US 6,664,053 B1Granted

Identification of a region of the major surface glycoprotein (MSG) gene of human Pneumocystis carinii

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services

InventorsJoseph A. Kovacs, Shengning Huang, Henry Masur, Steven H. Fischer, Vee J. Gill, Qin Mei

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Abstract

Particularly sensitive techniques for the detection of P. carinii in clinical samples are disclosed. These techniques relate to the PCR amplification and/or detection of human-P. carinii major surface glycoprotein (MSG) gene sequences. Also disclosed are seven novel genes encoding human-P. carinii MSG, and the proteins encoded for by these genes. These genes provide proof that human-P. carinii MSG is encoded for by a highly conserved gene family, and that the conesponding proteins have a very highly conserved region of about 100 amino acids near their C-terminal end. This highly conserved carboxy-terminal region has a significantly different sequence than that found in rat-derived MSG.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of detecting the presence of Pneumocystis carinii in a human biological specimen, comprising:

amplifying a highly conserved region within a human-P. carinii nucleic acid sequence, if such sequence is present in the specimen, using two or more oligonucleotide primers that hybridize to the highly conserved region;
and
determining whether an amplified sequence is present,
wherein the highly conserved region comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of residues 2794-3042 of HMSGp1 (SEQ ID NO:
1), 2758-3006 of HMSCp3 (SEQ ID NO:
3), 2845-3090 of HMSG11 (SEQ ID NO:
5), 2839-3084 of HMSG14 (SEQ ID NO:
7), 2836-3081 of HMSG32 (SEQ ID NO:
9), 2809-3054 of HMSG33 (SEQ ID NO:
11), or 1-249 of HMSGp2 (SEQ ID NO:
15):
residues 2821-3072 of HMSG35 (SEQ ID NO:
13);
and wherein at least one oligonucleotide primer consists of SEO ID NO:
17 or 18;
and wherein the presence of the amnplified sequence detects the presence of Pneumocystis carinii in the human biological specimen.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.