Drug targets in Candida albicans

Abstract

The present invention is concerned with the identification of genes or functional fragments thereof from Candida albicans which are critical for growth and cell division and which genes may be used as selective drug targets to treat Candida albicans associated infections. Novel nucleic acid sequences from Candida albicans are also provided and which encode the polypeptides which are critical for growth of Candida albicans . Methods for the identification of anti-fungal compounds which inhibit fungal or yeast growth are also contemplated.

1 . A polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule which is critical for survival and growth of the yeast  Candida albicans  and which nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 9.  
     
     
         2 . A polypetide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 10 to SEQ ID NO: 16.  
     
     
         3 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a polypeptide according to  claim 1  together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier diluent or excipient therefor.  
     
     
         4 . A  Candida albicans  cell comprising an induced mutation in the DNA sequence encoding the polypeptide according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         5 . A method of identifying compounds which selectively modulate expression or functionality of polypeptides or metabolic pathways in which these polypeptides are involved and which are crucial for growth and survival of  Candida albicans , which method comprises: 
 (a) contacting a compound to be tested with one or more  Candida albicans  cells having a mutation in a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 1  which mutation results in overexpression or underexpression of said polypeptides in addition to contacting one or more wild type  Candida albicans  cells with said compound; and    (b) monitoring the growth and/or activity of said mutated cell compared to said wild type; wherein differential growth or activity of said one or more mutated  Candida  cells is indicative of selective action of said compound on a polypeptide or another polypeptide in the same or a parallel pathway.    
     
     
         6 . A compound identifiable according to the method of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         7 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to  claim 5  together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient therefor.