Porphobilinogen (PBG) in urine and delta-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) in urine

The present inventors have discovered that porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG), bifunctional purine biosynthetic protein (ADES), and probable transcription factor (PTF1) are essential for normal fungal pathogenicity.

For acute attacks, porphobilinogen (PBG) and, sometimes delta-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA), may be requested on a random urine sample.

Do a qualitative urine test for porphobilinogen and confirm a positive result with quantitative delta-aminolevulinic acid and PBG measurements

The most commonly measured enzyme is porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG-D) in red blood cells, which tests for patients with acute intermittent porphyria.

The invention also relates to methods of producing the porphobilinogen synthases.

Specifically, the inhibition of porphobilinogen deaminase gene expression in fungi abolishes pathogenicity.

Thus, porphobilinogen deaminase, bifunctional purine biosynthetic protein, and probable transcription factor are useful as targets for the identification of antibiotics, preferably antifungals.

The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences coding for human porphobilinogen deaminase that are optimised for higher expression in mammalian cells.

Accordingly, the present invention provides methods for the identification of compounds that inhibit the expression or activity of porphobilinogen deaminase, bifunctional purine biosynthetic protein, and/or probable transcription factor.