The disclosure addresses methods, compositions, and kits used to detect or quantify polymerase inhibitors in biological samples. The polymerase inhibitors can be therapeutic agents, or metabolites thereof, that have been administered to a subject as part of, for example, antiretroviral therapy (ART) or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to address potential infections by, e.g., retroviruses such as HIV and other viruses reliant on reverse transcription. These methods, compositions, and kits can be applied to monitor a subject's compliance with the indicated therapies and can inform potential adjustments to the therapies.

An inhibitor of RNA polymerase II is described, wherein said inhibitor is selected a moiety which targets a protein selected from cyclin kinase 12 (CDK12) or its recruiting protein PAF1C. Particular examples of such inhibitors are polypeptides expressed by a gene selected from IldD, IldR, nlpD or rfaH of a bacterial species, such as a commensal bacteria or asymptomatic carrier, or a variant of said protein. Inhibitors may be based upon bacterial Sigma S or NplD proteins. These inhibitors are useful in therapies, to suppress protein expression. Thus they may be used as immunosuppressants, anti-inflammatory or anti-infection agents.

An inhibitor of RNA polymerase II is described, wherein said inhibitor is selected a moiety which targets a protein selected from cyclin kinase 12 (CDK12) or its recruiting protein PAF1C. Particular examples of such inhibitors are polypeptides expressed by a gene selected from IldD, IldR, nlpD or rfaH of a bacterial species, such as a commensal bacteria or asymptomatic carrier, or a variant of said protein. Inhibitors may be based upon bacterial Sigma S or NplD proteins. These inhibitors are useful in therapies, to suppress protein expression. Thus they may be used as immunosuppressants, anti-inflammatory or anti-infection agents.

Provided are methods for modulating a SRC-1 condensate to regulate transcription of one or more genes, methods of treating diseases and conditions using SRC-1 inhibitors, and methods for screening of agents that modulate SRC-1 condensate.

An inhibitor of RNA polymerase II is described, wherein said inhibitor is selected a moiety which targets a protein selected from cyclin kinase 12 (CDK12) or its recruiting protein PAF1C. Particular examples of such inhibitors are polypeptides expressed by a gene selected from lldD, lldR, nlpD or rfaH of a bacterial species, such as a commensal bacteria or asymptomatic carrier, or a variant of said protein. Inhibitors may be based upon bacterial Sigma S or NplD proteins. These inhibitors are useful in therapies, to suppress protein expression. Thus they may be used as immunosuppressants, anti-inflammatory or anti-infection agents.

An isothermal gene amplification method that allows an RNA virus to be detected easily and inexpensively in a short time is presented. The isothermal gene amplification method involves a target sequence in an RNA genome, and includes: (A) producing an amplification reaction template; (B) DNA amplifying for increasing the amplification reaction template; and (C) RNA amplifying.

The present invention provides engineered BRD4 polypeptides comprising deletions of one or more of bromodomain 1 (BD1), bromodomain 2 (BD2), and extra terminal domain (ET). Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered BRD4 polypeptides, and constructs and vectors comprising the polynucleotides. Also provided are methods for using the engineered BRD4 polypeptides to assess the effects of candidate BRD4 C-terminal specific inhibitors on Pol II pausing.

The invention provides compounds of formula (I): ##STR00001##
and salts thereof, wherein X and Y have any of the values defined herein. The compounds inhibit bacterial RNA polymerase, inhibit bacterial growth, and have applications in, analysis of RNA polymerase structure and function, control of bacterial gene expression, control of bacterial growth, antibacterial chemistry, antibacterial therapy, and drug discovery.

The invention provides compounds of formula (I):

##STR00001##

and salts thereof, wherein X and Y have any of the values defined herein. The compounds inhibit bacterial RNA polymerase, inhibit bacterial growth, and have applications in, analysis of RNA polymerase structure and function, control of bacterial gene expression, control of bacterial growth, antibacterial chemistry, antibacterial therapy, and drug discovery.

The invention provides compounds of formula (I): ##STR00001##
and salts thereof, wherein X and Y have any of the values defined herein. The compounds inhibit bacterial RNA polymerase, inhibit bacterial growth, and have applications in, analysis of RNA polymerase structure and function, control of bacterial gene expression, control of bacterial growth, antibacterial chemistry, antibacterial therapy, and drug discovery.