Janice E Kranz

US Patent:

57598339, Jun 2, 1998

Filed:

Jun 6, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/468557

Inventors:

Kiyotaka Shiba - Tokyo, JP
Janice E. Kranz - Boston MA
Paul R. Schimmel - Cambridge MA

Assignee:

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Cambridge MA
Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research - Tokyo

International Classification:

C12N 900
C12N 1500
C12N 114
C07H 2104

US Classification:

435183

Abstract:

Isolated, recombinant nucleic acids which encode an isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IleRS) of human origin have been used to make expression constructs and transformed host cells for the production of a recombinant human IleRS. A recombinant enzyme has been purified, and is active in the specific aminoacylation of tRNA by isoleucine. Isolated, recombinant enzyme, and antibodies made specifically thereto, can be useful in assays to diagnose and monitor the autoimmune disease known as "antisynthetase syndrome. " The essential isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases of microbes pathogenic in humans can be the targets of inhibitory agents having antimicrobial activity. A human isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, isolated and purified, can be used to assess the toxic effect in humans of such an inhibitory agent in various biochemical activity assays. This human enzyme can also be expressed in "tester strains," whose cells rely upon the function of the human isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase for tRNA. sup. Ile charging.

US Patent:

58858156, Mar 23, 1999

Filed:

Nov 1, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/742026

Inventors:

Mandana Sassanfar - Dedham MA
Christoph Kaufmann - Buechenbeuren, DE
Paul L. Gallant - Dedham MA
Janice E. Kranz - Jamaica Plain MA
Fariba Houman - Belmont MA

Assignee:

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Cambridge MA

International Classification:

C12N 900
C12N 114
C12N 1500
C07H 2104

US Classification:

435183

Abstract:

The present invention relates to isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acids which encode Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases, portions thereof, or fusion proteins comprising a Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase or portion thereof. Also disclosed are constructs comprising the nucleic acids of the present invention, host cells comprising a recombinant nucleic acid or construct, and methods of producing a Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, portion thereof, or fusion protein comprising same. Also described are tester strains, which are cells engineered to rely on the function of a Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase or functional fragment thereof encoded by an introduced cloned gene, and which can be used in a method of detecting an inhibitor of Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase function. The invention further relates to isolated and/or recombinant Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases, portions thereof, or fusion proteins comprising a Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase or portion thereof, methods of use of these polypeptides in an assay to identify inhibitors of Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase function, and antibodies reactive with Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases.