Nature Technology Corp. awarded US patent for Promoter Rescue Technology

A new method allows scientists to simultaneously extract and harness gene regulating DNA sequences.

Lincoln, NE: Nature Technology Corporation (NTC) today announced the issuance of US Patent 6,410,220, for Promoter Rescue Technology (PRORESTtm), which enables direct capture of gene regulatory elements based upon tissue- hormone- and developmental-specificities.

It has been a goal of molecular biology to seamlessly rescue gene regulating DNA sequences (called promoters) directly from the cells expressing them, and to incorporate them into therapeutic gene delivery vehicles," said Clague Hodgson, NTC Scientific Director. PROREST technology copies the promoters and places them into mobile genetic elements, called retrotransposons."

Retrotransposons are found in the chromosomes of animals, including humans and mice, where they participate in evolutionary changes involving genetic regulation. The companys retrotransposon vectors (VLVectorstm) use the above mechanisms for therapeutic gene delivery into cells and tissues.

A significant advantage of VLVectors over recombinant retrovirus-derived vectors is their ability to maintain expression of genes in living tissue.

Nature Technology Corporation designs, constructs and manufactures vectors, or gene delivery vehicles, for the biotech industry. The company also develops and incorporates novel technologies into customer orders, creating value-added products with IP protection for customers.

The companys focus is gene therapeutics and vector development. More information about NTCs technologies and services can be found online at: http://www.natx.com.

Contact Information:

Clague Hodgson, Ph.D.
Scientific Director
Nature Technology Corporation
4701 Innovation Drive
Lincoln, NE 68521
Toll Free: 1-888-Wiz-Bang
Hodgson@natx.com
http://www.natx.com
http://www.GeneBrowser.com

Literature References:

US Patents: 6,410,220; 6,287,863; 6,207,722; 5,879,933; 5,354,674

Maintenance of expression in living tissue:

Grunkemeyer, J.A., Hodgson, C.P., Cosgrove, D. (2001) Sustained tissue-specific transgene expression from a VL30 retrotransposon-derived vector in vivo. Gene Ther. Mol. Biol. 6:91-99. http://www.gtmb.org/PDFVolume6/0.8_clague_91-99.pdf

Information about PRORESTtm technology can be found at:
http://www.natx.com/PROREST.html

More information about Retrotransposons can be found at:

http://www.natx.com/VLVectors.html