Patents by Inventor James E. Darnell
James E. Darnell 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).
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Patent number: 6160092Abstract: The present invention provides a crystal of the core portion of the STAT protein in dimeric form with an 18-mer duplex DNA that contains a binding site for the STAT-dimer. The crystal is of sufficient quality to perform X-ray crystallographic studies. Methods of preparing the crystals are include in the invention. The present invention further discloses the three-dimensional structure of the crystal. The present invention also provides methods of using the structural information in drug discovery and drug development.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 1998Date of Patent: December 12, 2000Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: Xiaomin Chen, Uwe Vinkemeier, Yanxiang Zhao, David Jeruzalmi, James E. Darnell, Jr., John Kuriyan
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Patent number: 6124118Abstract: Receptor recognition factors exist that recognizes the specific cell receptor to which a specific ligand has been bound, and that may thereby signal and/or initiate the binding of the transcription factor to the DNA site. The receptor recognition factor is in one instance, a part of a transcription factor, and also may interact with other transcription factors to cause them to activate and travel to the nucleus for DNA binding. The receptor recognition factor appears to be second-messenger-independent in its activity, as overt perturbations in second messenger concentrations are of no effect. The concept of the invention is illustrated by the results of studies conducted with interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene transcription, and particularly, the activation caused by both IFN.alpha. and IFN.gamma..Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 1997Date of Patent: September 26, 2000Assignee: The Rockfeller UniversityInventors: James E. Darnell, Jr., Christian W. Schindler, Xin-Yuan Fu, Zilong Wen, Zhong Zhong
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Patent number: 6087478Abstract: The present invention provides a crystal containing the N-terminal domain of a STAT protein that is of sufficient quality to perform X-ray crystallographic studies. Methods of preparing the crystals are include in the invention. The present invention further discloses the three-dimensional structure of the crystal. The present invention also provides methods of using the structural information in drug discovery and drug development.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 1998Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: Uwe Vinkemeier, Ismail Moarefi, James E. Darnell, Jr., John Kuriyan
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Patent number: 6030780Abstract: The present invention describes methods of producing milligram quantities of three forms of purified Stat1 protein from recombinant DNA constructs. In addition, the Stat proteins may be isolated in their phosphorylated or nonphosphorylated forms (Tyr 701). The proteins can be produced in baculovirus infected insect cells, or E. coli. A compact domain in the amino terminus of Stat1.alpha. was isolated and found to enhance DNA binding due to its ability to interact with a neighboring Stat protein. A relatively protease-resistant recombinant truncated form of the Stat protein was isolated in 40-50 mg quantities. Purification of the Stat proteins were performed after modifying specific cysteine residues of the Stat proteins to prevent aggregation. Activated EGF-receptor partially purified from membranes by immunoprecipitation was shown to be capable of in vitro catalysis of the phosphorylation of the tyrosine residue of Stat1 known to be phosphorylated in vivo.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1997Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: Uwe Vinkemeier, James E. Darnell, Jr.
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Patent number: 6030808Abstract: Receptor recognition factors exist that recognizes the specific cell receptor to which a specific ligand has been bound, and that may thereby signal and/or initiate the binding of the transcription factor to the DNA site. The receptor recognition factor is in one instance, a part of a transcription factor, and also may interact with other transcription factors to cause them to activate and travel to the nucleus for DNA binding. The receptor recognition factor appears to be second-messenger-independent in its activity, as overt perturbations in second messenger concentrations are of no effect. The concept of the invention is illustrated by the results of studies conducted with interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene transcription, and particularly, the activation caused by both IFN.alpha. and IFN-.gamma..Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 1997Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: James E. Darnell, Jr., Christian W. Schindler, Xin-Yuan Fu, Zilong Wen, Zhong Zhong
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Patent number: 6025196Abstract: HNF-4 (hepatocyte nuclear factor 4) is a protein enriched in liver extracts that binds to sites required for the transcription of the transthyretin (TTR) and apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII) genes (Costa et al., 1989; Costa et al., 1990; Leff et al., 1989). We have purified HNF-4 protein (54 kD) and isolated a cDNA clone encoding the protein. HNF-4 is a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily with an unusual amino acid in the conserved "knuckle" of the first zinc finger (DGCKG). This and the fact that HNF-4 does not bind significantly to estrogen, thyroid hormone or glucocorticoid response elements indicate that HNF-4 may represent a new subfamily. HNF-4 binds to its recognition site as a dimer and activates transcription in a sequence-specific fashion in nonhepatic (HeLa) cells. HNF-4 mRNA is present in kidney and intestine as well as liver but is absent in other tissues.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1998Date of Patent: February 15, 2000Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: Frances M. Sladek, Weimin Zhong, James E. Darnell, Jr.
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Patent number: 6013475Abstract: Receptor recognition factors exist that recognizes the specific cell receptor to which a specific ligand has been bound, and that may thereby signal and/or initiate the binding of the transcription factor to the DNA site. The receptor recognition factor is in one instance, a part of a transcription factor, and also may interact with other transcription factors to cause them to activate and travel to the nucleus for DNA binding. The receptor recognition factor appears to be second-messenger-independent in its activity, as overt perturbations in second messenger concentrations are of no effect. The concept of the invention is illustrated by the results of studies conducted with interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene transcription, and particularly, the activation caused by both IFN.alpha. and IFN.gamma..Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 1997Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignee: The Rockfeller UniversityInventors: James E. Darnell, Jr., Christian W. Schindler, Xin-Yuan Fu, Zilong Wen, Zhong Zhong
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Patent number: 5976835Abstract: Receptor recognition factors exist that recognizes the specific cell receptor to which a specific ligand has been bound, and that may thereby signal and/or initiate the binding of the transcription factor to the DNA site. The receptor recognition factor is in one instance, a part of a transcription factor, and also may interact with other transcription factors to cause them to activate and travel to the nucleus for DNA binding. The receptor recognition factor appears to be second-messenger-independent in its activity, as overt perturbations in second messenger concentrations are of no effect. The concept of the invention is illustrated by the results of studies conducted with interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene transcription, and particularly, the activation caused by both IFN.alpha. and IFN-.gamma..Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 1997Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: James E. Darnell, Jr., Christian W. Schindler, Xin-Yuan Fu, Zilong Wen, Zhong Zhong
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Patent number: 5883228Abstract: The present invention relates generally to intracellular receptor recognition proteins or factors, termed Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT), to methods and compositions utilizing such factors, and to the antibodies reactive toward them, in assays and for diagnosing, preventing and/or treating cellular debilitation, derangement or dysfunction. More particularly, the present invention relates to particular functional domains of molecules that exhibit both receptor recognition and message delivery via DNA binding in receptor-ligand specific manner, i.e., that directly participate both in the interaction with the ligand-bound receptor at the cell surface and in the activity of transcription in the nucleus as a DNA binding protein. The invention likewise relates to the antibodies and other entities that are specific to the functional domain of a STAT protein and that would thereby selectively modulate its activity.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1997Date of Patent: March 16, 1999Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: James E. Darnell, Jr., Zilong Wen, Curt M. Horvath, Zhong Zhong
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Patent number: 5849485Abstract: HNF-4 (hepatocyte nuclear factor 4) is a protein enriched in liver extracts that binds to sites required for the transcription of the transthyretin (TTR) and apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII) genes (Costa et al., 1989; Costa et al., 1990; Leff et al., 1989). We have purified HNF-4 protein (54 kD) and isolated a cDNA clone encoding the protein. HNF-4 is a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily with an unusual amino acid in the conserved "knuckle" of the first zinc finger (DGCKG). This and the fact that HNF-4 does not bind significantly to estrogen, thyroid hormone or glucocorticoid response elements indicate that HNF-4 may represent a new subfamily. HNF-4 binds to its recognition site as a dimer and activates transcription in a sequence-specific fashion in nonhepatic (HeLa) cells. HNF-4 mRNA is present in kidney and intestine as well as liver but is absent in other tissues.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 1996Date of Patent: December 15, 1998Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: Frances M. Sladek, Weimin Zhong, James E. Darnell, Jr.
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Patent number: 5716622Abstract: The present invention relates generally to intracellular receptor recognition proteins or factors, termed Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT), to methods and compositions utilizing such factors, and to the antibodies reactive toward them, in assays and for diagnosing, preventing and/or treating cellular debilitation, derangement or dysfunction. More particularly, the present invention relates to particular functional domains of molecules that exhibit both receptor recognition and message delivery via DNA binding in receptor-ligand specific manner, i.e., that directly participate both in the interaction with the ligand-bound receptor at the cell surface and in the activity of transcription in the nucleus as a DNA binding protein. The invention likewise relates to the antibodies and other entities that are specific to the functional domain of a STAT protein and that would thereby selectively modulate its activity.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 1995Date of Patent: February 10, 1998Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: James E. Darnell, Jr., Zilong Wen, Curt M. Horvath, Zhong Zhong
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Patent number: 5604115Abstract: HNF-4 (hepatocyte nuclear factor 4) is a protein enriched in liver extracts that binds to sites required for the transcription of the transthyretin (TTR) and apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII) genes (Costa et al., 1989; Costa et al., 1990; Leff et al., 1989). We have purified HNF-4 protein (54 kD) and isolated a cDNA clone encoding the protein. HNF-4 is a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily with an unusual amino acid in the conserved "knuckle" of the first zinc finger (DGCKG). This and the fact that HNF-4 does not bind significantly to estrogen, thyroid hormone or glucocorticoid response elements indicate that HNF-4 may represent a new subfamily. HNF-4 binds to its recognition site as a dimer and activates transcription in a sequence-specific fashion in nonhepatic (HeLa) cells. HNF-4 mRNA is present in kidney and intestine as well as liver but is absent in other tissues.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1993Date of Patent: February 18, 1997Assignee: The Rockefeller UniversityInventors: Frances M. Sladek, Weimin Zhong, James E. Darnell, Jr.