Mcgill University

Marc Lussier

Howard Bussey

Anne-Marie Sdicu

Sarkis Serge Shahinian

The present invention to an isolated DNA which codes for a gene essential for cell wall glucan synthesis of , wherein the gene is referred to as CaKRE9, wherein the sequence of the DNA is as set forth in FIG. . The present invention relates to antifungal in vitro and in vivo screening assays for identifying compounds which inhabit the synthesis, assembly and/or regulation of &bgr;1,6-glucan. There is also disclosed an in vitro method for the diagnosis of disease caused by fungal infection in a patient.

Candida albicans KRE9 and uses thereof

The present invention relates to an antifungal in vitro and in vivo screening assays for identifying compounds which inhibit mannosyltransferases involved in protein O- and N-glycosylation. The antifungal screening assay for identifying a compound which inhibit mannosyltransferases involved in protein O- and N-glycosylation, comprises the steps of: a) subjecting proteins to a specific mannosyltransferase protein encoded by a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannosyltransferase encoding gene, wherein said gene is selected from the group consisting of KRE2/MNT1, YUR1, KTR1, KTR2, KTR3, KTR4, KTR5, KTR6 and KTR7; b) subjecting step a) to a screened compound and determining the absence or presence of protein O- and N-glycosylation, wherein the absence of protein O- and N-glycosylation is indicative of an antifungal compound. There is also disclosed an in vitro method for the diagnosis of diseases caused by fungal infection in a patient.

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Montréal, Canada

Marc Lussier