| abstract |
In one aspect the invention relates to a method for identifying inhibitors of viral entry comprising providing an indicator cell wherein said cell expresses a reporter gene and wherein said cell is capable of supporting entry by an effector particle, providing a candidate inhibitor of viral entry, co-compartmentalising said candidate inhibitor and said indicator cell, contacting said indicator cell with an effector particle, incubating to allow any effector particle entry to take place, and assaying said indicator cell for reporter gene activity, wherein detection of reporter gene activity identifies the candidate inhibitor as an inhibitor of viral entry. Preferably the effector particle is HIV, preferably the reporter gene is a CD4-β-lactamase fusion or a tPA fusion, preferably the reporter gene activity is assayed by cleavage of an inert substrate into a fluorescent product. |