Inventors:
Amy Skalchunes - Raleigh NC, US
Huaqin Pan - Apex NC, US
Rex Tarpey - Apex NC, US
Jeffrey Shuster - Chapel Hill NC, US
Matthew Tanzer - Durham NC, US
Lisbeth Hamer - Durham NC, US
Kiichi Adachi - Tokyo, JP
M. Todd - Apex NC, US
Sze-Chung Lo - Shun Lee Estate, HK
Sheryl Frank - Durham NC, US
Blaise Darveaux - Hillsborough NC, US
Sanjoy Mahanty - Chapel Hill NC, US
Ryan Heiniger - Raleigh NC, US
International Classification:
C12Q001/26, C12Q001/18
Abstract:
The present inventors have discovered that Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase is essential for fungal pathogenicity. Specifically, the inhibition of Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene expression in fungi results in an inability to form lesions and non-pathogenicity. Thus, Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase can be used as a target for the identification of antibiotics, preferably antifungals. Accordingly, the present invention provides methods for the identification of compounds that inhibit Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase expression or activity. The methods of the invention are useful for the identification of antibiotics, preferably antifungals.