Screening methods for pathogen virulence factors under low oxygen conditions

摘要

In general, the invention relates to screening methods for identifying pathogen virulence factors expressed under conditions of low oxygen and for identifying drugs that inhibit a pathogen. The method includes the steps of: (a) exposing a nematode to a mutagenized pathogen cultured under a low oxygen condition; (b) determining whether the mutant pathogen infects the nematode, a reduction of disease in the nematode relative to that caused by the non-mutagenized pathogen indicating a mutation in a pathogenic virulence factor; and (c) using the mutation as a marker for identifying the pathogenic virulence factor.