Abstract: The invention features nucleic acid molecules encoding microbial virulence factors (such as gmhA) and methods of using such gene (and their proteins) as targets to identify anti-pathogenic agents. The invention also features a method of identifying a compound that inhibits the pathogenicity of an effector protein in a nematode, the method involving the steps of: (a) providing a nematode expressing an effector protein; (b) contacting the nematode with a test compound; and (c) determining whether the test compound inhibits the pathogenicity of the effector polypeptide in the nematode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and kits for determining whether a nucleic acid sequence includes a particular allele of a polymorphic sequence. These methods and kits focus on two sets of primers that are specific for an allele and are contacted with a nucleic acid sequence. One primer in each set is complementary to the polymorphic sequence at its 3′-terminal nucleotide and contains one or more mismatches in the five nucleotide adjacent to the 3′ terminus. The two sets of primers preferentially amplify methods are used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms, for example, for genomic mapping purpose.

Abstract: Disclosed are bacterial virulence polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences (e.g., DNA) encoding such polypeptides, and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques. Also provided are methods for utilizing such polypeptides to screen for antibacterial or bacteriostatic compounds.