Abstract: Methods for using oligonucleotides in the detection of Aspergillus fumigatus are disclosed. The oligonucleotides of the invention have nucleotide sequences derived from the gene encoding the cytochrome P450 14 alpha-sterol demethylase (the cyp51A protein) of Aspergillus fumigatus. The oligonucleotides include primers capable of producing amplicons specific to cyp51A in polymerase chain reactions using nucleic acids isolated from Aspergillus fumigatus as templates. The oligonucleotides also include probes capable of detecting these cyp51A-specific amplicons. The oligonucleotides of the invention also include primers for nucleotide sequencing reactions to determine whether an isolate of Aspergillus fumigatus is more tolerant than wild-type Aspergillus fumigatus to a triazole.

Abstract: Novel packaging cell lines for production of lentiviral vectors are disclosed. The cell lines utilize an ecdysone-inducible system for virus production, thereby avoiding the cytotoxic effect of unregulated expression of certain envelope proteins and lentiviral proteins. Various embodiments of the cell lines are disclosed, which are suitable for different purposes that range from in vitro screening assays to gene therapy in vivo.