Histoplasma capsulatum chitin synthase sequences and their use for detection of Histoplasma capsulatum and histoplasmosis

摘要

The present invention describes Histoplasmosis capsulatum chitin synthase nucleic acid and protein sequences as reagents for the detection of H. capsulatum infection. Specifically, the invention describes intron sequences from the H. capsulatum chitin synthase gene which can be used for hybridization-based and PCR-based detection of H. capsulatum infection. In another embodiment, assays for H. capsulatum chitin synthase 2 polypeptide and/or mRNA used as a diagnostic test for H. capsulatum infection and/or histoplasmosis. Also described is the differentiation of H. capsulatum from Blastomyces dermititidis based on detection of intron 1 sequences specific to H. capsulatum chitin synthase 2. The present invention also comprises the production of H. capsulatum strains lacking functional chitin synthase 2 as a means to produce H. capsulatum having reduced pathogenicity.