Abstract: The invention provides for an isolated nucleic acid encoding Mda-5 (melanoma differentiation associated gene-5) and an isolated Mda-5 polypeptide. The invention further provides a vector comprising the nucleic acid encoding Mda-5, as well as a host cell comprising the vector. The invention provides an antibody which specifically binds to an Mda-5 polypeptide. The invention further provides a method for determining whether a compound is an inducer of Mda-5 gene expression and assays to determine whether a compound modifies the enzymatic activity of the Mda-5 polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to mda-5 nucleic acids, MDA-5 proteins, the mda-5 promoter, and related molecules, and the use of each of these elements in protecting against or limiting viral infection, controlling cell proliferation, and promoting apoptosis. It is based upon the discovery that, contrary to earlier hypotheses based on the amino acid sequence of MDA-5, the protein is not a defective ATPase but rather exhibits ATPase activity. This supports the role of MDA-5 as a RNA helicase protein and consequently its use in promoting RNA degradation, for example in the context of antiviral defense, limitation of cell proliferation, or induction of apoptosis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing defect areas of a rewritable optical recording medium. Upon receiving a write or read command from a host, the defect areas management apparatus decodes a PID of a position being currently traced by an optical pickup, generates the resultant physical sector number of the current position and compares it with a physical sector number of a defect area stored in a DMA storage unit. If the two physical sector numbers are the same, the defect areas management apparatus does not write or read data on a sector of the position traced by the optical pickup. Therefore, the defect areas management apparatus is capable of efficiently managing defect areas of the optical recording medium.