Abstract: Inhibition of HIV-1 replication by disrupting the processing of the viral Gag capsid (CA) protein (p24) from the CA-spacer peptide 1 (SP1) protein precursor (p25) is disclosed. Amino acid sequences containing a mutation in the Gag p25 protein, with the mutation resulting in a decrease in the inhibition of processing of p25 to p24 by dimethylsuccinyl betulinic acid or dimethylsuccinyl betulin, polynucleotides encoding such mutated sequences and antibodies that selectively bind such mutated sequences are also included. Methods of inhibiting, inhibitory compounds and methods of discovering inhibitory compounds that target proteolytic processing of the HIV Gag protein are included. In one embodiment, such compounds inhibit the interaction of the HIV protease enzyme with Gag by binding to Gag rather than to the protease enzyme.

Abstract: Disclosed are ligands that bind to regions of the prion peptide and methods of using same.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for selectively inactivating viruses in biological compositions, including contacting the composition with an organic solvent and an ethyleneimine oligomer inactivating agent, are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for removal of positively charged microbicidal compounds from biological compositions are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a novel method of detecting the prion protein and variants thereof which utilizes specific amino acid binding sequences. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of detecting prion proteins, as well as isolating prion proteins, using an agent that binds to the amino acid sequence Gln-Pro-His of prion proteins. Further provided by the present invention is a method of diagnosing prion diseases in a subject using an agent that binds to the amino acid sequence Gln-Pro-His of prion proteins. Also provided are methods of treating and preventing prion diseases in a subject by administering an agent that binds to the amino acid sequence Gln-Pro-His of prion proteins. Finally, a method of inhibiting the dissemination of prion diseases through ingestion or exposure to liquid or solid substances by treating of the liquid or solid substance with biotin is provided herein.

Abstract: Methods of inactivating contaminants of a biological matrix are disclosed. The methods include the steps of: (a) contacting a biological matrix with an inactivating agent including an aziridino moiety, where a portion of the agent reacts with and inactivates the contaminant, and a portion of the agent remains unreacted; (b) contacting the product of step (a) with a solid support including at least 1 quenching moiety attached to the solid support through covalent bonds, under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the unreacted agent to bond covalently to the quenching moiety; and (c) separating the solid support and the unreacted agent from the biological matrix, where the unreacted agent is attached to the solid support through covalent bonds.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for selectively modifying nucleic acid molecules in biological compositions, including contacting the composition with an inactivating agent having the formula: 1

Abstract: The invention features a method for inactivating parasites in biological compositions. The method includes contacting the biological composition with an aziridino compound under parasite inactivating conditions.

Abstract: This invention provides means and methods of inactivating viruses and other organisms in cell-containing or biopolymer-containing compositions without significant alteration of proteins or other biopolymers by contacting such compositions with selective ethyleneimine oligomer inactivating agents, such as the trimer or tetramer.

Abstract: Disclosed are nucleic acids that can be used as probes for detecting parvovirus in a sample of nucleic acid molecules. The nucleic acids hybridize to regions encoding a non- structural protein or structural proteins of human parvovirus strain 19 or porcine parvovirus. Also disclosed are methods for detecting and amplifying parvovirus in a sample using the nucleic acids of the invention.

Abstract: The invention features a method of inactivating a contaminant, such as a virus, of a biological composition. The method includes the steps of: (a) contacting the biological composition with an inactivating agent including an aziridino moiety or a haloderivative salt thereof, where a portion of the agent reacts with and inactivates the contaminant, and a portion of the agent remains unreacted; (b) contacting the product of step (a) with a composition which includes one quenching moiety under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the inactivating agent to bond covalently to the quenching moiety; and (c) separating the quenching moiety and the quenched inactivating agent from the biological composition.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the inactivation and removal of contaminants of a biological composition are disclosed. The methods include the steps of: (a) contacting the biological composition with an inactivating agent including an aziridino moiety, such as ethyleneimine, an oligomer of ethyleneimine, or a haloderivative salt of either ethyleneimine or an oligomer of ethyleneimine, where a portion of the agent reacts with and inactivates the contaminant, and a portion of the agent remains unreacted; (b) contacting the product of step (a) with a lipophilic quenching agent including at least one quenching moiety attached to a lipophilic moiety, under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the unreacted agent to bond covalently to the quenching moiety; and (c) separating the lipophilic quenching agent and the quenched inactivating agent from the biological composition.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for selectively modifying nucleic acid molecules in biological compositions, including contacting the composition with an inactivating agent having the formula: where each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, and R8 is, independently, H or a monovalent hydrocarbon moiety containing between 1 and 4 carbon atoms, inclusive, provided that R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, and R8 cannot all be H; R5 is a divalent hydrocarbon moiety containing between 2 and 4 carbon atoms, inclusive; X is a pharmaceutically acceptable counter-ion; and n is an integer between 2 and 10, inclusive are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition of greater than 90% pure ethyleneimine dimer and a method of synthesizing the same. This method of synthesis provides several advantages over previous methods: (1) The starting compounds are all relatively inexpensive; (2) the yield of product is greater than 20% of the theoretical yield; and (3) the steps of synthesis are easy, inexpensive and amenable to large-scale production. All of these advantages allow for less expensive production of ethyleneimine dimer.

Abstract: Methods of inactivating contaminants of a biological matrix are disclosed. The methods include the steps of: (a) contacting a biological matrix with an inactivating agent including an aziridino moiety, where a portion of the agent reacts with and inactivates the contaminant, and a portion of the agent remains unreacted; (b) contacting the product of step (a) with a solid support including at least 1 quenching moiety attached to the solid support through covalent bonds, under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the unreacted agent to bond covalently to the quenching moiety; and (c) separating the solid support and the unreacted agent from the biological matrix, where the unreacted agent is attached to the solid support through covalent bonds.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for selectively inactivating viruses in biological compositions, including contacting the composition with an organic solvent and an ethyleneimine oligomer inactivating agent, are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for selectively modifying nucleic acid molecules in biological compositions, including contacting the composition with an inactivating agent having the formula: where each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, and R8 is, independently, H or a monovalent hydrocarbon moiety containing between 1 and 4 carbon atoms, inclusive, provided that R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, and R8 cannot all be H; R5 is a divalent hydrocarbon moiety containing between 2 and 4 carbon atoms, inclusive; X is a pharmaceutically acceptable counter-ion; and n is an integer between 2 and 10, inclusive are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for synthesizing ethyleneimine dimer which includes reacting 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol with an aqueous HX solution to produce N-(2-haloethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine dihydrohalide; reacting this product with a base in a solvent to convert the N-(2-haloethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine dihydrohalide into ethyleneimine dimer; and purifying the dimer from the solvent. This method of synthesis provides several advantages over previous methods: (1) The starting compounds are all relatively inexpensive; (2) the yield of the product is greater than 20% of the theoretical yield; and (3) the steps of the synthesis are easy, inexpensive and amenable to large-scale production. All of these advantages allow for less expensive production of ethyleneimine dimer.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the inactivation and removal of contaminants of a biological composition are disclosed. The methods include the steps of: (a) contacting the biological composition with an inactivating agent including an aziridino moiety, such as ethyleneimine, an oligomer of ethyleneimine, or a haloderivative salt of either ethyleneimine or an oligomer of ethyleneimine, where a portion of the agent reacts with and inactivates the contaminant, and a portion of the agent remains unreacted; (b) contacting the product of step (a) with a lipophilic quenching agent including at least one quenching moiety attached to a lipophilic moiety, under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the unreacted agent to bond covalently to the quenching moiety; and (c) separating the lipophilic quenching agent and the quenched inactivating agent from the biological composition.

Abstract: The means and methods of inactivating viruses and other organisms in cell-containing or biopolymer-containing compositions comprising contacting such compositions with selective ethyleneimine oligomer inactivating agents are disclosed. The means and methods of this invention selectively modify functional nucleic acids in a cell-containing or biopolymer-containing composition using selective ethyleneimine oligomer inactivating agents, such as the trimer or tetramer without significant alteration of proteins or other biopolymers.