METHOD OF EVALUATING A GENE TRANSFER VECTOR AND GENE TRANSFER VECTOR PRODUCT INTERACTIONS

摘要

The present invention provides a method of evaluating a gene transfer vector as well as gene transfer vector interactions. The method comprises providing a gene transfer vector including an exogenous gene encoding a gene transfer vector product, inserting the gene transfer vector into a cell, permissive for expression of the exogenous gene and production of the gene transfer vector product, to form a transduced cell, and expressing the exogenous gene to produce the gene transfer vector product. Charged fragments are produced from the gene transfer vector product, and a detector detects the charged fragments and produces a sample signal corresponding to the mass-to-charge ratio of the charged fragments and includes information characteristic of the gene transfer vector product. The gene transfer vector is evaluated by evaluating the sample signal. The present invention also provides a method of evaluating a vector for interactions with interacting molecules. The vector is permitted to associate with one or more potentially interacting molecules, such that a vector-interacting molecule complex will form if a potentially interacting molecule associates with the vector. The method further calls for producing charged fragments from the vector, and, if a complex is formed, the interacting molecule, detecting the charged fragments with a detector that produces a sample signal corresponding to the mass-to-charge ratio of the charged fragments and comprising information characteristic of the vector, and, if a complex is formed, optionally characteristic of the interacting molecule. The vector's interactions with interacting molecules then are evaluated by evaluation of the sample signal.