Virulence Associated Nucleic Acid Sequences and Uses Thereof

Abstract

Disclosed are bacterial virulence polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences (e.g., DNA) encoding such polypeptides, and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques. Also provided are methods for utilizing such polypeptides to screen for antibacterial or bacteriostatic compounds.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 975,719, filed Oct. 10, 2001, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 199,637, filed Nov. 25, 1998 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,411, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 066,517, filed Nov. 25, 1997, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to nucleic acid molecules, genes, and polypeptides that are related to microbial pathogenicity. [0003] Pathogens employ a number of genetic strategies to cause infection and, occasionally, disease in their hosts. The expression of microbial pathogenicity is dependent upon complex genetic regulatory circuits. Knowledge of the themes in microbial pathogenicity is necessary for understanding pathogen virulence mechanisms and for the development of new “anti-virulence or anti-pathogenic” agents, which are needed to combat in...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019] By “positioned for expression” is meant that the DNA molecule is positioned adjacent to a DNA sequence which directs transcription and translation of the sequence (i.e., facilitates the production of, for example, a recombinant polypeptide of the invention, or an RNA molecule).

[0025] The invention provides a number of targets that are useful for the development of drugs that specifically block the pathogenicity of a microbe. In addition, the methods of the invention provide a facile means to identify compounds that are safe for use in eukaryotic host organisms (i.e., compounds which do not adversely affect the normal development and physiology of the organism), and efficacious against pathogenic microbes (i.e., by suppressing the virulence of a pathogen). In addition, the methods of the invention provide a route for analyzing virtually any number of compounds for an anti-virulence effect with high-volume throughput, high sensitivity, and low complexity, The methods are also relatively inexpensive to perform and enable the analysis of small quantities of active substances found in either purified or crude extract form.

Problems solved by technology

Comparable experiments using whole-animal mammalian pathogenicity models are not feasible because of the vast numbers of animals that must be subjected to pathogenic attack.

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