Autism-associated biomarkers and uses thereof
The invention discloses biomarkers for human autism. The invention provides methods for treating, preventing, and diagnosing human autism and autism-related disorders.
1. A method of detecting a Sutterella sp. in a sample, the method comprising:
(a) selecting a Sutterella sp.-specific primer pair, wherein the primer pair comprises a primer comprising CGCGAAAAACCTTACSYAGCC (residues 31 to 51 of SEQ ID NO: 17), or a primer comprising GACGTGTGARGCCCYAGCC (residues 23 to 41 of SEQ ID NO: 18), or a combination thereof, wherein S is a G nucleotide or a C nucleotide, wherein Y is a C nucleotide or T nucleotide, and wherein R is an A nucleotide or G nucleotide;
(b) contacting a nucleic acid from the sample with the Sutterella sp.-specific primer pair in a reaction mixture under conditions that promote amplification of at least one polynucleotide amplicon, wherein the primer pair will prime a polymerase reaction only when the nucleic acid of a Sutterella sp. is present;
(c) amplifying the at least one polynucleotide amplicon by a polymerase chain reaction; and
(d) detecting the at least one polynucleotide amplicon, wherein the detection of an amplicon of a selected, known length is indicative of the sample containing the nucleic acid of a Sutterella sp.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises intestinal tissue, feces, blood, skin, or a combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO: 11.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO: 12.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises contacting the at least one polynucleotide amplicon with a probe having SEQ ID NO: 19, wherein Y is a C nucleotide or T nucleotide, wherein R is an A nucleotide or G nucleotide, wherein W is an A nucleotide or T nucleotide, and wherein H is an A nucleotide or T nucleotide or C nucleotide.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO: 17, wherein S is a G nucleotide or a C nucleotide, wherein Y is a C nucleotide or T nucleotide, wherein R is an A nucleotide or G nucleotide, wherein B is a T nucleotide, C nucleotide or G nucleotide, wherein V is an A nucleotide, G nucleotide or C nucleotide, wherein D is an A nucleotide, G nucleotide or T nucleotide, and wherein K is a G nucleotide or a T nucleotide.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO: 18, wherein R is an A nucleotide or G nucleotide, and wherein Y is a C nucleotide or T nucleotide.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises contacting the at least one polynucleotide amplicon with a probe having SEQ ID NO: 13.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises contacting the at least one polynucleotide amplicon with a probe having SEQ ID NO: 14.