the nucleotide sequence of the fragment of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         8 . An isolated or purified polypeptide encoded by an open reading frame of the nucleotide sequence of the fragment of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         9 . The polypeptide of  claim 8 , wherein said open reading frame comprises, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, the sequence between nucleotide 18 and nucleotide 2301 of SEQ ID NO: 87.  
     
     
         10 . The polypeptide of  claim 8 , wherein said open reading frame is selected from the group consisting of a first open reading frame beginning at nucleotide 18 and ending at nucleotide 340 of SEQ ID NO: 87, a second open reading frame beginning at nucleotide 341 and ending at nucleotide 2304 of SEQ ID NO: 87 and a third open reading frame beginning at nucleotide 1858 and ending at nucleotide 2304 of SEQ ID NO: 87.  
     
     
         11 . An isolated or purified polypeptide selected from the group consisting of a polypeptide comprising peptide sequence SEQ ID NO: 90, a polypeptide consisting of peptide sequence SEQ ID NO: 90, a polypeptide encoded by an open reading frame beginning at nucleotide 18 and ending at nucleotide 340 of SEQ ID NO: 87, and an equivalent polypeptide thereof which exhibits the proteolytic activity of a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 90.  
     
     
         12 . An isolated or purified polypeptide selected from the group consisting of a polypeptide comprising peptide sequence SEQ ID NO: 91, a polypeptide consisting of peptide sequence SEQ ID NO: 91, a polypeptide encoded by an open reading frame beginning at nucleotide 341 and ending at nucleotide 2304 of SEQ ID NO: 87, and an equivalent polypeptide thereof which exhibits the reverse transcriptase activity of a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 91.  
     
     
         13 . An isolated or purified polypeptide selected from the group consisting of a polypeptide comprising peptide sequence SEQ ID NO: 92, a polypeptide consisting of peptide sequence SEQ ID NO: 92, a polypeptide encoded by an open reading frame beginning at nucleotide 1858 and ending at nucleotide 2304 of SEQ ID NO: 87, and an equivalent polypeptide which exhibits the ribonuclease activity of a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 92.  
     
     
         14 . Polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 89.