Methods to screen for antibiotic agents and their use in treatment of opportunistic infections

摘要

The present invention provides novel targets in eukaryotic cells for antibiotic agents and methods for identification of antibiotic agents affecting such targets and the use of the identified antibiotic agents in treatment of opportunistic infections in eukaryotic hosts. The invention is based upon the identification of species specific 5' hinge and 3' hinge regions of U3 small nucleolar ribonucleic acid (snoRNA). The present invention discloses that the external transcribed spacer (ETS) of the ribosomal RNA precursor (pre-rRNA) comprises sequences that are complementary to the 5' and 3' hinge regions of U3 snoRNA. The invention further discloses that sequence substitutions of the 5' hinge or 3' hinge region of U3 snoRNA severely compromise or fully inhibit the cleavage events at sites 1 and 2 in rRNA processing necessary to form mature 18S rRNA which is a vital component of the small subunit of ribosomes of all eukaryotes.