Patent ID: 6461854
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K,C12N,C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
A method for identifying a pathogenic virulence factor, comprising(a) identifying a pathogen which is capable of infecting at least two different eukaryotic organisms, said two different eukaryotic organisms being chosen from (i) an animal and a plant or (ii) a vertebrate and an invertebrate; (b) generating a mutant of said pathogen; (c) exposing each of said organisms to said mutated pathogen; (d) determining whether said mutated pathogen is capable of causing disease in each of said organisms, a reduction of disease in both of said organisms relative to that caused by said wild-type pathogen indicating a mutation in said pathogenic virulence factor; and (e) using said mutation as a marker for identifying said pathogenic virulence factor.