Inhibitors of macromolecular activity
AssigneeThe Curators of the University of Missouri
InventorsFrancis J. Schmidt, Farahnaz Rahmatpanah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to methods, kits, compositions, and combinations to identify anti-infective or anti-pathogenic agents. The present invention also relates to methods, kits, compositions, and combinations directed to identifying elements of RNA metabolism related to pathogen propagation, monitoring of these RNA metabolic events, and to agents capable of interrupting RNA metabolism in a pathogen-specific fashion.
Claims20
A method for identifying a pathogen-inhibiting agent that selectively interrupts assembly of a predetermined biological process, comprising:
- (a) contacting a genetically engineered host cell that contains a sequence encoding the predetermined biological process operatively associated with a regulatory sequence that controls gene expression, so that the predetermined biological process gene product is stably expressed by the host cell, with the pathogen-inhibiting agent for a predetermined amount of time;
- (b) measuring growth of the host cell of (a);
- (c) contacting a genetically engineered host cell that contains multiple sequences encoding the predetermined biological process operatively associated with a regulatory sequence that controls gene expression, so that the predetermined biological process gene products are stably expressed by the host cell, with the pathogen-inhibiting agent for a predetermined amount of time;
- (d) measuring growth of the host cell of (c);
- (e) comparing the growth of the host cell of (a) with the growth of the host cell of (c);
- and
- (f) identifying the pathogen-inhibiting agent that inhibits the growth of the host cell of (a) and does not inhibit the growth of the host cell of (d).
A method for identifying in a test sample an unknown pathogen-inhibiting agent that interrupts assembly of a predetermined biological process, comprising:
- (a) contacting a bacterial strain containing a gene for the assembly of the predetermined biological process with the test sample;
- (b) incubating the bacterial strain of (a) in presence of the test sample for a predetermined amount of time;
- (c) measuring bacterial growth of the bacterial strain of (a);
- (d) contacting a bacterial strain containing multiple copies of the gene for the assembly of the predetermined biological process with the test sample;
- (e) incubating the bacterial strain of (d) in the presence of the test sample for a predetermined amount of time;
- (f) measuring bacterial growth of the bacterial strain of (d);
- and
- (g) identifying the test sample that inhibits the growth of the bacterial strain of (a) and does not inhibit the growth of the bacterial strain of (d).
A method for selectively interrupting assembly of a predetermined bacterial biological process in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
- administering to the subject a pathogen-inhibiting agent that selectively interrupts the assembly of a predetermined bacterial biological process, wherein the ability of the pathogen-inhibiting agent to selectively interrupt the assembly of the predetermined bacterial biological process is determined by:
- (a) contacting a bacterial strain containing a gene for the assembly of the predetermined biological process with the pathogen-inhibiting agent;
- (b) incubating the bacterial strain of (a) in presence of the pathogen-inhibiting agent for a predetermined amount of time;
- (c) measuring bacterial growth of the bacterial strain of (a);
- (d) contacting a bacterial strain containing multiple copies of the gene for the assembly of the predetermined biological process with the pathogen-inhibiting agent;
- (e) incubating the bacterial strain of (d) in the presence of the pathogen-inhibiting agent for a predetermined amount of time;
- (f) measuring bacterial growth of the bacterial strain of (d);
- and
- (g) identifying the pathogen-inhibiting agent that inhibits the growth of the bacterial strain of (a) and does not inhibit the growth of the bacterial strain of (d).
A composition comprising a bacterial ribonuclease P assembly inhibiting agent selected from the group consisting of gallic acid;
- 3-O-galloylshikimic acid;
- quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucoronide methyl ester;
- casurariin;
- ellagic acid;
- and gallic acid methyl ester;
- or a salt, ester, amide, enantiomer, isomer, tautomer, prodrug or derivative thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.