Anti-bacterial methods and materials

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus virulence genes are identified, thereby allowing the identification of novel anti-bacterial agents that target these virulence genes and their products, and the provision of novel S. aureus mutants useful in vaccines.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of identifying an anti-bacterial agent comprising the steps of assaying potential agents for the ability to interfere with expression of virulence gene products represented by the DNA sequences set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1, 2, 9, 10, 12, 18, 20, 30, 61, 66, 74 and 80, and identifying an agent that interferes with expression of said virulence gene products.  
     
     
         2 . A method of identifying an anti-bacterial agent comprising the steps of assaying potential agents for the ability to interfere with the function of a bacterial protein encoded in whole or in part by a DNA sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1, 2, 9, 10, 12, 18, 20, 30, 61, 66, 74 and 80, or the complementary strand thereof, and identifying an agent that interferes with the function of said bacterial protein.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the protein is involved in cell surface metabolism and is encoded by the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 1 (corresponding to signature tag identification numbers P2C73).  
     
     
         4 . The method of any one of claims  1  through  3  wherein the assay used is an enzyme assay.  
     
     
         5 . The method of any one of claims  1  through  3  wherein the assay used is a binding assay.  
     
     
         6 . The method of any one of claims  1  through  3  wherein the assay used is a two-hybrid screening assay.  
     
     
         7 . The method of any one of claims  1  through  3  wherein the assay is being used to screen for a ligand by binding to target protein.  
     
     
         8 . The method of any one of claims  1  through  3  wherein the assay used is an affinity ultrafiltration assay.  
     
     
         9 . A  Staphylococcus aureus  organism containing a functional mutation in a gene represented by any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1, 2, 9, 10, 12, 18, 20, 30, 61, 66, 74 and 80, said functional mutation resulting in a reduction in virulence of the organism.  
     
     
         10 . A vaccine composition comprising the  S. aureus  organism of  claim 9.