Novel glucosaminidase

Abstract

The invention provides glucosaminidase polypeptides and DNA (RNA) encoding glucosaminidase polypeptides and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques. Also provided are methods for utilizing glucosaminidase polypeptides to screen for antibacterial compounds.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated polynucleotide segment comprising a nucleic acid sequence or the full complement of the entire length of the nucleic acid sequence, wherein the nucleic acid sequence is identical to SEQ ID NO:1 except that, over the entire length corresponding to SEQ ID NO:1, up to thirty nucleotides are substituted, deleted or inserted for every 100 nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1; wherein the nucleic acid sequence is not genomic DNA and wherein the nucleic acid sequence detects  Staphylococcus aureus  by hybridization.  
     
     
         2 . A vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide segment of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         3 . An isolated host cell comprising the vector of  claim 2 .  
     
     
         4 . The isolated polynucleotide segment of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequence is identical to SEQ ID NO:1 except that, over the entire length corresponding to SEQ ID NO:1, up to ten nucleotides are substituted, deleted or inserted for every 100 nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         5 . The isolated polynucleotide segment of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequence is identical to SEQ ID NO:1 except that, over the entire length corresponding to SEQ ID NO:1, up to five nucleotides are substituted, deleted or inserted for every 100 nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         6 . The isolated polynucleotide segment of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid sequence is identical to SEQ ID NO:1 except that, over the entire length corresponding to SEQ ID NO:1, up to three nucleotides are substituted, deleted or inserted for every 100 nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         7 . An isolated polynucleotide segment comprising a nucleic acid sequence which hybridizes to the full complement of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the hybridization conditions include incubation at 42° C. in a solution comprising: 50% formamide, 5× SSC (150 mM NaCl, 15 mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH7.6), 5× Denhardt's solution, 10% dextran sulfate, and 20 micrograms/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing in 0.1× SSC at 65° C.; wherein the nucleic acid sequence is identical to SEQ ID NO:1 except that, over the entire length corresponding to SEQ ID NO:1, up to five nucleotides are substituted, deleted or inserted for every 100 nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1; and, wherein the nucleic acid sequence is not genomic DNA and wherein the nucleic acid sequence detects  Staphylococcus aureus  by hybridization.  
     
     
         8 . The isolated polynucleotide segment of  claim 7 , wherein the nucleic acid sequence is identical to SEQ ID NO:1 except that, over the entire length corresponding to SEQ ID NO:1, up to three nucleotides are substituted, deleted or inserted for every 100 nucleotides of SEQ ID 1.  
     
     
         9 . A vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide segment of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         10 . An isolated host cell comprising the vector of  claim 9 .  
     
     
         11 . A vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide segment of  claim 8 .  
     
     
         12 . An isolated host cell comprising the vector of claim  11 .