ratB

Details ratB ratB

1997-08-13

2001-01-09

Achutamurthy, Ponnathapu (Department: 1652)

Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology

Enzyme , proenzyme; compositions thereof; process for...

Transferase other than ribonuclease

C435S320100, C435S325000, C435S252300, C536S023100, C536S023200, C536S024320

Reexamination Certificate

active

06171838

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides and polypeptides, and their production and uses, as well as their variants, agonists and antagonists, and their uses. In particular, in these and in other regards, the invention relates to novel polynucleotides and polypeptides of the rat family, hereinafter referred to as “ratB”.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Chlamydiaceae is a family of obligate intracellular parasites. All members share a common developmental cycle. Chlamydia infect a wide range of vertebrate host, particularly humans.
Chlamydia trachomitis
is one of the two recognized species of Chlamydia. Human infections caused by
Chlamydia trachomitis
are widespread. This species is one of the most common cause of sexually transmitted disease in the world. It is also one of the main causes of infertility in humans.
The frequency of
Chlamydia trachomatis
infections has risen dramatically in the past 20 years. This has been attributed to the emergence of multiply antibiotic resistant strains and an increasing population of people with weakened immune systems. It is no longer uncommon to isolate
Chlamydia trachomatis
strains which are resistant to some or all of the standard antibiotics. This has created a demand for both new anti-microbial agents and diagnostic tests for this organism.
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) catalyze the ligation of amino acids to their cognate tRNA species in all cellular organisms. In general, each of the twenty amino acids that are incorporated into growing polypeptide chains has a corresponding aaRS. However, it is now well documented that this is not universally true and that glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (QRS) activity is absent in all Gram-positive prokaryotes examined, in some Gram-negative prokaryotes and in the plastids of some, and possibly all, eukaryotes. Despite the absence of glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase activity, cells are clearly able to produce the Gln-tRNAGln required for accurate protein synthesis. The mechanism by which this is achieved involves the formation of Glu-tRNAGln as an intermediate that is produced by the misaminoacylation of tRNAGln by glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (ERS). The “correct” end product, Gln-tRNAGln, is formed from Glut-RNAGln by transfer of an amine group to the ligated glutamate residue. This reaction is catalyzed by a tRNA- and Mg2+/ATP-dependent amidotransferase (RNA-dependent AmidoTransferase-RAT). Inhibition of this apparently ubiquitous reaction in Gram-positive organisms, and some Gram-negative organisms, would effectively lead to Gln-tRNAGln starvation and to the synthesis of aberrant proteins and the consequent cessation of bacterial protein synthesis.
Clearly, there is a need for factors, such as the novel compounds of the invention, that have a present benefit of being useful to screen compounds for antibiotic activity. Such factors are also useful to determine their role in pathogenesis of infection, dysfunction and disease. There is also a need for identification and characterization of such factors and their antagonists and agonists which can play a role in preventing, ameliorating or correcting infections, dysfunctions or diseases.
The polypeptides of the invention have amino acid sequence homology to a known PET112-type protein from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, encoded by a nucleotide sequence contained with the sequence defined by Genbank Accession number D90913.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide polypeptides that have been identified as novel ratB polypeptides by homology between the amino acid sequence set out in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO: 2] and a known amino acid sequence or sequences of other proteins such as PET112-type protein from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, encoded by a nucleotide sequence contained with the sequence defined by Genbank Accession number D90913.
It is a further object of the invention to provide polynucleotides that encode ratB polypeptides, particularly polynucleotides that encode the polypeptide herein designated ratB.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the polynucleotide comprises a region encoding ratB polypeptides comprising the sequence set out in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO: 1] which includes a full length gene, or a variant thereof.
In another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, there is a novel ratB protein from
Chlamydia trachomatis
comprising the amino acid sequence of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2], or a variant thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a mature polypeptide expressible by the
Chlamydia trachomatis
D/UW-3/C× strain.
As a further aspect of the invention, there are provided isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding ratB, particularly
Chlamydia trachomatis
ratB, including mRNAs, cDNAs, genomic DNAs. Further embodiments of the invention include biologically, diagnostically, prophylactically, clinically or therapeutically useful variants thereof, and compositions comprising the same.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided the use of a polynucleotide of the invention for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes, in particular genetic immunization. Among the particularly preferred embodiments of the invention are naturally occurring allelic variants of ratB and polypeptides encoded thereby.
As another aspect of the invention, there are provided novel polypeptides of
Chlamydia trachomatis
referred to herein as ratB as well as biologically, diagnostically, prophylactically, clinically or therapeutically useful variants thereof, and compositions comprising the same.
Among the particularly preferred embodiments of the invention are variants of ratB polypeptide encoded by naturally occurring alleles of the ratB gene.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there are provided methods for producing the aforementioned ratB polypeptides.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there are provided inhibitors to such polypeptides, useful as antibacterial agents, including, for example, antibodies.
In accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the invention, there are provided products, compositions and methods for assessing ratB expression, treating disease, for example, classic ocular trachoma, inclusion conjunctivitis, genital trachoma, infant pneumonitis, Lymphogranuloma Venerium, incipient trachoma, keratitis, papillary hypertrophy, corneal infiltration, vulvovaginitis, ear infection, mucopurulent rhinitis, salpingitis, cervicitis, cervical follicles, prostatitis, proctitis, urethritis, lymphogranule inguinale, climatic bubo, tropical bubo, and esthiomene, assaying genetic variation, and administering a ratB polypeptide or polynucleotide to an organism to raise an immunological response against a bacteria, especially a
Chlamydia trachomatis
bacteria.
In accordance with certain preferred embodiments of this and other aspects of the invention, there are provided polynucleotides that hybridize to ratB polynucleotide sequences, particularly under stringent conditions.
In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, there are provided antibodies against ratB polypeptides.
In other embodiments of the invention, there are provided methods for identifying compounds which bind to or otherwise interact with and inhibit or activate an activity of a polypeptide or polynucleotide of the invention comprising: contacting a polypeptide or polynucleotide of the invention with a compound to be screened under conditions to permit binding to or other interaction between the compound and the polypeptide or polynucleotide to assess the binding to or other interaction with the compound, such binding or interaction being associated with a second component capable of providing a detectable signal in response to the binding or interaction of the polypeptide or polynucleotide with the compound; and determining whether the compound binds to or otherwise interacts with and activates or inhibits an activity of the polypept

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