Patent ID: 6924101
Filing Date: 2005-08-02
Classification: C12N

Abstract:
1. A method of screening for an antimicrobial agent, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a test compound, a microbial proliferation gene and a first and a second sample of a microorganism, wherein the microbial proliferation gene is identified by introducing an exogenous nucleic acid into the microorganism, the exogenous nucleic acid having substantial sequence identity to an endogenous microbial gene, wherein the exogenous nucleic acid is a random fragment or a random sequence, and, identifying the endogenous gene as a microbial proliferation gene by comparing the proliferation or viability of the microorganism when the exogenous nucleic acid is expressed in or introduced into the microorganism with the proliferation or viability of the microorganism when the exogenous nucleic acid is not present or not expressed, (b) introducing the microbial proliferation gene into the microorganism of the first sample; (c) contacting the test compound with the first sample and the second microorganism samples; and (d) determining the effect of the test compound on the first and the second microorganism samples, wherein the test compound is identified as an antimicrobial agent by comparing the effect of contacting the test compound to the first sample, where the exogenous nucleic acid is expressed or introduced, to the effect of contacting the test compound to the second sample, where the exogenous nucleic acid is not present, and the effect of the test compound on the contacted microorganism differs between the first and the second samples, thereby identifying the test compound as an antimicrobial agent.