| 摘要 |
Methods and compositions are disclosed for the prevention, treatment, and cure of viral infections. The invention comprises encrypting or regulating the genetic codes of toxins so that toxins are expressed only within virus-infected cells. Three embodiments of the invention include: I) placing a toxin gene under the control of a virus-specific regulatory sequence; II) using an antisense sequence that is copied into a positive messenger RNA for a toxin in the presence of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; and III) negative DNA toxin codes that are copied to positive toxin codes in the presence of virus-specific complementary sequences that can act as primers for DNA polymerase. In each case, toxin is expressed only within cells infected by a virus having a virus-specific factor (e.g., an inducer, an enzyme, or a nucleic acid sequence) necessary for the expression of the toxin, resulting in death of the infected cell prior to production of infectious viral progeny, thereby terminating the infectious cycle. These methods are also applicable to kill cancer cells associated with such viruses.
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