Novel fungal toxins and methods related to the same
AssigneeLundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
InventorsAshraf S. IBRAHIM, Sameh SOLIMAN, John EDWARDS, JR.
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Abstract
Presented herein, in certain aspects, are compositions that comprise novel toxin proteins, the nucleic acids that encode them, and/or portions thereof, which toxins are expressed by fungi of the Mucorales order and are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of Mucormycosis. Also presented herein, in certain aspects, are methods of detecting the presence or absence of novel fungal toxins and/or the nucleic acids that encode them in a sample, which methods can be used to identify the presence of Mucorales in a subject. Methods and/or compositions presented herein can be used to prevent and/or treat a Mucorales infection.
Claims15
1-6. (canceled)
A method of detecting the presence of Mucorales in a sample comprising:
- a) contacting a binding agent with a sample suspected of comprising a Mucorales species, or portion thereof, wherein the binding agent is configured to specifically bind to a polypeptide comprising 16 or more consecutive amino acids of any one of SEQ ID NOs:
- 3-9 or SEQ ID NOs:
- 17-21;
- and
- b) detecting the presence or absence of a bound complex in the sample, wherein the bound complex comprises the binding agent and the polypeptide, and the presence of the bound complex indicates the presence of a Mucorales species, or portion thereof, in the sample.
A method of detecting the presence of Mucorales in a sample comprising:
- a) contacting a sample suspected of comprising a Mucorales species and comprising nucleic acids with an oligonucleotide primer pair thereby providing a mixture, wherein the oligonucleotide primer pair is configured to produce an amplicon under amplification conditions, wherein the amplicon comprises at least 80% identity to SEQ ID NO:
- 1, SEQ ID NO:
- 2, SEQ ID NOs:
- 35-39, SEQ ID NO:
- 47, SEQ ID NO:
- 22, and/or SEQ ID NO:
- 23, or a portion thereof;
- b) performing an amplification reaction with the mixture, thereby providing an amplification product;
- and
- c) analyzing the amplification product for the presence of the amplicon, wherein the presence of the amplicon indicates the presence of a Mucorales species in the sample.
A method comprising:
- a) providing a polypeptide comprising at least 90% identity to an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs:
- 3-9, SEQ ID NOs:
- 17-21, or a portion thereof, wherein the polypeptide comprises a toxin activity;
- and
- b) administering the polypeptide to a mammal having or suspected of having a cancer, wherein the polypeptide contacts a cancer cell in the mammal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.