Amplifying nucleic acid in animal cells, useful e.g. for gene therapy or vaccination, uses an RNA-dependent, RNA-polymerase of a plant virus

摘要

Amplifying nucleic acid (I) in animal cells by introducing an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (II) from a plant virus into the cells, is new. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) system for amplifying (I) in animal cells comprising (II) and an RNA (III) containing promoters and cis-acting signals; (2) animal cells produced by the new method or with the system of (1); (3) transcripts (IV) suitable for introducing (II) and (III) into animal cells; and (4) test kits for determining amplification of (I) comprising (i) a cell line containing the gene for (II) integrated stably into its genome and (ii) a collection of expression plasmids for producing a primary transcript.