| 摘要 |
<p>This invention relates to novel plant thymidine kinases and their use in gene therapy. More specifically the invention provides novel thymidine kinases derived from tomato. In further aspects the invention provides novel polynucleotides encoding the tomato thymidine kinase of mutant thereof, vector constructs comprising the polynucleotide, host cells carrying the polynucleotide or vector, methods of sensitising cells to prodrugs, methods of inhibiting pathogenic agents in warm-blooded animals, methods for biocontrol of plants, methods of synthesizing monophosphates and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the plant thymidine kinases of the invention. In a preferred embodiment the invention provides a unique combination of a plant thymidine kinase and the nucleoside analog nucleoside analog AZT (3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine) to treat abnormal cell growth.</p> |
