Patent ID: 6322991
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
A method of identifying an agent useful to impair the growth of a target organism or cell, the method comprising the steps of:obtaining a viable yeast strain in which the endogenous DUT gene has been replaced and functionally complemented by a heterologous DUT gene from said target organism or cell, said yeast strain being dependent for growth on the activity of dUTPase expressed from said heterologous DUT gene,incubating said yeast strain with a candidate inhibitor of said dUTPase expressed from said heterologous DUT gene, anddetermining the effect of the candidate inhibitor on the activity of said dUTPase by assessing the rate and morphology of growth of said yeast strain, whereby agents that impair the growth of said target organism or cell are identified as those candidate inhibitors of dUTPase that impair the growth rate and induce a DNA synthesis arrest morphology of said yeast strain when incubated therewith.