Claims for Patent: 6,610,839

Summary for Patent: 6,610,839

Title:	Promoter for telomerase reverse transcriptase
Abstract:	The invention provides compositions and methods related to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), the catalytic protein subunit of human telomerase. The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of humana diseases, for changing the proliferative capacity of cells and organisms, and for identification and screening of compounds and treatments useful for treatment of diseases such as cancers.
Inventor(s):	Morin; Gregg B. (Davis, CA), Andrews; William H. (Richmond, CA)
Assignee:	Geron Corporation (Menlo Park, CA)
Application Number:	09/402,181
Patent Claims:	1. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a promoter sequence that either: a) is contained in lambda phage G.phi.5 deposited as ATCC Accession No. 98505; or b) hybridizes to the DNA of lambda phage G.phi.5 at 5 to 25.degree. C. below the melting temperature (T.sub.m) of a double-stranded DNA having the sequence of lambda phage G.phi.5 in aqueous solution at 1 M NaCl; wherein the promoter sequence promotes transcription in cells endogenously expressing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT). 2. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a promoter sequence that is at least 80% identical to the 1.8 kilobases of SEQ. ID NO:6 that are upstream of the translation initiation site; wherein the promoter sequence promotes transcription in cells endogenously expressing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT). 3. The nucleic acid of claim 1, which hybridizes to lambda phage G.phi.5 at 5.degree. C. below T.sub.m in aqueous solution at 1 M NaCl. 4. The nucleic acid of claim 2, wherein the promoter sequence comprises at least 100 consecutive nucleotides that are at least 90% identical to a sequence contained in SEQ. ID NO:6 within 1.8 kilobases upstream of the translation initiation site. 5. The nucleic acid of claim 2, wherein the promoter sequence comprises at least 200 consecutive nucleotides that are at least 90% identical to a sequence contained in SEQ. ID NO:6 within 1.8 kilobases upstream of the translation initiation site. 6. The nucleic acid of claim 2, wherein the promoter sequence comprises the 1.8 kilobases of SEQ. ID NO:6 that are upstream of the translation initiation site. 7. The nucleic acid of claim 2, which is a DNA. 8. The nucleic acid of claim 2 contained in a viral vector. 9. The nucleic acid of claim 8, wherein the viral vector is an adenovirus vector or a retrovirus vector. 10. The nucleic acid of claim 2 contained in a host cell. 11. The nucleic acid of claim 2, in which the promoter sequence is operably linked to a heterologous sequence, such that the heterologous sequence is transcribed in cells endogenously expressing TRT. 12. The nucleic acid of claim 11, wherein the heterologous sequence is a reporter gene. 13. The nucleic acid of claim 12, wherein the reporter gene encodes a protein that is fluorescent, phosphorescent, or has enzymatic activity. 14. The nucleic acid of claim 11, wherein the heterologous sequence is a gene which, upon expression in a cell, is toxic to the cell. 15. The nudieic acid of claim 11, wherein the heterologous sequence is a gene which, upon expression in a cell, renders the cell more susceptible to toxicity of a drug. 16. The nucleic acid of claim 15, wherein the gene encodes thymidine kinase. 17. An isolated or recombinant nucleic acid comprising a promoter sequence containing the 1.8 kB of SEQ. ID NO:6 upstream of the transcription initiation site for human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), or a fragment thereof that promotes transcription in cells endogenously expressing hTRT. 18. The nucleic acid of claim 17, containing at least 100 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ. ID NO:6 within 1.8 kilobases upstream of the translation initiation site. 19. The nucleic acid of claim 17, containing at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ. ID NO:6 within 1.8 kilobases upstream of the translation initiation site. 20. The nucleic acid of claim 17, further comprising a sequence from within the first intron of SEQ. ID NO:6. 21. The nucleic acid of claim 17 contained in a viral vector. 22. The nucleic acid of claim 21, wherein the viral vector is an adenovirus vector or a retrovirus vector. 23. The nucleic acid of claim 17, in which the promoter sequence is operably linked to a heterologous sequence, such that the heterologous sequence is transcribed in cells endogenously expressing TRT. 24. The nucleic acid of claim 23, wherein the heterologous sequence is a reporter gene. 25. The nucleic acid of claim 24, wherein the reporter gene encodes a protein that is fluorescent, phosphorescent, or has enzymatic activity. 26. The nucleic acid of claim 23, wherein the heterologous sequence is a gene which, upon expression in a cell, is toxic to the cell. 27. The nucleic acid of claim 23, wherein the heterologous sequence is a gene which, upon expression in a cell, renders the cell more susceptible to toxicity of a drug. 28. The nucleic acid of claim 1 contained in a viral vector. 29. The nucleic acid of claim 28, wherein the viral vector is an adenovirus vector or a retrovirus vector. 30. The nucleic acid of claim 1, in which the promoter sequence is operably linked to a heterologous sequence, such that the heterologous sequence is transcribed in cells endogenously expressing TRT. 31. The nucleic acid of claim 30, wherein the heterologous sequence is a reporter gene. 32. The nucleic acid of claim 31, wherein the reporter gene encodes a protein that is fluorescent, phosphorescent, or has enzymatic activity. 33. The nucleic acid of claim 30, wherein the heterologous sequence is a gene which, upon expression in a cell, is toxic to the cell. 34. The nucleic acid of claim 30, wherein the heterologous sequence is a gene which, upon expression in a cell, renders the cell more susceptible to toxicity of a drug.

Details for Patent 6,610,839

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	For Injection	103132	06/04/1986		2017-08-14
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	For Injection	103132			2017-08-14
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	Injection	103132			2017-08-14