Methods for immunoregulation by modulating plasminogen-apple-nematode (PAN) domain-containing proteins
Inventors
Muchero, Wellington • Shanks, Carly M. • Pal, Debjani • De, Kuntal
Assignees
Publication Number
US-12203927-B2
Publication Date
2025-01-21
Expiration Date
2040-09-04
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Abstract
The present disclosure based on the inventors' recognition that PAN domain containing proteins play important immune regulating functions. Disclosed herein are methods for modulating immune responses in plants and animals, improving in vitro fertilization efficiency, and inhibiting human cell division and cellular migration in cancer cells. Also disclosed herein are genetically modified plants that are resistant to pathogenic infections.
Core Innovation
The invention identifies the critical role of plasminogen-apple-nematode (PAN) domain-containing proteins in immunoregulation across plants and animals. By recognizing that a PAN domain, as defined by a specific consensus sequence (SEQ ID NO: 23), is a unifying feature involved in immune-related processes, the invention allows targeted approaches for modulating immune responses.
The invention addresses the problem that the molecular mechanisms of immunoregulation, involving either immunosuppression or immunostimulation, remain incompletely understood, despite their significance in processes such as fertilization, defense against pathogens, cell growth, and symbiotic interactions. Prior understanding of PAN domains was limited, particularly regarding which amino acid residues are essential for protein function and interaction, such as in disease states or immunity.
The disclosure provides methods for screening therapeutic compounds that bind specifically to PAN domains, offering a way to selectively interfere with PAN domain-mediated processes like immune suppression, pathogenic infection, and cellular proliferation. The invention also supports identifying therapeutic targets in proteins from diverse organisms, based on the presence of the PAN domain consensus sequence.
Claims Coverage
There is one independent claim covering a core inventive feature related to screening therapeutic compounds targeting PAN domains.
Screening for a therapeutic compound targeting a PAN domain in a protein
A method comprising: - Contacting a protein comprising a PAN domain with a candidate therapeutic compound. - Assessing whether the compound binds specifically to the PAN domain. - The protein can be selected from the group consisting of a plant protein, an animal protein, a bacterial protein, a viral protein, or a fungal protein. - The PAN domain is defined by a consensus sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 23. This process enables identification of therapeutic compounds that interact directly with PAN domains.
The claim provides broad protection for methods detecting compounds binding to PAN domains of defined sequence in a range of protein sources.
Stated Advantages
Allows targeting of PAN domain-containing proteins, enabling modulation of immune responses by identifying compounds that specifically bind to the PAN domain.
Documented Applications
Screening for modulators of immune responses in plants and animals by identifying therapeutic compounds that bind specifically to PAN domains.
Identification of potential therapeutic compounds for intervention in pathogenic infection, in vitro fertilization efficiency, inhibition of human cell division, and inhibition of cellular migration in cancer cells.
Applicable to therapeutic compound screening for proteins from plant, animal, bacterial, viral, or fungal origin based on PAN domain presence.
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