Methods for assaying type iii secretion inhibitors

摘要

A method of identifying compounds that specifically inhibit type III secretion systems that are used by several Gram-negative animal and plant pathogens to secrete virulence factors that are critical in causing disease. The compounds identified by this method are used as new antibacterial therapeutics. Specific inhibitors of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) type III secretion system, that block EPEC signaling in host cells are identified by the use of specific molecular tools that have been developed with EPEC, including specific antibodies to secreted proteins and genetic fusions of epitope tags to genes encoding these secreted products. Promising compounds identified with the EPEC system are tested for their ability to inhibit type III secretion systems in other medically important pathogens.