Sifter screening to identify biologically active molecules
AssigneeAdministators of the Tulane Educational Fund
InventorsGerry F. Killeen, Brian D. Fox, John C. Beier
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Abstract
A novel single-insect feeding, testing and recovery (SIFTER) strategy is described for screening and isolating biomolecules that exert a desired biological activity in arthropods, preferably insects. Biomolecules are screened for desirable activity by feeding a population of arthropods an array of biomolecules and subsequently recovering the biomolecule(s) from detectably affected individuals.
Claims14
A method of screening a nucleic acid library for a biomolecule that kills an arthropod, comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding an array of elements to a population of arthropods, wherein each element of said array contains a clone or mixture of clones of said nucleic acid library, wherein individual arthropod mainly feeds on a single element but has the opportunity to feed upon any element in the array;
- (b) isolating dead arthropods from said population of arthropods after feeding on said array;
- (c) preparing midgut samples from said dead arthropods;
- and
- (d) recovering a clone or mixture of clones of said nucleic acid library from said midgut samples of said dead arthropods, wherein said clone or mixture of clones encode a biomolecule that kills said arthropod.
A method of screening a nucleic acid library for a biomolecule that kills the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae, comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding an array of elements to a population of Anopheles gambiae, wherein each element of said array contains a clone or mixture of clones of said nucleic acid library, wherein individual Anopheles gambiae mainly feeds on a single element but has the opportunity to feed upon any element in the array;
- (b) isolating dead Anopheles gambiae from s aid population of Anopheles gambiae after feeding on said array;
- (c) preparing midgut samples from said dead Anopheles gambiae;
- and
- (d) recovering a clone or mixture of clones of said nucleic acid library from said midgut samples of said dead Anopheles gambiae, wherein said clone or mixture of clones encode a biomolecule that kills Anopheles gambiae.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.