Vault and Vault like Carrier Molecules

Abstract

A method of using vaults as carrier molecules to deliver one or more than one substance to an organism, or to a specific tissue or to specific cells, or to an environmental medium. A vault-like particle. A method of preventing damage by one or more than one substance to an organism, to a specific tissue, to specific cells, or to an environmental medium, by sequestering the one or more than one substance within a vault-like particle. A method of delivering one or more than one substance or a sensor to an organism, to a specific tissue, to specific cells, or to an environmental medium. According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of making vault-like particles, and making vault-like particles comprising one or more than one substance, or one or more than one sensor.

1 - 62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . A method of making vault-like particles comprising: a) creating polynucleotide sequences encoding one or more than one polypeptide selected from the group consisting of MVP, modified MVP, VPARP, a portion of VPARP, modified VPARP, a modified portion of VPARP, TEP1, a portion of TEP1, modified TEP1 and a modified portion of TEP1; b) using the polynucleotide sequences created to generate a bacmid DNA; c) using the bacmid DNA to generate a baculovirus comprising the sequence; and d) using the baculovirus to infect insect cells for protein production using an in situ assembly system. 
     
     
         64 . A method of making vault-like particles comprising one or more than one substance, the method comprising: a) making vault-like particles according to  claim 63 ; and b) co-incubated the vault-like particles with the one or more than one substance. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , where the one or more than one substance is selected from the group consisting of enzyme, a pharmaceutical agent, a plasmid, a polynucleotide, a polypeptide, a sensor and a combination of the preceding. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising purifying the vault-like particles after making the vault-like particles. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , where the portion of VPARP is amino acids 1562-1724 (SEQ ID NO:3).