Patenting DNA and amino acid sequences--an Australian perspective.

author wishes to extend thanks to Associate Professor Loane Skene, Dr. Charles Lawson and D r. Clive Turner for their helpful comm ents. Thanks is also owed to Sarah B arker and N atasha Ru ff. All errors and om issions remain the tha t of the author. These neu rotoxins a re know n as conotoxins or conotokins. This group is lead by Baldomero Olivera. See V.D. Monje et al., “A new Conu s Peptide Ligand for Ca Channel Subtypes” (1993) 32:11 Neuropha rm acology 1141; B.M. O livera et al. , “Diversity of Conus Neuropeptides” (1990) 249 Science 257-263; B.M. Olivera et al. , “Conotoxins” (1991) 266 J.Biol.Chem. 22067-22070. Om ega conotoxins subtypes MV IIC and M VIID. A close relative, omega conotoxin MVIIA also found in Conus magus , is currently being trialed by Neu rex Corporation to treat neurogenic pain. Code named SNX-111 it is said to be 100 -1000 tim es m ore powerful than m orphine, but lacks the addictive qualities. The amino acid sequence for omega conotoxin MV IIA has not been patented. U.S. Patent 5591821 . This pa ten t is in respect to a num ber of om ega conotoxin s, s pecif ica lly M VIIC and MVIID. Patenting DNA and Amino Acid Sequences An Australian Perspective