Patents by Inventor Andrew E. Firth

Andrew E. Firth has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Arterivirus protein and expression mechanisms
    Patent number: 9623103
    Abstract: The invention provides the discovery and characterization of a novel arterivirus protein (nsp2TF), whose expression is dependent on ?2 ribosomal frameshifting at a site located in the nsp2 coding region. The coding region for the unique TF domain of nsp2TF overlaps the part of ORF1a that encodes the transmembrane region of nsp2 in arteriviruses, including PRRSV, LDV and SHFV. Mutations affecting the expression of nsp2TF impair PRRSV replication and result in a smaller plaque phenotype. Provided herein are arteriviruses that display reduced translation of nsp2TF and/or altered translation of one or more downstream products, arteriviruses in which nsp2TF function is reduced and/or absent, and vaccines comprising said arteriviruses. Also provided herein are diagnostic methods, methods for identifying compounds that inhibit ?2 frameshifting, and gene expression tools for eukaryotic systems utilizing ?2 frameshifting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: South Dakota Board of Regents, Cambridge Enterprise Limited, Academisch Ziekenhuis Leiden, University College Cork
    Inventors: Ying Fang, Eric John Snijder, Andrew E. Firth, John F. Atkins, Emma Elisabeth Treffers, Ali Tas, Yanhua Li
  • ARTERIVIRUS PROTEIN AND EXPRESSION MECHANISMS
    Publication number: 20150190495
    Abstract: The invention provides the discovery and characterization of a novel arterivirus protein (nsp2TF), whose expression is dependent on ?2 ribosomal frameshifting at a site located in the nsp2 coding region. The coding region for the unique TF domain of nsp2TF overlaps the part of ORF1a that encodes the transmembrane region of nsp2 in arteriviruses, including PRRSV, LDV and SHFV. Mutations affecting the expression of nsp2TF impair PRRSV replication and result in a smaller plaque phenotype. Provided herein are arteriviruses that display reduced translation of nsp2TF and/or altered translation of one or more downstream products, arteriviruses in which nsp2TF function is reduced and/or absent, and vaccines comprising said arteriviruses. Also provided herein are diagnostic methods, methods for identifying compounds that inhibit ?2 frameshifting, and gene expression tools for eukaryotic systems utilizing ?2 frameshifting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Ying Fang, Eric John Snijder, Andrew E. Firth, John F. Atkins, Emma Elisabeth Treffers, Ali Tas, Yanhua Li