Abstract: The invention provides promoter specific and promoter non-specific screening assays for identifying an inhibitor of a pathogenic nucleic acid polymerase activity, e.g. an RNA polymerase derived from a pathogenic infectious organism such as a bacterium, protozoan or fungus. Generally, the methods involve forming a mixture of nucleotides, a polynucleotide template, a pathogenic polymerase candidate inhibitor of polymerase activity, where at least one of the nucleotides comprises a detectable label. The mixture is incubated under conditions whereby, but for the presence of the candidate inhibitor, the polymerase transcribes the polynucleotide template by catalyzing the polymerization of the nucleoside triphosphates into a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence complementary to that of the polynucleotide template. The nascent transcript is captured by a polynucleotide-selective agent immobilized on a solid substrate for subsequent washing and label detection.

Abstract: Host Cell Factor (HCF), a eukaryotic cellular protein involved in transcription, nucleic acids encoding HCF, and methods of using HCF and HCF-encoding nucleic acids are provided. HCF activity is disclosed to comprise a collection of polypeptides encoded by a structural gene encoding a parent protein of 2039 amino acids. HCF-specific binding compounds are disclosed including antibodies to HCF epitopes. Because HCF is required for the transcription of a number of viral genes such as the immediate early genes of Herpes Simplex Virus, the invention provides HCF-based pharmaceutical compositions and HCF-based methods for screening chemical libraries for regulators of viral transcription. Such compositions are used in the treatment of viral infections by modulating the transcription of certain viral genes.

Abstract: Host Cell Factor (HCF), a eukaryotic cellular protein involved in transcription, nucleic acids encoding HCF, and methods of using HCF and HCF-encoding nucleic acids are provided. HCF activity is disclosed to comprise a collection of polypeptides encoded by a structural gene encoding a parent protein of 2039 amino acids. HCF-specific binding compounds are disclose including antibodies to HCF epitopes. Because HCF is required for the transcription of a number of vital genes such as the immediate early genes of Herpes Simplex Virus, the invention provides HCF-based methods for screening chemical libraries for regulators of viral transcription. Such regulators are used in the treatment of viral infections by modulating the transcription of certain viral genes.