Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
296 words
A process for producing a liposome-encapsulated DNA repair enzyme comprising: (a) growing cells which synthesize the DNA repair enzyme; (b) preparing an extract of the cells which contains the DNA repair enzyme in an impure state; (c) contacting the extract with a molecular sieve having an exclusion limit which is (i) larger than the molecular weight of the DNA repair enzyme and (ii) smaller than the molecular weight of at least some of the impurities in the extract such that the DNA repair enzyme will pass through the molecular sieve at a slower rate than at least some of said impurities; (d) isocratically eluting the DNA repair enzyme from the molecular sieve with an aqueous elution solution so as to obtain the DNA repair enzyme in one or more selected fractions of the eluate in a state of enhanced purity, said aqueous elution solution being chosen so that complexes can form between the DNA repair enzyme and selected nucleic acids; (e) without further purification, contacting the one or more selected fractions from step (d) in said aqueous elution solution with one or more selected nucleic acids which have been immobilized on a solid support so as to form immobilized nucleic-acid/DNA-repair-enzyme complexes between the DNA repair enzyme and the one or more selected, immobilized nucleic acids; (f) washing the immobilized complexes to remove at least some of the remaining impurities; (g) eluting the DNA repair enzyme from the one or more selected, immobilized nucleic acids so as to obtain the DNA repair enzyme in one or more selected fractions of the eluate in a state of further enhanced purity; and (h) encapsulating at least a portion of the purified DNA repair enzyme contained in the one or more selected fractions of step (g) in pH sensitive liposomes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
296 words
A process for producing a liposome-encapsulated DNA repair enzyme comprising: (a) growing cells which synthesize the DNA repair enzyme; (b) preparing an extract of the cells which contains the DNA repair enzyme in an impure state; (c) contacting the extract with a molecular sieve having an exclusion limit which is (i) larger than the molecular weight of the DNA repair enzyme and (ii) smaller than the molecular weight of at least some of the impurities in the extract such that the DNA repair enzyme will pass through the molecular sieve at a slower rate than at least some of said impurities; (d) isocratically eluting the DNA repair enzyme from the molecular sieve with an aqueous elution solution so as to obtain the DNA repair enzyme in one or more selected fractions of the eluate in a state of enhanced purity, said aqueous elution solution being chosen so that complexes can form between the DNA repair enzyme and selected nucleic acids; (e) without further purification, contacting the one or more selected fractions from step (d) in said aqueous elution solution with one or more selected nucleic acids which have been immobilized on a solid support so as to form immobilized nucleic-acid/DNA-repair-enzyme complexes between the DNA repair enzyme and the one or more selected, immobilized nucleic acids; (f) washing the immobilized complexes to remove at least some of the remaining impurities; (g) eluting the DNA repair enzyme from the one or more selected, immobilized nucleic acids so as to obtain the DNA repair enzyme in one or more selected fractions of the eluate in a state of further enhanced purity; and (h) encapsulating at least a portion of the purified DNA repair enzyme contained in the one or more selected fractions of step (g) in pH sensitive liposomes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the exclusion limit of the molecular sieve is (i) larger than the Stokes' radius of the DNA repair enzyme and (ii) smaller than the Stokes' radius of at least some of the impurities and wherein the molecular sieve comprises a gel filtration column.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the exclusion limit of the molecular sieve is larger than about twice the Stokes' radius of the DNA repair enzyme and smaller than about 35 Angstroms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the molecular sieve comprises a gel filtration column.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the exclusion limit of the molecular sieve is larger than about twice the molecular weight of the DNA repair enzyme and smaller than about 60,000 daltons.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the one or more selected nucleic acids are single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acids.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the DNA repair enzyme is eluted from the one or more selected, immobilized nucleic acids using an aqueous elution solution which contains a gradient of a material capable of disassociating the DNA repair enzyme from the one or more selected, immobilized nucleic acids.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the DNA repair enzyme is a homogeneous protein at the end of step (g) as determined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the DNA repair enzyme is T4 endonuclease V.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the liposomes include phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the liposomes include cholesteryl hemisuccinate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the molar ratio of cholesteryl hemisuccinate to the remaining components of the liposomes' membranes is about 1:1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 12 wherein (a) the remaining components of the liposomes' membranes comprise phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and oleic acid, and (b) the phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, oleic acid, and cholesteryl hemisuccinate are in a molar ratio of about 2:2:1:5.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the DNA repair enzyme is T4 endonuclease V.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A composition comprising pH sensitive liposomes having a DNA repair enzyme encapsulated therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
A composition comprising pH sensitive liposomes having a DNA repair enzyme encapsulated therein.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A composition comprising pH sensitive liposomes having a DNA repair enzyme encapsulated therein prepared by the process of claim 1.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The composition of claim 15 wherein the DNA repair enzyme is T4 endonuclease V.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The composition of claim 15 wherein the liposomes include phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The composition of claim 15 wherein the liposomes include cholesteryl hemisuccinate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The composition of claim 19 wherein the molar ratio of cholesteryl hemisuccinate to the remaining components of the liposomes' membranes is about 1:1.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The composition of claim 20 wherein (a) the remaining components of the liposomes' membranes comprise phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and oleic acid, and (b) the phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, oleic acid, and cholesteryl hemisuccinate are in a molar ratio of about 2:2:1:5.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The composition of claim 21 wherein the DNA repair enzyme is T4 endonuclease V.