Inhibitor of the uracil-dna glycosylase enzyme and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a protein which has the capacity to bind to and inhibit the viral uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) enzyme and its use as a therapeutic agent; in particular, as an antiviral agent.

1 . A protein comprising amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, or a variant or fragment thereof, which has the capacity to inhibit the uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) enzyme. 
     
     
         2 . An isolated polynucleotide that encodes a protein according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         3 . The A polynucleotide of  claim 2 , comprising nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
         4 . A gene construct comprising a polynucleotide according to  claim 2 . 
     
     
         5 . A vector comprising a polynucleotide according to  claim 2 . 
     
     
         6 . A cell comprising a polynucleotide according to  claim 2 . 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a protein according comprising
 culturing a cell that comprises an isolated polynucleotide that encodes a protein; wherein the protein comprises amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, or a variant or fragment thereof; and wherein the protein has the capacity to inhibit the uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) enzyme; and   producing the protein.   
     
     
         8 . A composition comprising a protein according to  claim 1  and an inert vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a protein according to  claim 1 , and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A vector comprising a gene construct according to  claim 3 . 
     
     
         12 . A cell comprising a gene construct according to  claim 4 . 
     
     
         13 . A cell comprising a vector according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         14 . A cell comprising a vector according to  claim 11 . 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the step of recovering the protein from the culture medium. 
     
     
         16 . A method of treating a viral infection, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a composition comprising: a therapeutically effective quantity of a protein comprising amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, or a variant or fragment thereof; and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.