FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a conjugate comprising a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, and a detectable label. Moreover, also encompassed by the invention are a fragment of the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide that specifically binds to beta 1 ,6 glucans, a vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding for the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide and a host cell or non-human organism comprising a nucleic acid encoding for the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide and the use of said conjugate comprising a beta 1 ,6- glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Glucans are polysaccharides in particular consisting of D-glucose units. In general, in these glucans the D-glucose rings are connected with each other at varying carbon positions depending on the source. The glucans may have a linear or branched backbone.

Depending on their composition, β-glucans can vary with respect to their molecular mass, solubility, viscosity, branching structure, and gelation properties. Beta-glucans have been shown to occur in the cell walls of cereals, yeast, bacteria, and fungi and are well-known modulators of the immune system in mammals.

Typically, such β-glucans form a linear backbone with 1 ,3 β-glycosidic bonds. However, some beta-glucans, such as e.g. yeast and fungal β-glucans, also contain 1 -6 bonds, such as e.g. 1 ,6 side branches (1 ,6 β-glycosidic bonds). β-Glucans of yeast typically contain a 1 ,3 carbon backbone with elongated 1 ,6 carbon branches (Manners, David J. (2 February 1973). "The Structure of a β-(1 ->3)-ϋ-ΟΙυο3η from Yeast Cell Walls". Biochemistry.)

A series of human clinical trials in the 1990s evaluated the impact of PGG-glucan (Poly-[1 -6]- -D-glucopyranosyl-[1 -3]-D-glucopyranose), isolated from the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on infections in high-risk surgical patients. For example, PGG glucan, was shown to exert broad-spectrum anti-infective activities without cytokine induction and reduce complications (Patchen et al., Exp Hematol. 1998 Dec;26(13):1247-54; Kernodle et al. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. March 1998 vol. 42 no. 3 545-549).

Diagnostic tests based on 1 ,3-beta-D-glucan or Chitin for invasive fungal infections and pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci (carinii) are available on the market, i.e. the Fungitell® β-D-Glucan Assay (Fungitell is a product and registered trademark of Associates of Cape Cod, Inc.). However, agents specifically binding to beta 1 ,6-glucans that could be used in a method for diagnosing fungal infection in a subject are currently not known.

Most studies on fungal beta-glucans as modulators of the immune system have been performed in mammals. However, little is known about beta-glucan triggered immunity in plants.

To protect and defend against microbial invaders, but also to start the symbiotic program, plants need to detect the presence of microbes by means of pattern recognition receptors (PRR's) that respond to specific microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) (Jones JD, Dangl JL. The plant immune system. Nature 2006, 444(71 17): 323-329; Limpens E, van Zeijl A, Geurts R. Lipochitooligosaccharides Modulate Plant Host Immunity to Enable Endosymbioses. Annu Rev Phytopathol 2015, 53: 31 1 -334). MAMPs are usually slowly evolving components of microbes with crucial biological functions that are not present in the host (Nurnberger T, Brunner F, Kemmerling B, Piater L. Innate immunity in plants and animals: striking similarities and obvious differences. Immunological reviews 2004, 198: 249- 266). During plant colonization the first microbial derived structure that makes physical contact with the host cell is the cell wall. In pathogenic as well as in beneficial fungi an important structural building block of the cell wall is chitin, a well-known elicitor of immune responses in plants (Sanchez-Vallet A, Mesters JR, Thomma BP. The battle for chitin recognition in plant-microbe interactions. FEMS microbiology reviews 2015, 39(2): 171 -183). Over the past 10 years, several plant receptors for chitin have been identified and characterized as have different microbial strategies to evade chitin recognition, including modification of the cell wall carbohydrate composition and secretion of effectors (van den Burg HA, Harrison SJ, Joosten MH, Vervoort J, de Wit PJ. Cladosporium fulvum Avr4 protects fungal cell walls against hydrolysis by plant chitinases accumulating during infection. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 2006, 19(12): 1420-1430; de Jonge R, van Esse HP, Kombrink A, Shinya T, Desaki Y, Bours R, et al. Conserved fungal LysM effector Ecp6 prevents chitin- triggered immunity in plants. Science 2010, 329(5994): 953-955; Sanchez-Vallet A, Saleem- Batcha R, Kombrink A, Hansen G, Valkenburg DJ, Thomma BP, et al. Fungal effector Ecp6 outcompetes host immune receptor for chitin binding through intrachain LysM dimerization. eLife 2013, 2: e00790). In spite of its strong elicitor activity, chitin represents only a small percentage of the fungal cell wall. By far the most abundant cell wall polysaccharide in the majority of fungi is β-glucan, a well characterized elicitor in fungus-animal systems (Brown GD, Gordon S. Fungal beta-glucans and mammalian immunity. Immunity 2003, 19(3): 31 1 - 315). Most β-glucans originating from the fungal cell wall are made of glucosyl units joined by β-1 ,3-linkages often branched via β-1 ,6-linked glucose residues (Fesel PH, Zuccaro A. beta- glucan: Crucial component of the fungal cell wall and elusive MAMP in plants. Fungal genetics and biology : FG & B 2015). Whereas 3-1 ,3-glucan is found also in the cell wall of plants, 3-1 ,6-glucan is a cell wall constituent specific to fungi and to members of the phylum Stramenopiles, thereby representing a potential MAMP. Despite its abundance, studies focusing on the possible role of β-glucan as a MAMP are rare and the mechanisms of β- glucan perception and signaling in plants are largely unknown. Most plant hosts secrete a large plethora of different hydrolytic enzymes. These include chitinases and glucanases that target fungal cell wall constituents to impact cell wall integrity and to release MAMPs. Direct mechanisms to evade β-glucan recognition by plant-associated fungi have not yet been reported but considering the widespread presence of β-glucan at the fungal cell wall, it is conceivable that plant-associated fungi have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to protect their glucan fibrils from hydrolysis and detection.

The root endophyte Piriformospora indica (Basidiomycota, Sebacinales) is a fungal symbiont that colonizes inter- and intracellularly the root epidermal and cortex cells of a broad range of unrelated plants, including the monocotyledonous cereal crop Hordeum vulgare (barley) and the dicotyledonous plant Arabidopsis thaliana, with a biphasic lifestyle. The initial biotrophic phase is followed by a stage where the fungus is more often found in dead or dying host cells secreting a large variety of hydrolytic enzymes that degrade plant cell walls and proteins. This is especially evident in barley where the symbiont rapidly undergoes a nutritional switch to saprotrophy that correlates with nitrogen limitation and is associated with the production of thinner hyphae in dead root cells (Lahrmann U, Ding Y, Banhara A, Rath M, Hajirezaei MR, Dohlemann S, et al. Host-related metabolic cues affect colonization strategies of a root endophyte. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013, 1 10(34): 13965-13970).

Several carbohydrate binding motifs of P. indica proteins are known. P. indica proteins usually contain either one or a combination of the following carbohydrate binding motifs: LysM, WSC or CBM1. LysM is known as a widely distributed protein motif for binding to (peptido)glycans (Buist G et al., (2008) LysM, a widely distributed protein motif for binding to (peptido)glycans. Mol Microbiol 68: 838-847). In fungi, the LysM domains are mainly associated with hydrolytic enzymes acting on fungal cell wall, but they are also present in proteins lacking other conserved domains. A lectin-like LysM protein from Cladosporium fulvum was found to inhibit chitin oligosaccharide triggered and PRR-mediated activation of host immunity (de Jonge R,et al. (2010) Conserved fungal LysM effector Ecp6 prevents chitin-triggered immunity in plants. Science 329: 953-955). However, rather little is known about the function of WSC or CBM1 containing proteins. They were first described in yeast as cell wall integrity sensors involved in mediating intracellular responses to environmental stress (Ponting CP et al. (1999) A latrophilin/CL-1 -like GPS domain in polycystin-1 . Curr Biol 9: R585-588; Cohen-Kupiec R et al. (1999) Molecular characterization of a novel beta-1 ,3- exoglucanase related to mycoparasitism of Trichoderma harzianum. Gene 226: 147-154; Verna J et al., (1997) A family of genes required for maintenance of cell wall integrity and for the stress response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 94: 13804- 13809). The CBM1 domain has cellulose-binding function and is almost exclusively found in fungal hydrolytic enzymes acting on plant cell walls (Boraston AB et al., (2004) Carbohydrate-binding modules: fine-tuning polysaccharide recognition. Biochem J 382: 769- 781 ).

Piriformospora indica has been shown to be good model for studying fungal transcriptional responses associated with the colonization of living and dead barley roots. Studies by Zuccaro et al. showed that about 10% of the fungal genes induced during the biotrophic colonization encoded putative small secreted proteins (SSPs, <300 amino acids), including several lectin-like proteins and members of a P. indica-specific gene family (DELD) (Zuccaro et al.: PLoS Pathog. 201 1 Oct; 7(10): e1002290). However, specific fungal effectors that target conserved recognition and signaling pathways in different hosts, i.e. polypeptides that specifically bind certain glucose moieties, i.e. beta-1 ,6 glucans, have not been characterized.

Lectins and lectin-like proteins that are highly specific for certain sugar moieties are widely used in molecular biology, biochemistry or biomedicine. Wheat germ agglutinine (WGA) is one of the lectins most commonly used in cell biology. For example, a conjugate of WGA and a fluorescent dye is available from Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Catalogue Number #W1 1261 ). However, specific conjugates of a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide and a detectable label that could be used for diverse applications in molecular biology, biochemistry or biomedicine, for example in a method for diagnosing a fungal infection in a subject, are currently not available.

There is thus the need to provide novel polypeptides specifically binding to beta 1 ,6-glucans and especially for conjugates of beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide linked to a detectable label that could be used for molecular and/or diagnostic purposes.

The technical problem underlying the present invention can be seen as the provision of means and methods for complying with the aforementioned needs. The technical problem is solved by the embodiments characterized in the claims and herein below.

Brief Summary of the present invention

The present invention relates to a conjugate comprising i) a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide, and ii) a detectable label.

In an embodiment of the conjugate, the detectable label is covalently bound to said beta 1 ,6- glucan binding polypeptide, or said beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, or the detectable label is non-covalently bound to said a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the detectable label is selected from the group consisting of expressed fluorescent proteins, fluorescent peptide or protein labels, fluorescent dyes, inorganic nanocrystals or nanoparticles with unique optical and chemical properties, chromogens, luminescent or chemiluminescent compounds, radioactive compounds, a combination of an enzyme and its substrate, amino acids, peptides or antibodies linked to signal producing substances, a liposome or vesicle containing signal producing substances and electroactive species.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the detectable label is a peptide or polypeptide, and wherein said conjugate is a fusion polypeptide comprising the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, and said detectable label.

In an embodiment of the conjugate of the present invention, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NO: 2 and 8 to 35 (i.e. in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 , 32, 33, 34, or 35), or is a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding variant thereof. Preferably, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 or is a variant thereof.

The present invention also relates to a fragment of a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide or variant thereof, wherein said beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide has an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 8 to 35, and wherein the fragment specifically binds to beta 1 ,6 glucans. Said fragment can be operably linked to a detectable label. Said fragment shall have a length of at least 20 amino acids. Preferably, however the fragment is shorter than the respective full-length polypeptide (as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 8 to 35).

The present invention also relates to a vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding for a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide of the present invention, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of the present invention, or the fusion protein as defined herein, i.e. a fusion polypeptide of i) a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide as defined herein, or the beta 1 ,6- glucan binding fragment thereof and ii) and polypeptide or peptide which is a detectable label.

In an embodiment of the vector, the nucleic acid comprised by said vector is operably linked to a heterologous expression control sequence.

The present invention also concerns a host cell (such as a non-human host cell), or non- human organism comprising a nucleic acid, wherein the nucleic acid is encoding for the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide as defined herein, in particular the 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide of the present invention, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of the present invention, the fusion protein as defined herein, or the vector of the present invention.

The present invention also relates to the use of the conjugate of the present invention, the fragment of the present invention, the 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide of the present invention, the vector of the present invention for detecting beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells in a sample, or for diagnosing fungal infection in a sample.

Further encompassed by the present invention is a method for the detection of beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells in a sample, said method comprising, providing a sample suspected to comprise beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells, and contacting said sample with the conjugate of the present invention, the polypeptide of the present invention, the fragment of the present invention, the vector of the present invention or the host cell non-human organism of the present invention.

The present invention also relates to a method for diagnosing fungal infection in a subject, said method comprising, providing a sample from a subject suspected to have a fungal infection, contacting said sample with the conjugate of the present invention, the polypeptide of the present invention, or the fragment of the present invention. Thereby, the presence or absence of fungal infection in said subject is diagnosed.

The present invention further relates to a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, wherein said polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NO: 2 and 8 to 35, or wherein said polypeptide is a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding variant of the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NO: 2 and 8 to 35.

The present invention further relates to a polynucleotide encoding the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide of the present invention, or a fusion protein as defined herein (in connection with the definition of the conjugate of the present invention). Further, the present invention relates to a variant of said polynucleotide.

The present invention further relates to a complex comprising

i) at least one beta 1 ,6 glucan, and

ii) the polypeptide of the present invention, the fragment of the present invention, or the conjugate of the present invention.

Further the present invention relates to an aptamer and, in particular, an antibody which specifically binds to the polypeptide or fragment of the present invention.

Further, the present invention relates to a conjugate comprising the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide of the present invention.

Further encompassed by the present invention is a kit comprising the conjugate of the present invention, the polypeptide of the present invention, the polynucleotide of the present invention, the antibody of the present invention, the fragment of the present invention, the vector of the present invention or the host cell or non-human organism of the present invention.

The present invention further relates to a conjugate comprising i) a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide, and ii) an antifungal compound. Said conjugate is also referred to herein as "antifungal" conjugate.

In an embodiment of the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate, the antifungal compound is covalently bound to said beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or said beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, or the antifungal compound is non-covalently bound to said a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof.

Further encompassed by the present invention is a medicament comprising the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate.

The present invention also relates to the use of the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate, for in treating fungal infection in a subject, preferably in a mammal, more preferably in a human.

Further encompassed by the present invention is a method for fungus control in a plant, comprising contacting said plant with the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate.

Detailed Summary of the present invention - Definitions

As set forth above, the invention relates to a conjugate comprising i) a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide, and ii) a detectable label.

The term "detectable label" as used herein refers to any label that can be detected by any means. A detection signal can be produced by any kind of substance, for example by a luminescent compound, a fluorescent protein or a combination of an enzyme and a substrate. P Preferably, the detectable label is a visual label. The term "visual label" as used herein preferably refers to a label that is visually detectable, i.e. by detections of (emitted) photons.

Means and methods to detect labels and especially visual labels are known in the art and include, for example, spectrophotometry, fluorescence microscopy, bright-field microscopy or single photon emission computed tomography. Preferably, the detectable label is selected from the group consisting of: a fluorescent protein (such as Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), Cyan Fluorescent Protein (CFP), Red Fluorescent Protein (RFP), a fluorescent peptide, a fluorescent protein label (Allophycocyanin (APC), R-Phycoerythrin (R-PE)), a fluorescent dye, an inorganic nanocrystal (in particular with unique optical and chemical properties) or a nanoparticle (in particular with unique optical and chemical properties), a chromogen, a luminescent label, a radioactive label, an enzyme such as horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase), a substrate of an enzyme, biotin, an amino acids, a peptide or an antibody which specifically binds to the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment, a liposome or vesicle containing signal producing substances and electroactive species. More preferably, the detectable label is a fluorescent label. In particular, said fluorescent label is selected from the group consisting of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), Cyan Fluorescent Protein (CFP), Red Fluorescent Protein (RFP), Allophycocyanin (APC), R-Phycoerythrin (R-PE), and a fluorescent dye. Preferably, the fluorescent dye is selected from Alexa Fluor® 350, Alexa Fluor® 405, Alexa Fluor® 488, Alexa Fluor® 532, Alexa Fluor® 546, Alexa Fluor® 555, Alexa Fluor® 568, Alexa Fluor® 594, Alexa Fluor® 647, Alexa Fluor® 680, Alexa Fluor® 750, BODIPY® FL, Coumarin, Cy®3, Cy®5, Fluorescein (FITC), Oregon Green®, Pacific Blue™, Pacific Green™, Pacific Orange™, Tetramethylrhodamine (TRITC), Texas Red®, Qdot® 525, Qdot® 565, Qdot® 605, Qdot® 655, Qdot® 705, Qdot® 800, ATTO 390, ATTO 425, ATTO 465, ATTO 488, and ATTO 495 or is a variant of any of the aforementioned labels.

The term "variant" as used herein in conjunction with said "fluorescent label" refers to a variant of said fluorescent label that is still able to exert its function, in essence to emit fluorescence at a predetermined wave length spectrum, also referred to as emission spectrum, after an irradiation at a predetermined wave length spectrum, also known as excitation spectrum. Such a variant could be, for example, a polypeptide variant of the green fluorescence protein which contains one or more amino acid substitutions or a variant of a fluorescent dye which contains an additional chemical residue. Preferably, the detectable label is heterologous with respect to the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide. Further, it is envisaged that the detectable label is conjugated with, i.e. operably linked to the fragment or polypeptide. The operable linkage shall allow for the detection of beta 1 ,6-glucans with the conjugate of the present invention. E.g. the linkage can be achieved by covalent bindings or non-covalent bindings between the detectable label and the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide.

Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the detectable label is covalently bound to the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof. E.g, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, and the detectable label comprised in the conjugate may be covalently bound to each other by a peptide bond or peptide bonds.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the detectable label is non- covalently bound to the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof. Preferably, non-covalent bindings include binding by disulfide bonds, affinity binding based on ionic bonds, binding by hydrogen bonds and/or binding by van der Waals forces.

It is to be understood that the detectable label is heterologous with respect to the beta 1 ,6- glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof.

Further, it is envisaged that the binding of the detectable label to the polypeptide or fragment in the conjugate does not affect, in particular does not effect significantly, the capability of the fragment or polypeptide to bind beta 1 ,6 glucans.

The detectable label can be linked with the polypeptide or fragment after synthesis of the polypeptide or the fragment, for example by modifying isolated peptides. Alternatively, the detectable label can be linked with the polypeptide or fragment during peptide synthesis, in particular during translation. For example, a fusion polypeptide comprising the beta 1 ,6- glucan binding polypeptide or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof and a fluorescent polypeptide such as the Green fluorescent protein (GFP) can be produced by translation.

As set forth above, the detectable label is preferably a fluorescent label. Fluorescent labels are well known in the art. Preferably, a "fluorescent label" is a substance which emits fluorescence as a result of irradiation of a predetermined excitation light or excitation using field effect. Fluorescence includes various kinds of emission such as phosphorescence. Suitable expressed fluorescent proteins include, for example, Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), Cyan Fluorescent Protein (CFP) or Red Fluorescent Protein (RFP). Fluorescent peptide or protein labels include, for example, Allophycocyanin (APC) or R-Phycoerythrin (R- PE). Fluorescent dyes include, for example, fluorescent dyes of the fluorescein family (manufactured by Integrated DNA Technologies), fluorescent dyes of the polyhalofluorescein family (manufactured by Applied Biosystems) fluorescent dyes of the hexachlorofluorescein family (manufactured by Applied Biosystems) fluorescent dyes of the coumarin family (manufactured by Invitrogen), fluorescent dyes of the rhodamine family (manufactured by GE Healthcare Bioscience), fluorescent dyes of the cyanine family, fluorescent dyes of the indocarbocyanine family, fluorescent dyes of the oxazine family, fluorescent dyes of the thiazine family, fluorescent dyes of the squaraine family, fluorescent dyes of the chelated lanthanide family, fluorescent dyes of the BODIPY (registered trademark) family (manufactured by Invitrogen), fluorescent dyes of the naphthalenesulfonic acid family, fluorescent dyes of the pyrene family, fluorescent dyes of the triphenylmethane family, Alexa Fluor (registered trademark) dye series (manufactured by Invitrogen), Atto dye series (manufactured by Atto-Tec GmbH), inorganic nanocrystals or nanoparticles with unique optical and chemical properties include, for example, Qdot (registered trademark) probes or gold nanoparticles. Encompassed as detectable labels are also chromogens which form color when oxidized such as permanent chromogens, i.e. for use with commonly used enzyme labels such as Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) and Alkaline Phosphatase (AP), luminescent or chemiluminescent compounds such as 4-Aminophthalhydrazide, radioactive compounds such as ³⁵ S labeled amino acids, a combination of an enzyme and its substrate such as the enzyme alkaline phosphatase combined with a respective substrate, amino acids, peptides or antibodies linked to signal producing substances, for example antibodies or biotinylated amino acid linked to an enzyme in combination with a respective substrate, a liposome or vesicle containing signal producing substances and electroactive species that can be used for a light-based readout system.

In a preferred embodiment, the detectable label is selected from a fluorescent label, a magnetic label (e.g. magnetic beads, including paramagnetic and superparamagnetic labels), a radioactive label, an enzymatically active label, gold particles, latex beads, acridan ester, luminol, and ruthenium. Enzymatically active labels include e.g. horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, beta-Galactosidase, and Luciferase. Typical radioactive labels include 35S, 1251, 32P, 33P and the like. A radioactive label can be detected by any method known and appropriate, e.g. a light-sensitive film or a phosphor imager. Further, the detectable label may be also a "tag". Thus, in embodiment the detectable label is seletected from biotin, digoxygenin, His-Tag, Glutathion-S-Transferase, FLAG, myc-tag, influenza A virus haemagglutinin (HA), and maltose binding protein.

Permanent binding between the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, and the detectable label, can for example be achieved by recombinant manufacture. To this end, a polynucleotide encoding beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof and a detectable label, for example GFP, is synthesized either chemically or by recombinant DNA techniques and expressed in a suitable expression system. Afterwards, the expressed fusion polypeptide comprising the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, and the detectable label can be purified from the expression system.

Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), Cyan Fluorescent Protein (CFP), Red Fluorescent Protein (RFP) are fluorescent proteins, in a preferred the detectable label is a peptide or polypeptide such as a fluorescent protein. If the detectable label is a protein or peptide, the conjugate is a fusion polypeptide comprising the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, and said peptide or polypeptide (such as GFP).

Various affinity binding systems comprising a ligand and a receptor portion are known in the art such that the skilled artisan can be used in order to construe fusion polypeptides comprising the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, and the detectable label non-covalently bound to each other without further ado. In an embodiment, the binding system is based on antibody/antigen interaction or streptavidin/biotin interaction, or avidin/biotin interaction.

The conjugate according to the present invention may also comprise further components such as linker or spacer sequence between the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof and the detectable label. Moreover, the conjugate may comprise components contributing further functions such as components which increase the stability of the conjugate as well as component which facilitate manufacture and/or purification of the conjugate such as tags. The conjugate may be used for diverse purposes including various molecular, biochemical, biomedical and diagnostic methods such as Histochemistry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) or Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH).

The terms "polypeptide" and "peptide" are well known in the art. As used herein, the term "polypeptide" preferably refers to a molecule comprising at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50 or at least 60 amino acids that are covalently linked to each other by peptide bonds. A peptide preferably comprises less than 20 amino acids covalently linked by peptide bonds.

The "beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide" or "beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof" according to the present invention shall bind to specific sugar moieties. Preferably, the 1 ,6- glucan binding polypeptide or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof shall bind to beta 1 ,6-glucans. In particular, it shall bind specifically to beta 1 ,6-glucans.

Beta 1 ,6-glucans are well known in the art and e.g. described in Fesel and Zuccaro (β- glucan: Crucial component of the fungal cell wall and elusive MAMP in plants. Fungal Genetics and Biology. Volume 90, May 2016, Pages 53-60) which herewith is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The term β-glucans used within the meaning of the present invention relates to glucans in which mainly glucose units are linked via beta-glycosidic linkages.

The term 1 ,6 β-glucans (1 .6-beta-glucans) within the meaning of the present invention refers to glucans comprising at least one 1 ,6-glycosidic linkage, i.e. an 1 ,6-beta glycosidic linkage between two D-glucose units. Preferred 1 ,6-3-glucans comprise at least one 1 ,6 glycosidic bond and consist of D-glucose units, preferably linked with each other only via beta glycosidic bonds.

The term "a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide" is consequently denoted to mean a polypeptide which binds to glucans comprising at least one 1 ,6-beta glycosidic bond. Thus, a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide is consequently denoted to mean a fragment (of said polypeptide) which binds to glucans comprising at least one 1 ,6-beta glycosidic bond. Preferably, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof does not bind to glucans which do not comprise such at least one 1 ,6-beta-glycosidic bond. In an embodiment, the polypeptide or fragment can have increased binding specificity to beta 1 ,6 glycosidic bonds in context on non-binding glucan background.

The glucan is preferably a beta glucan. The at least one 1 ,6-beta glycosidic bond comprised by the beta glucan shall be present in a context of a β-1 ,3- or β-1 ,2 glucan backbone or similar. Thus, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide or fragment (or variant) shall bind beta glucan via beta-1 ,6-linked glucose moieties, preferably, in a context of a β-1 ,2 glucan backbone or, in particular, a beta-1 ,3 glucan backbone.

Thus, it is envisaged that the polypeptide/fragment shall bind to beta-1 ,6-glucan which is covalently bound to beta 1 ,3 glucan (or beta 1 ,2 glucan), in particular in the form of branching polysaccharides.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NO: 2 and 8 to 35, or is a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding variant thereof. Said variant shall be a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding variant.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 or is a variant thereof, i.e. a beta 1 ,6 glucan binding variant thereof. Preferably, the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ IN NO: 2 is encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 .

The present invention also relates to a fragment of a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide or variant thereof, wherein said beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide has an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 8 to 35, and wherein the fragment binds to beta 1 ,6 glucans. Said fragment can be operably linked to a detectable label.

In a particular preferred embodiment of the fragment of the present invention, the fragment is beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide having an amino acid as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, or is a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding variant of a fragment of the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide having an amino acid as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.

It is to be understood that a fragment of a polypeptide is shorter than the full length amino acid sequences of the amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 8 to 35. E.g. with respect to SEQ ID NO: 2, a fragment of the polypeptide having an amino acid as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 shall be shorter than the this polypeptide. Accordingly, the fragment has a length of less than 104 amino acids (such as a length of less than 100 amino acids).

Preferably, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment has a length of at least 15 amino acids, in particular of at least 20 amino acids. More preferably, said fragment shall have a length of at least 30 amino acids. In further embodiments, the fragment shall have a length of at least 40, at least 50 or at least 60 amino acids.

Also preferably, the length of beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment shall not exceed a length of 80 amino acids. E.g. it is envisaged that the length of beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment shall not exceed a length of 70 amino acids. Thus, the fragment can e.g. have a length of at least 20 acids to 80 amino acids, or of 30 to 70 amino acids.

The fragment shall comprise consecutive amino acids of the respective full length polypeptide, e.g. of the polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.

In a preferred embodiment, the fragment of the present invention is a fragment comprised by the C-terminal portion of the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2. In particular, the fragment comprises the C-terminal end of the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.

E.g., it is envisaged that the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment comprises at least 15, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50 or at least 60 consecutive amino acids comprised in the C-terminal portion of the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide as shown in SEQ ID 2 (or is a variant thereof). In particular, the fragment shall comprise at least 15, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50 or at least 60 consecutive amino acids of the C-terminal end of the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 (or is a variant thereof). E.g. the fragment preferably comprises (or consists of) in increasing order of preference the following consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 2; the amino acids from position 90 to 104, the amino acids from position 85 to 104, more preferably the amino acids from position 75 to 104, even more preferably the amino acids from position 65 to 104, and most preferably the amino acids from position 55 to 104 of SEQ ID NO:2. Moreover, it may comprise (or consist of) the amino acids from position 48 to 104 of SEQ ID NO:2. Further fragments envisaged by the present invention are variants of the aforementioned fragments. As stated elsewhere the double C99A C104A mutant of FGB1 is still biologically active. Therefore, in an embodiment it is envisaged that the fragment of beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 does not comprise the last five, or in particular the last six amino acids of the polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.

Accordingly, that the fragment preferably might comprise (or may consist of) in increasing order of preference the following consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 2; the amino acids from position 84 to 98, the amino acids from position 79 to 98, more preferably the amino acids from position 69 to 98, even more preferably the amino acids from position 59 to 98, and most preferably the amino acids from position 49 to 98 of SEQ ID NO:2. Moreover, it may comprise (or consist of) the amino acids from position 48 to 98 of SEQ ID NO:2. Further fragments envisaged by the present invention are variants of the aforementioned fragments.

The N-terminal end of the polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO; 2 appears to be irrelevant for the binding. Therefore, it is contemplated that the fragment thereof does not comprise the 30 N-terminal amino acids (i.e. consecutive amino acids), in particular does not comprise at the 30 N-terminal amino acids of the polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO; 2.

Encompassed by the present invention are also variants of the 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof. Thus, the term "1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide" preferably also encompasses variants of the said 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide. Also, the term "1 ,6-glucan binding fragment" preferably also encompasses variants of the said 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment. Such a variant, typically, differs from the specific amino acid sequences referred to before by at least one amino acid substitution, deletion and/or addition. Nevertheless, the variant of 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof shall still be able to exert its function, in essence the capability to bind to 1 ,6-glucans. The variant of a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide shall, preferably, comprise (or have) an amino acid sequence which is at least 50%, at least 60 %, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to the amino acid sequence of a 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide as referred to herein, more preferably to an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 to 8 to 35 (i.e. SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 , 32, 33, 34, or 35), or to an amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleic acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 . The variant of a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment (or of a conserved domain as referred to herein) shall, preferably, comprise (or have) an amino acid sequence which is at least 50%, at least 60 %, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to a fragment as referred to herein, more preferably to an amino acid sequence of a 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide as referred to herein, and most preferably to a fragment of an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 to 8 to 35 (i.e. SEQ I D NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 , 32, 33, 34, or 35), or to an amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleic acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 . The variant of a of a conserved domain as referred to herein shall, preferably, comprise (or have) an amino acid sequence which is at least 50%, at least 60 %, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to the amino acid sequence of the conserved domain.

Sequence identity between amino acid sequences or nucleic acid sequences as used herein can be assessed by determining the number of identical nucleotides or amino acids between two nucleic acid sequences or amino acid sequences wherein the sequences are aligned so that the highest order match is obtained. It can be calculated using published techniques or methods codified in computer programs such as, for example, BLASTP, BLASTN or FASTA (Altschul 1990, J Mol Biol 215, 403). The percent identity values are, preferably, calculated over a comparison window. A comparison window, preferably, is the length of the entire sequence of the shorter sequence to be aligned or at least half of said sequence. A series of programs based on a variety of algorithms is available to the skilled worker for comparing different sequences. In this context, the algorithms of Needleman and Wunsch or Smith and Waterman give particularly reliable results. To carry out the sequence alignments, the program PileUp (Higgins 1989, CABIOS 5, 151 ) or the programs Gap and BestFit (Needleman 1970, J Mol Biol 48: 443; Smith 1981 , Adv AppI Math 2: 482), which are part of the GCG software packet (Genetics Computer Group 1991 , 575 Science Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, USA 5371 1 ), may be used. The sequence identity values recited above in percent (%) are to be determined, in another aspect of the invention, using the program GAP over the entire sequence region with the following settings: Gap Weight: 50, Length Weight: 3, Average Match: 10.000 and Average Mismatch: 0.000, which, unless otherwise specified, shall always be used as standard settings for sequence alignments. Preferably, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide (or variant thereof), or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment (or variant thereof), comprises a conserved domain having the amino acid sequence

ACxASxSCNCSGIkxGLFCGDGIfNCKKGHVYQCxtDGhxTCDYGVRTSCQKCnKLSC or a variant of said domain,

wherein X is, preferably, any amino acid. The sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO: 3.

Alternatively, it is envisaged that the beta 1 ,6 glucan binding polypeptide (or variant thereof) or fragment (or variant thereof) comprises an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 37 or a variant thereof (such as a sequence which is at least 50% identical thereto), or in particular as shown in SEQ ID NO: 36 or variant thereof (such as a sequence which is at least 50% identical thereto). The sequences of these conserved domains are shown in Figure 7B.

Moreover, it is envisaged that the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide (or variant thereof), or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof (or variant thereof) comprises one, two, three or four motifs of Motifs 1 to 4:

Motif 1 has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 (CDYGxRxSCxxC)

Motif 2 has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 (GxVYQ)

Motif 3 has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 (GLxCGDG)

Motif 4 has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 7

(GxVYQxxxDxxxxCDYGxRxSC)

Again, "X" in motifs 1 to 4 is, preferably, any amino acid.

The position of motifs 1 to 4 in the polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 is shown in Figure 7A.

Preferably, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide (or variant thereof), or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof (or variant thereof) comprises Motif 1 , more preferably, it comprises Motifs 1 and 2, even more preferably motifs 1 and 3, and most preferably Motifs 1 , 2 and 3.

Further preferably, it comprises motif 4. In particular, it comprise Motifs 3 and 4. Moreover, it is envisaged that it comprises all four motifs. The order of the motifs, from N- to C-terminal is preferably as shown in Figure 7A. Thus, if the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide (or variant thereof), or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof (or variant thereof) comprises Motifs 1 to 3, the order is preferably as follows (from the N-terminus to the C-terminus) or the polypeptide or fragment:

Motif 3 - Motif 2 - Motif 1.

In an embodiment of Motif 1 , Motif 1 has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:

40 (CDYGVRTSCQK)

In an embodiment of Motif 1 , Motif 2 has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ I D NO:

41 (GHVYQ)

In an embodiment of Motif 3, Motif 3 has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ I D NO:

42 (GLHCGDG)

In an embodiment of Motif 4, Motif 4 has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ I D NO: 43

(G H VYQVGS DTN VC DYGVRTSCQK)

A sequence alignment carried out in the context of the present invention, showed that the polypeptides as referred herein comprise conserved cysteine residues at positions 49, 55, 66, 73, 88, 99 and 104 of SEQ ID NO: 2 (see Figure 1 and 7B). Accordingly, the beta 1 ,6- glucan binding polypeptide (or variant thereof), or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof (or variant thereof), or the conserved domain (or variant thereof) preferably comprises (conserved) cysteine residues at the position corresponding to position 49, 55, 66, 73, 88, 99 and 104 of SEQ ID NO: 2.

Experiments that were carried out in the context of the present invention showed that the double C99A C104A mutant of FGB1 (i.e. the polypeptide having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2) is still biologically active. Thus, not all conserved cysteine residues as referred to in the previous paragraph would have to present in the polypeptide/fragment/variant of the present invention.

In an embodiment, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide (or variant thereof), or beta 1 ,6- glucan binding fragment thereof (or variant thereof), or the conserved domain (or variant thereof) comprises (conserved) cysteine residues at the position corresponding to position 49, 55, 66, 73, and 88 of SEQ ID NO: 2. In a further embodiment, it comprises cysteine residues at the position corresponding to position 66, 73, 88, and 99 of SEQ ID NO: 2 In an even further embodiment, it comprises cysteine residues at the position corresponding to position 55, 66, 73, and 88 of SEQ ID NO: 2.

Thus, a variant of beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide preferably comprises an amino acid sequence which is at least 50%, at least 60 %, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to SEQ ID NO: 2. In addition, said polypeptide may comprise

a) a conserved domain having an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 3, 36 or 37 or an amino acid sequence which is at least 50%, at least 60 %, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to SEQ ID NO: 3, 36, or 37,

b) one, two, three or four motifs of Motifs 1 to 4 as described above, and/or

c) conserved Cysteine residues as described above.

A fragment as referred herein (such as a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 2) preferably comprises a) an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 3, 36 or 37 or an amino acid sequence which is at least 50%, at least 60 %, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to SEQ ID NO: 3, 36, or 37,

b) one, two, three or four motifs of Motifs 1 to 4 as described above, and/or

c) conserved Cysteine residues as described above.

Preferably, said fragment is shorter than 104 amino acids.

Moreover, the invention also encompasses a vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding for the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide or a variant as set forth herein, or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment as set forth herein (or a variant thereof) or a fusion polypeptide comprising the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, and the detectable label. In particular, the present invention relates to a vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding for a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of the present invention, or the fusion protein as defined herein, i.e. a fusion polypeptide of i) a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide as defined herein, or the beta 1 ,6- glucan binding fragment thereof and ii) and polypeptide or peptide which is a detectable label. Preferably, the nucleic acid comprised by said vector is operably linked to a heterologous expression control sequence.

The term "vector", preferably, encompasses phage, plasmid, viral vectors as well as artificial chromosomes, such as bacterial or yeast artificial chromosomes. Moreover, the term also relates to targeting constructs which allow for random or site-directed integration of the targeting construct into genomic DNA. Such target constructs, preferably, comprise DNA of sufficient length for either homologous or heterologous recombination. The vector encompassing the polynucleotide of the present invention, preferably, further comprises selectable markers for propagation and/or selection in a host. The vector may be incorporated into a host cell by various techniques well known in the art. If introduced into a host cell, the vector may reside in the cytoplasm or may be incorporated into the genome. In the latter case, it is to be understood that the vector may further comprise nucleic acid sequences which allow for homologous recombination or heterologous insertion. Vectors can be introduced into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via conventional transformation or transfection techniques. The terms "transformation" and "transfection", conjugation and transduction, as used in the present context, are intended to comprise a multiplicity of prior- art processes for introducing foreign nucleic acid (for example DNA) into a host cell, including calcium phosphate, rubidium chloride or calcium chloride co-precipitation, DEAE-dextran- mediated transfection, lipofection, natural competence, carbon-based clusters, chemically mediated transfer, electroporation or particle bombardment. Suitable methods for the transformation or transfection of host cells, including plant cells, can be found in Sambrook et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 1989) and other laboratory manuals, such as Methods in Molecular Biology, 1995, Vol. 44, Agrobacterium protocols, Ed.: Gartland and Davey, Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey. Alternatively, a plasmid vector may be introduced by heat shock or electroporation techniques. Should the vector be a virus, it may be packaged in vitro using an appropriate packaging cell line prior to application to host cells.

In order to express a nucleic acid, for example, a nucleic acid encoding for polypeptide, fragment thereof or a fusion polypeptide, the nucleic acid encoding said for polypeptide, fragment thereof or a fusion polypeptide shall be operably linked to one or more expression control sequences. Preferably, the expression control sequences are heterologous with respect to the nucleic acid operably linked thereto. Thus, in an embodiment, the expression control sequence is not the native promoter. The term "expression control sequence" as used herein refers to a nucleic acid sequence which is capable of governing, i.e. initiating and controlling, transcription of a nucleic acid sequence of interest, in the present case the nucleic sequences recited above. Such a sequence usually comprises or consists of a promoter or a combination of a promoter and enhancer sequences. Expression of a polynucleotide comprises transcription of the nucleic acid molecule, preferably, into a translatable mRNA. Additional regulatory elements may include transcriptional as well as translational enhancers.

Preferably, the promotor shall be active in yeast and fungi. For example, it is envisaged that eh promoter is active in Pichia Pastoris or Echerichia coli. The following promoters and expression control sequences may, preferably, be used in an expression vector according to the present invention. The cos, tac, trp, tet, trp-tet, Ipp, lac, Ipp-lac, laclq, T7, T5, T3, gal, trc, ara, SP6, λ-PR or λ-PL promoters are, preferably, used in Gram-negative bacteria. For Gram-positive bacteria, promoters such as SP02 may be used. From yeast or fungal promoters ADC1 , AOX1 r, GAL1 , MFa, AC, P-60, CYC1 , GAPDH, TEF, rp28, ADH are, preferably, used. For animal cell or organism expression, the promoters CMV-, SV40-, RSV- promoter (Rous sarcoma virus), CMV-enhancer, SV40-enhancer are preferably used. From plants the promoters CaMV/35S, nos or the ubiquitin promoter can be used.

The vector of the present invention may also comprise additional polynucleotide sequences such as a terminator sequence, which is a nucleic acid sequence capable of terminating transcription. Such terminator sequences will cause dissociation of the transcription machinery from the nucleic acid sequence to be transcribed. In an embodiment, the terminator shall be active in yeast, fungi such as Pichia Pastoris or Echerichia coli.

For the purposes of the invention "recombinant" as used herein preferably means a nucleic acid sequence or a vector comprising the nucleic acid, a host cell or non-human organism comprising a nucleic acid according to the invention, all those constructions brought about by recombinant methods in which either the nucleic acid sequence, or a genetic control sequence which is operably linked with the nucleic acid sequence, for example a promoter, or are not located in their natural genetic environment or have been modified by recombinant methods.

The term "operatively linked" in connection with expression control sequences means that the expression control sequence and the nucleic acid of interest are linked so that the expression of the said nucleic acid of interest can be governed by the said expression control sequence, i.e. the expression control sequence shall be functionally linked to the said nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Accordingly, the expression control sequence and, the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed may be physically linked to each other, e.g., by inserting the expression control sequence at the 5 ^' end of the nucleic acid sequence to be expressed. Alternatively, the expression control sequence and the nucleic acid to be expressed may be merely in physical proximity so that the expression control sequence is capable of governing the expression of at least one nucleic acid sequence of interest. The expression control sequence and the nucleic acid to be expressed are, preferably, separated by not more than 500 bp, 300 bp, 100 bp, 80 bp, 60 bp, 40 bp, 20 bp, 10 bp or 5 bp.

Advantageously, it has been found in the studies underlying the present invention that the polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 (internal name: "FGB-1 ) efficiently binds to beta 1 ,6-glucans that are present within the cell wall/at the surface of fungi. Thanks to the present invention, a conjugate, fragment, vector, host cell or kit comprising FGB1 ("a beta 1 ,6-, glucan binding polypeptide or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof") as set forth herein can be used for various applications. For example, a conjugate comprising a beta 1 ,6-, glucan binding polypeptide or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof and a detectable (fluorescent) label can be used as "molecular probe" in an in situ fluorescence hybridization assay (FISH) and/or in a method for detecting fungal contaminations and/or diagnosing a fungal infection.

The present invention also concerns a host cell (such as a human or non-human host cell) or non-human organism comprising a nucleic acid, wherein the nucleic acid is encoding for the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide of the present invention, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of the present invention, the fusion protein as defined herein (in connection with the conjugate), or the vector of the present invention. The present invention also concerns a host cell (such as a or non-human host cell) or non-human organism comprising a nucleic acid, wherein the nucleic acid is the polynucleotide of the present invention.

A host cell in the context of the present invention may be any cell such as a plant cell, or fungal cell. Preferably, the host cell is a bacterial cell such as Escherichia coli, a yeast cell or fungal cell such as a Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Pichia Pastoris or Cladosporium cell, algal or cyanobacterial cell, a plant cell such as maize or rice cell or mammalian cell such as a mouse or human cell. Preferably, the host cell of the present invention comprises a nucleic acid, wherein the nucleic acid is encoding for the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide as defined herein, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of the present invention, the fusion protein as defined herein, or the vector of the present invention. Organisms of the invention may comprise any organism, in particular non-human organism, including preferably bacteria, yeast, fungi, algae or cyanobacteria, plant and animal organisms such as mice or birds. Preferably, the non-human organism comprises a nucleic acid, wherein the nucleic acid is encoding for the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide as defined herein, in particular the polypeptide of the present invention, the polynucleotide of the present invention, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of the present invention, the fusion protein as defined herein, or the vector of the present invention.

Preferably, the nucleic acid comprised by the organism or host cell is a recombinant nucleic acid. Thus, it is envisaged that the nucleic acid is heterologous with respect to host cell and non-human organism.

Preferably, the nucleic acid comprised by the host cell or non-human organism of the present invention is operably linked to a heterologous expression control sequence.

The present invention also relates to the use of the conjugate of the present invention, the fragment of the present invention, the vector of the present invention for detecting beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells in a sample, or for diagnosing fungal infection in a sample.

In an embodiment, said use is an in vivo use. In an alternative embodiment, said use in an in vitro use.

The term "sample" as used herein refers to samples from any source which are suspected to contain to contain beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells. Preferably, said sample are derived from biological sources. Samples from biological sources (i.e. biological samples) usually comprise a plurality of compounds. Biological samples to be used in the method of the present invention are samples from various organisms. Preferably, the samples are derived from embryophyta (terrestrial plants) or animals. Said samples can be derived from various sources within an organisms and include, for example, tissue samples from plants such as leaf or seed samples, body fluids from animals such as blood, plasma, serum, lymph, or urine, or samples derived, e.g., by biopsy, from cells, tissues or organs. Also encompassed are samples comprising subcellular compartments or organelles, such as the mitochondria, Golgi network or peroxisomes. Samples can also be derived from a subject as specified elsewhere herein. Techniques for obtaining the aforementioned different types of samples are well known in the art. For example, blood samples may be obtained by blood taking while tissue or organ samples are to be obtained, e.g., by biopsy. In an embodiment, it is envisaged that the sample is body fluid such as urine, in particular blood, serum or plasma.

Further, the conjugate, the fragment, the vector or the host cell or non-human organism of the present invention can be used for a variety of applications including biology, biochemical, biomedical or diagnostic assays such as, for example, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), histochemistry, Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) or microscopy.

Further encompassed by the present invention is a method for the detection of beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells in a sample, said method comprising, providing a sample suspected to comprise beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells, and contacting said sample with the conjugate of the present invention, the polypeptide of the present invention, the fragment of the present invention, the vector of the present invention or the host cell non-human organism of the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment, the sample is contacted with the conjugate of the present invention. The presence (or absence) of beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells can be detected via the detectable label, i.e. by detecting the detectable label.

The term "sample" has been defined above. In an embodiment the sample in accordance with the present invention from embryophyta (terrestrial plants). In another embodiment, the sample is from an animal, in particular from a mammal, preferably a human.

The present invention also relates to a method for diagnosing fungal infection in a subject, said method comprising, providing a sample from a subject suspected to have a fungal infection, contacting said sample with the conjugate of the present invention, the polypeptide of the present invention, or the fragment of the present invention. Thereby, the presence or absence of fungal infection in said subject is diagnosed.

The sample can be any sample from the subject such as a body fluid as set forth above.

The term "subject" as used herein relates to animals, preferably to mammals such as mice, rats, sheep, dogs, cats, horses, monkeys, or cows and, also preferably, to humans. Other animals which may be diagnosed applying the method of the present invention are birds or reptiles. A subject suspected to have a fungal infection as used herein refers to a subject which shows, preferably, symptoms or clinical signs or parameters indicative for a fungal infection However, the term also relates to an apparently healthy subject, i.e. a subject not exhibiting any of the aforementioned symptoms, clinical signs or parameters. Apparently healthy subjects may by investigated by the method of the present invention as a measure of preventive care or for population screening purposes.

The presence (or absence) of beta 1 ,6 glucans and/or fungal cells can be detected via the detectable label, i.e. by detecting the detectable label.

Moreover, the present invention encompasses a kit comprising the conjugate of the present invention, the polypeptide of the present invention, the polynucleotide of the present invention, the antibody of the present invention, the fragment of the present invention, the vector of the present invention or the host cell or non-human organism of the present invention. Said kit may further comprise means for detecting the detectable label and optionally a instructions for using the kit.

The term "kit" as used herein refers to a collection of the aforementioned components, preferably, provided separately or within a single container.

The present invention further relates to a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, wherein said polypeptide comprise an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NO: 2 and 8 to 35, or wherein said polypeptide is a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding variant of the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NO: 2 and 8 to 35.

In a preferred embodiment, the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, or is a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding variant of the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NO: 2. The term "variant" is defined elsewhere herein. Preferably, said variant comprises (or has) an amino acid sequence which is at least 50%, at least 60 %, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to the amino acid as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2. Moreover, the variant preferably, comprises conserved domains, conserved cysteine, and/or Motif 1 , 2, 3, and 4 as described herein above in detail.

Preferably, the variant of the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 does not have or comprise a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 38, and/or is not encoded by a polynucleotide having or comprising a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 39. However, variants or fragments of the said polypeptide are encompassed by the present invention.

The present invention further relates to a polynucleotide encoding the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide of the present invention, or a fusion protein as defined herein (in connection with the conjugate). Further, the present invention relates to a variant of said polynucleotide. Said variant shall encode a beta 1 ,6- glucan binding polypeptide. In an embodiment, the polynucleotide (or variant) does not have or comprise a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 39. However, variants or fragments of the said polypeptide are encompassed by the present invention.

The present invention further relates to a complex comprising

i) at least one beta 1 ,6 glucan, and

ii) the polypeptide of the present invention (or variant thereof), the fragment of the present invention (or variant thereof), or the conjugate of the present invention.

In the complex, the polypeptide, fragment or conjugate shall be bound to the at least beta 1 ,6 glucan (i.e. one or more beta 1 ,6 glucan). Preferably, the beta-1 ,6-glucan is covalently bound to beta 1 ,3 glucan (or beta 1 ,2 glucan), in particular in the form of branching polysaccharides.

The complex may be comprised by a sample. A definition for the term sample is given elsewhere herein. E.g. the sample may be a blood, serum or plasma sample. Further, the complex may be present in a cell wall of a fungus. Said cell wall may be present in a the sample. According, the present invention also relates to a sample comprising the complex, in particular wherein the complex is present, i.e. comprised by a cell wall of a fungus. In an embodiment, said cell wall is not a cell wall of Piriformospora indica (strain DSM 1 1827). Preferably, the fragment or polypeptide as used herein is a recombinant fragment or polypeptide.

Moreover, the present invention relates to a peptide comprising or consisting of one of the following amino acid sequences:

Motif 1 : CDYGVRTSCQK (SEQ ID NO: 40)

Motif 2:GHVYQ (SEQ ID NO: 41 )

Motif 3: GLHCGDG (SEQ ID NO: 42)

Motif 4: GHVYQVGSDTNVCDYGVRTSCQK (SEQ ID NO: 43) Preferably, said peptide comprises less than 30 amino acids. More preferably, said peptide comprises less than 20 amino acids.

Further the present invention relates to an antibody which specifically binds to the polypeptide (or variant thereof) or fragment (or variant thereof) of the present invention.

Antibodies as referred to herein include polyclonal and, in particular, monoclonal antibodies, as well as antigen binding fragments thereof, such as Fv, Fab and F(ab)2 fragments.

In a preferred embodiment, the antibody specifically binds to the polypeptide amino acid as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment, or to a variant of said polypeptide of said fragment.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the antibody specifically binds to peptide of the present invention, in particular to an epitope contained in the peptide.

Further, the present invention relates to a conjugate comprising the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment or beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide of the present invention.

Medical and agricultural applications.

The definitions and explanations given herein above apply also to following embodiments of the present invention.

It is further contemplated to use the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6- glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide as defined herein above for medical and/or agricultural applications. Said conjugate is also referred to herein as "antifungal" conjugate.

Accordingly, the present invention further relates to a conjugate comprising i) a beta 1 ,6- glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide, and ii) an antifungal compound.

The terms "beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide" and "beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide" are described elsewhere herein in detail. Preferably, the conjugate has an antifungal activity. Antifungal activity as used herein refers to an antagonistic activity on fungi, i.e a growth inhibition (fungistatic activity) and/or destruction of fungi (fungicidial activity). Accordingly, it is envisaged that the antifungal conjugate retains the antifungal activity, or at least part of the antifungal activity of the antifungal compound.

The term "antifungal compound" refers to any substance that has an antagonistic effect on fungi leading to the suppression of reproductive capability, growth inhibition and/or destruction of fungi. Thus, said compound shall inhibit the growth of fungi or shall kill fungi. An antifungal compound can be a small molecule or large molecules such as a peptide, protein or a chemically synthesized substance with a high molecular weight that exerts an antifungal activity. The antagonistic effect on fungi (antifungal activity) of a compound is commonly also referred to as fungicidal and/or fungistatic activity. A fungicide (a. compound with fungicidial activity) commonly exerts a toxic effect on fungi (destroys the fungi), while a fungistatic (a compound with fungicidial activity) generally has a growth inhibiting effect on fungi.

Antifungal compounds as referred to herein may, preferably, be used for agricultural and/or medical purposes to treat fungal infections and/or fungal contamination of plants and/or part of plants, e.g. seeds, and/or to treat fungal infections in animals, preferably humans. Antifungal compounds may be active against a certain fungal species or active against a variety of fungal species/fungal classes.

In an embodiment the (antifungal) conjugate of the present in invention is used for soil treatment. In an embodiment, said soil treatment is carried before sowing a field. In an embodiment the (antifungal) conjugate of the present in invention is used for seed treatment. Preferably, said soil or said seeds is/are contacted with the conungate.

Thus, the present invention further relates to a method for soil or seed treatment, comprising contacting soil or seeds with the antifungal conjugate of the present invention.

Typical antifungal compounds used for agricultural purposes such as cereal seed treatment, soil treatment or broad spectrum treatment include Dithiocarbamates, Chloranil, Dichlone, Dithiocarbamates, Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Phthalimides, Fentins, Antibiotics such as blasticidin S or polyoxin, Triazines, Guanidines, Nitroanalines, Benzimidazoles, Phthalonitriles, Morpholines, Carboxiamides, Dicarboxiamidesm Carboxanilides, Anilinopyrimidines, Strobilurines, Azoles, Piperazines, Imidazoles, Pyrimidines, Triazoles and Anilides.

Antifungal compounds used in medicine are commonly also referred to as antifungal medication, pharmaceutical fungicides or pharmaceutical fungistatics. Antifungal compounds for medical purposes are used to treat and prevent mycoses including local fungal infections such as tinea pedis (also known as athlete's foot), dermatophytosis (also known as ringworm), candidiasis (a fungal infection due to any type of Candida) or systemic fungal infections such as cryptococcal meningitis. Fungi that cause diseases in humans (human- pathogenic fungi) are well-known in the art and include dermatophytes such as Trichophyton spec, Microsporum spec, Epidermophyton floccosum, Keratomyces ajelloi, yeasts such as Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Cryptococcus neoformans, mildews such as Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, Mucor spec, Absidia spec, Rhizopus spec, Rhinosporidium seeberi, Madurella myzetomatis, Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Loboa loboi and Sporothrix schenckii.

Typical antifungal compounds used in medicine include Polyene anti fungals such as Amphotericin B, Candicidin, Filipin, Hamycin, Natamycin, Nystatin or Rimocidin, Imidazoles such as Bifonazole, Butoconazole, Clotrimazole, Econazole, Fenticonazole, Isoconazole, Ketoconazole, Luliconazole, Miconazole, Omoconazole, Oxiconazole, Sertaconazole, Sulconazole, or Tioconazole, Ttriazoles such as Albaconazole, Efinaconazole, Epoxiconazole, Fluconazole, Isavuconazole, Itraconazole, Posaconazole, Propiconazole, Ravuconazole, Terconazole, or Voriconazole, Thiazole antifungals such as Abafungin, Allylamines such as Amorolfin, Butenafine, Naftifine, or Terbinafine, Echinocandins such as Anidulafungin, Caspofungin or Micafungin and other antifungal compounds such as Benzoic acid, Ciclopirox olamine, 5-fluorocytosine, Griseofulvin, Haloprogin, Tolnaftate, and Undecylenic acid.

In a preferred embodiment of the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate, the antifungal compound is covalently bound to said beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or said beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof, or the antifungal compound is non-covalently bound to said a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment thereof. Preferably, it is covalently bound. In a preferred embodiment, the antifugal compound is a antifugal peptide or polypeptide. In this case, the conjugate is preferably a fusion protein comprising the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide and the antifugal peptide or polypeptide.

The present invention further concerns a polynucleotide expression said fusion protein or a host cell or an organism such as a plant comprising said polynucleotide. In an embodiment said host cell is a plant cell. Preferably, said polynucleotide is expressed in said cell organism.

In yet a preferred embodiment of the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate, the antifungal compound has fungicidal and/or fungistatic activity.

The terms "fungicidal activity" and "fungistatic activity" are described elsewhere herein in more detail. Shortly, a compound with fungicidial activity (a fungicide) exerts a toxic effect on fungi (kills fungi), while a compound with fungistatic activity (a fungistatic) inhibits the growth of fungi.

The present invention further relates to a medicament comprising the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate.

The present invention also relates to the use of the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate, for in treating fungal infection in a subject, preferably in a mammal, more preferably in a human.

The term "treating" as used herein refers to ameliorating or curing a disease or at least one symptom associated therewith. Preferably said disease is a fungal infection or at least one symptom associated therewith. Pathogenic fungi that cause fungal infections mammals, preferably in humans, and symptoms associated with the respective infections are well known in the art and also described elsewhere herein. Thus, if there is amelioration or cure of the disease, i.e. a fungal infection, or at least a symptom associated therewith, the treatment shall be deemed to be effective. It will be understood that treating might not be effective in all subjects. However, according to the present invention it is envisaged that treatment will be effective in at least a statistically significant portion of subjects to be treated. It is well known to the skilled artisan how to determine a statistically significant portion of subjects that can be effectively treated.

Whether a portion of subjects or any other value referred to herein is statistically significant can be determined without further ado by the person skilled in the art using various well known statistic evaluation tools, e.g., determination of confidence intervals, p-value determination, Student ^' s t-test, Mann-Whitney test etc. Details are found in Dowdy and Wearden, Statistics for Research, John Wiley & Sons, New York 1983. Preferred confidence intervals are at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99%. The p- values are, preferably, 0.1 , 0.05, 0.01 , 0.005, or 0.0001.

Preferably, the probability envisaged by the present invention allows that the finding of effective treatment will be correct for at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 90% of the subjects of a given cohort or population.

In a preferred embodiment, the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate is administered topically, orally and/or by injection.

The term "topical", as used herein, refers to a composition and/or a medicament meant for application to the skin, nail, or mucosal tissue. Topically administered compositions and/or medicaments include pastes, ointments, gels and creams for application to the skin. Preferably, said topically administered composition and/or medicament comprises the antifungal conjugate referred to above.

The term "oral", as used herein, refers to the application of a composition and/or a medicament by mouth. For example, oral administration includes the administration of a tablet, a capsule, an elixir, a spray dispersing a jet of droplets, a solution or other liquid form of medication by mouth.

The term "injection", as used herein, refers to any procedure utilizing any device by any means to break, cut, breach, puncture or otherwise open the surface of living human skin to deposit a substance into the skin, beneath the skin and/or into the blood stream. Commonly, an injection is considered to be an infusion method of a substance into the body, typically utilizing a syringe and a hollow needle. Administration of a composition or compound, i.e. the antifungal conjugate, by injection includes intravenous, intrathecal, intraperitoneal, intradermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intraosseous, intrathecal, epidural, intracardiac, intraarticular, intracavernous, and intravitreal administration.

It is known to those skilled in the art that routes of administration may also commonly be classified by the location at which a substance, i.e. the conjugate, is applied, including oral application or intravenous injection, or the classification may be based on where the target of action of the substance, i.e. the conjugate, is. This action may be topical (local), enteral (system-wide effect, but delivered through the gastrointestinal tract), or parenteral (systemic action, but delivered by routes other than the Gl tract). Topical administration thus also includes epicutaneous application or inhalation. Enteral administration also includes oral administration, rectal administration or administration via a gastric feeding tube. Parenteral administration also includes intravenous, intra-arterial, intraosseous, intra-muscular, intracerebral, intracerebroventricular, intrathecal or subcutaneuos application.

Further encompassed by the present invention is a method for fungus control in a plant, comprising contacting said plant with the conjugate referred to above, i.e. the antifungal conjugate.

It is further envisaged that the conjugate of the present invention can be used as a platform to identify and/or engineer molecules with specific carbohydrate binding properties. The polypeptide as referred to herein is very small and stable lectin (stable protein fold) and this could be utilized to switch the carbohydrate binding specificity (e.g. vie phage display/random mutagenesis) to engineer a protein that has a specificity towards a different kind of a . carbohydrate, in particular without loosing the biophysical stability properties. In general, small stable proteins are very good platforms for these kind of approaches but each protein fold has specific limits.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a method for modifying the binding-specificity of the beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptide, or a beta 1 ,6-glucan binding fragment of said polypeptide by subjecting said polypeptide or peptide to mutagenesis. In further, step the binding specificity is assessed.

The Figures show: Figure 1: Alignment of the C-terminal domain of FGB1 from Piriformospora indica PUN 0321 1 and further putative beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptides.

Figure 2: List of beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptides of the present invention (SEQ ID NO: 2 and 8 to 35), conserved domains/ 1 ,6-glucan binding fragments (SEQ ID NO: 3, 36 and 37), and motifs comprised by 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptides or fragments (motifs 1 -4: SEQ ID Nos: 4 to 7).

Figure 3: FGB1 , a plant responsive small secreted protein from P. indica is capable of binding to fungal cell wall polysaccharides and harbors a novel fungal specific lectin domain, (a) Protein sequence logo of FGB1 (PIIN_321 1 ) obtained after alignment of the mature protein sequence with homologues from different fungi, (b) P. indica FGB1 transcript levels in barley (Hordeum vulgare) and Arabidopsis Col-0 roots grown on ½MS medium inoculated with spores and harvested 3, 7 and 14 dpi and on control ½MS medium (7 dpi) relative to transcription elongation factor (TEF, PIIN_03008). Error bars are standard deviations derived from three biological replicate samples (8 technical replicates each), (c) SDS-PAGE showing the outcome of a pull down experiment probing the binding of FGB1 to protein free cell wall extracts of P. indica, Fusarium oxysporum and barley roots. P: insoluble pellet fraction, S: supernatant. Incubation of FGB1 (20 μΜ) with the insoluble polysaccharides (10 mg each) was carried out for 1 hr at room temperature in 25 mM sodium-acetate buffer (pH 5.0) containing 500 mM NaCI. (d) FGB1 :GFP localizes to the fungal septa (arrowheads) and cell wall in colonized A. thaliana Col-0 and Ws-0 roots (6 dpi) as well as barley roots (7 dpi). The asterisks show the entry point of the hyphae into the root cell. In red the signal from the chitin dye Alexa Fluor 594 labelled wheat germ agglutinin is shown.

Figure 4: FITC labelled WSC3 (green channel) labels the cell wall of Tulasnella calospora but not P. indica. WGA-AF591 was used as a cell wall counter stain (red channel). In contrast, FITC labelled FGB1 (green channel) labels the cell wall of both T. calospora and P. indica. The labelling on P. indica mycelium with FGB1 -FITC488 appeared to be diffuse on the area surrounding the cell wall indicating the labelling of secreted soluble glucan produced by the fungus.

Figure 5: FITC labelled WSC3 (green channel) does not label P. indica mycelium and plant cells of inoculated Arabidopsis roots (7dpi).

Figure 6: Incubation of P. indica inoculated Arabidopsis roots with FITC-488-FGB1 results in a fluorescent signal that surrounds extracellular fungal hyphae like a sheath. This indicates that the protein binds to a soluble glucan polymer produced by the fungus. In addition, one can observe that colonised cells that are filled with green fluorescence signals suggesting that P. indica Ms these colonized cells with glucan.

Figure 7: A) Protein sequence of FGB1 Piriformospora indica PUN 0321 1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) from showing motifs 1 to 4 (SEQ ID NOs: 4 to 7). B) Conserved cysteines at positions 49, 55, 66, 73, 88, 99 and 104 of SEQ ID NO: 2 are highlighted.

EXAMPLES

The invention will be merely illustrated by the following Examples. The said Examples shall, whatsoever, not be construed in a manner limiting the scope of the invention.

Example 1: Preparation of P. indica secreted protein fractions, enrichment and characterization of proteins with lectin like properties

To analyze P. indica secreted proteins, the culture filtrate (CF) of one week old cultures were first filtrated through cell strainers with a 40 1 1 m cut-off before centrifugation for 15 min at 10,000 xg. 5 ml 95% TCA was added to 20 ml cell free CF and incubated overnight at 4"C. Subsequently, 25 ml of 100% acetone 4 was added and the solution was centrifuged for 30 m in at 10,000 xg. Protein pellets were washed with 100% acetone and dried before boiling in Laemmli SDS sample buffer containing 8 M urea and 2 M thiourea.

2 liters of culture filtrate of 7 day old P. indica cultures were harvested by filtration through Miracloth (Merckmillipore) and subsequent filtration through 0.22 μηη sterile nitrocellulose filters. The obtained cell free CF was pH adjusted with phosphate buffer to pH 7.5 and separated via 40 ml Fractogei-EMD- S03- (M) (Merck) and EMD TMAE Hicap (M) (Merck) ion exchange material into acidic- and alkaline protein fractions. The obtained protein fractions were dialyzed against 10 mM sodium acetate buffer containing 150 mM NaCI pH 5.0 and 400 1 1 1 were incubated with 50 1 1 1 sepharose beads for 30 min at room temperature before washing with an excess of binding buffer. Subsequently the sepharose beads were boiled in Laemmli SDS-buffer and bound proteins were analyzed by SDS-PAGE.

Purification of native FGB1 (PIIN_0321 1 ) To purify native FGB1 the supernatant of 7 day old P. indica cultures (2 I) grown in CM- medium was filtrated through Miracloth (Merckmillipore) and subsequently filtrated through 0.22 μηι sterile nitrocellulose filters. The obtained cell free culture filtrate was diluted 1 :1 with water and supplemented with 1 mM PMSF and 15 ml 1 M sodium acetate buffer pH 5.0 per 4 L to raise the pH of the culture to pH ~5. The CF was then applied to columns containing EMD TMAE Hicap (M) (Merck) ion exchange material. The flow through of this step was then applied to columns containing Fractogei-EMD-SO ^3- (M) (Merck) ion exchange material. After protein binding the column was washed with 10 volumes of 10 mMsodium acetate buffer pH 5.0. The crude FGB1 concentrate was obtained by step elution of boundproteins with 1 0 mM sodium acetate buffer pH 5.0 containing 1.5 M NaCI. Final purification was done by applying the SO ^3- eluate to a spin concentrator with a 30,000 Da cut-off. The flow through of this step was then concentrated using a 5,000 Da cut-off spin concentrator and the concentrated protein was 2x dialyzed (1 x 3hr, 1 x overnight) against 3 L of water.

Analysis of FGB1 binding capabilities to cell wall preparations

To assess the binding capability of FGB1 to protein-free cell wall preparations of barley roots (17 days old), Fusarium oxysporum (6 day old mycelium) and P. indica (6 day old mycelium) the plant and fungal samples were grinded in liquid nitrogen. Subsequently, water was added to the powder and the suspensions were centrifuged for 15 min at 8,000 xg. The resulting pellets were homogenized using an UltraTurax with 8 M urea containing 2% SDS and incubated for 2 hr at 80°C. This was followed by centrifugation for 15 m in at 8,000 xg. The supernatant was removed and the pellets were homogenized with 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer pH 7.5 and centrifuged again. This step was repeated 3-4 times. Subsequently, the pellets were homogenized with PBS containing 0.3 mg/ml Proteinase K and incubated overnight at 37"C. The cell wall polysaccharides were pelleted, homogenized in 2% SDS + BM Urea and incubated at 80°C for 2 hr before centrifugation. The supernatant was removed and the pellets were homogenized in water and centrifuged again (3-4 repeats). The pellets were then homogenized 2x with 100% acetone and pelleted before drying at 80°C. Prior use the obtained polysaccharide pellets were grinded to a fine powder.

For polysaccharide pull downs 10 mg powder was weighted into testtubes and 500 μΙ water was added. The polysaccharides were then sonicated for 30 s before the addition of 200 μΙ protein solution to obtain a final buffer conditions of 10 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 containing 300 mM NaCI and 20 μΜ FGB1. The mixture was incubated for 1 hr at room temperature before centrifugation for 10 min at 17,000 xg. Supernatant fractions were obtained by removal of 600 μΙ clear protein solution that was precipitated with 500 μΙ 40% TCA overnight at 4°C. The supernatant samples were centrifuges for 30 min at 17,000 xg (4°C) and the pellets were washed 2x with 100 % acetone before drying. SDS-PAGE samples were obtained by boiling of for 1 0 m in at 100 C with 100 μΙ Laemmli SDS sample buffer containing 8 M urea and 2 M thiourea and 7.5 μΙ were loaded onto SDS gels.

Pellet fractions were washed 3x with buffer. 100 μΙ of protein sample buffer was added to the wet pellets and boiled. 15μΙ of the pellet fractions were loaded onto SDS-gels for analysis.

Example 2: Database searches and sequence alignments

BlastP search with the FGB1 amino acid sequence was performed against Genbank nr database (1 .0E-3) and JGI MycoCosm (1.0E-3). Alignment was performed with Mucle using Mega6 and visualized using Maestro 10.3 (Schroedinger Inc.).

Sequence aligments of the FGB1 amino acid sequence and further putative beta 1 ,6-glucan binding polypeptides are shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Example 3: Cloning of vectors, expression of an FGB1:GFP fusion protein

DNA and RNA extraction and cloning procedures

DNA and RNA extractions and real-time quantitative PCR procedures as well as the vector pGoGFP are described in Hilbert et al. 2012. All primers are listed in the table below. The FGB1 sequence containing the signal peptide and lacking the stop codon was amplified from cDNA and cloned into pGoGFP using the C/a/ and Hind /I/ restriction sites. The FGB 1 gene was in frame with a C-terminal GFP sequence in order to produce the FGB1 :GFP fusion protein when transcribed and translated. In order to substitute the GPD-promoter sequence of pGoGFP with that of FGB 1 the GPD promoter was removed using the Apal and C/a/ restriction sites. Part of the FGB1 promoter was amplified using suitable primers and fused to the remaining nucleotide sequence obtained from GenScript (sequence is shown in Appendix). The whole construct was then cloned into pGoGFP using the Apal and Clal restriction sites.

Example 4: Analysis and characterization of recombinant FGB1 expression Sample preparation for comparison of the FGB1 expression level in liquid CM and YNB medium

In order to account for the different spore germination rates in CM and YNB medium mycelium a one week old P. indica WT culture grown in CM (50 ml) was filtrated and washed with 0.9% NaCI before crushing in 50 ml liquid CM. Subsequently, the mycelium was regenerated for two days. After regeneration the mycelium was filtrated and washed again and 0.5 g was used to inoculate either 25 ml CM or YNB medium (3 replicates each). Cultures were grown for the indicated times at 28°C before mycelium was harvested and RNAcDNA preparation and qPCR were performed.

Confocal microscopy

Images were recorded using a Leica TCS SP8 confocal microscope. GFP imaging was done with an excitation at 488 nm and detection of the emitted light between 500-540 nm. FM4-64 (Molecular Probes, Karlsruhe, Germany) staining was carried out for 5 min after addition of 1 μΙ of a 2 mM stock solution dissolved in DMSO per 1 ml of culture and imaging was done using an excitation wavelength of 561 nm and detection between 580-660 nm. For wheat germ agglutinin-Aiexa Fluor 594 (WGA-AF594, Invitrogen) 2 μΙ of a 1 mg/ml stock solution (dissolved in PBS) was used in a volume of0.5 ml (excitation at 561 nm detection at 610-650 nm).

Maize infection assays for U. maydis

Seven day old maize seedlings were infected with the respective U. maydis SG200 transformant strains according to Djamei ef al. (201 1 ) either expressing FGB1 :GFP or GFP under the control ofthe P. indica GPD promotor (plasmid pGoGFP). Disease symptoms were scored 12 dpi according to Djamei ef al. (201 1 ) for three independent isolates each and three biological replicates.

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC)

Isothermal titration experiments were performed to analyze the affinity of FGB1 to different soluble oligo-and polysaccharides using a VP-ITC instrument at 20°C. The instrument was heat-pulse-calibrated and the protein samples were extensively dialyzed against water. Titrant stock solutions were prepared with the same batch of water as used for dialysis. All solutions used were degassed before filling the sample cell and syringe. Compound concentrations are given in the figure legends for the individual experiments. The ITC stirring speed was set to 300 rpm; the feedback gain mode was set to medium. Since the initial injection generally delivers inaccurate data, the first step was omitted from the analysis. The collected data were analyzed using the program Origin" (MicroCal) and binding isotherms were fitted using the binding models provided by the supplier. Errors correspond to the standard deviation (SD) of the non linear least-squares fit of the data points of the titration curve.

Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy

In order to gain information about the FGB 1 secondary structure in presence and absence of different oligo- and polysaccharides CD-spectra were recorded on a Jasco J700- in degassed water at 20°C. Protein and ligand concentrations are given in the respective figure legends. All spectra were subtracted with the data obtained for the water blank.

SOS-PAGE and western blotting

SDS-PAGEs were essentially performed according to the manufacturer's instructions (Invitrogen). Gradient 4-12% Bis-Tris NuPage gels were used with NuPage MES-SDS running buffer (Invitrogen). Protein samples were dissolved in Laemmli SDS buffer containing 8 M urea, 2 M thiourea and 2% beta-mercaptoethanol. For western blotting protein from unstained gels were transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes using a semi dry blotting system from Biorad. Anti GFP antibody was obtained from Roche (#1 1814460001 ) and used at a 1 :2000 dilution. As secondary antibody an anti-mouse antibody purchased from Sigma (A2304) was used at a dilution of 1 :2000.

Thin layer chromatography (TLC), in vitro glucanase activity assay

In order to test whether FGB1 is able to protect beta-glucan from hydrolysis by glucanases an endo-beta-1 ,3-D-glucanase and an exo- beta-1 ,3-D-glucanase, from barley and Trichoderma virens respectively, were incubated with laminarin in the presence and absence of FGB1. After mixing of the individualcompounds (concentrations are given in the figure legend) the reactions were kept at 37"C (700 rpm shaking) for 15 m in in case of the reaction assays containing the endo-glucanase and 1 hr in case of the exo-glucanase. 4x 1 .5 μΙ assay were spotted per sample on silica-gel 60 F254 plates (Merck, 1 .16834). TLC was performed in n-butanol-lsopropanol-water (3:12:4). After the run the plates were dried at RT and developed by spraying with 1 -napthol (15 mg of napthol in 12.4 ml ethanol+ 1 ml H20+ 1 .6 ml H2S04 and subsequent incubation at 20°"C (ca. 30s). Barley endo-beta-1 ,3-D- glucanase glucanase (E-LAM HV) and Trichoderma virens exo-131 ,3-o-glucanase (E- EXBGTV) were obtained from Megazyme.

BCA assay

Laminarin (from 0.6 to 5 g/1 = 8.53~M to 1 mM) was incubated with either exo-1 ,3-13-D- glucanase (Trichoderma virens, Megazyme® E-EXBGTV) in sodium acetate buffer (100 mM, pH 4.5) or endo-1 ,3-13-o-glucanase (Barley, Megazyme® E-LAMHV) in sodium acetate buffer (100 mM, pH5.2) (12,5 or 25 U/1 ) at 40°C and 900 rpm (EppendorfThermomixer) and FGB1 (5.83 to 42.53 ~M) was added. Samples were taken at different time intervals and the reaction was stopped by heating the samples at 95°C for 5 minutes. The released glucose was quantified with the bicinchoninic acid (BCA)-assay via the optical density at 540 nm with a 96well plate reader (TECAN Sunrise) using glucose as a standard. The BCA assay was performed according to McFeeters et al. (1980). In brief, this assay relies on the proportional reduction of Cu2+ (from CuS04) to Cu+ (biuret reaction) by the reducing sugars in solution. Calorimetric quantification was performed subsequently to the chelation Cu+ by bicinchoninic acid sodium salt (1 :2 stoichiometry). The formed complex strongly absorbs light at a wavelength of 540-560 nm in an alkaline environment.

Determination of the glucose to N-acetyl glucosamine ratio of fungal cell walls after total hydrolysis

Deuterated hydrochloric acid (30% DCI in D2O) was used to catalyze the acidic hydrolysis of polymers from the non-soluble fraction of the cell wall to their monomers (Einbu et al. 2007). The ratio of glucose and N-acetyl glucosamine was determined after hydrolysis by the distribution via 1 H-NMR-spectroscopy (Bruker DMX 600 FT-NMR-spectrometer; 1 H: 600 MHz at 295 K). The NMR-spectra were calibrated by setting the water signal to 9.10 ppm. The amount of N-acetylglucosamine was calculated using the integrated signal of the acetylic group at 2.26 ppm. The amount of glucose was calculated from the sum of all anomeric protons minus that of the N-acetylglucosamine. The 1 H-NMR exhibited three anomeric protons at 5.03 ppm, at 4.50 ppm (alpha-D-glucose, beta-3-D-glucose, N-acetylglucosamine) and a third signal at 5.98 ppm corresponding to 1 ,6-anhydro-beta-D-glucose. Under strong acidic conditions glucose undergoes a dehydration reaction to 1 ,6-anhydro-beta-D-glucose. The different samples had a dry mass weight between 10 to 25 mg and were dissolved in 750μΙ DCI.

Apoplastic fluid collection from P. indica colonized barley roots

Barley seeds (Hordeum vulgare L. cv Golden Promise) were surface sterilized for 1 min under light shaking in 70% ethanol followed by 1 hour in 12% sodium hypochlorite. Subsequently, seeds were washed repeatedly for 1 hour with sterile distilled water. After germination for three days at 22'C in complete darkness on wet filter paper, germinated seeds were transferred into jars with 1/10 PNM (Basiewicz et al. 2012) under sterile conditions and inoculated with 3 ml of chlamydospores (concentration 500,000 spores/ml) of P .indica GoGFP strain (Hilbert et al. 2012) and cultivated in a growth chamber with a day: night cycle of 16 h: 8 h (light intensity, 108 ~mol m2/s) and temperature of 22°C : 18°C. For apoplastic fluid (APF) extraction three time points reflecting different interaction stages have been chosen: Early and late biotrophic phase (5 and 10 dpi) as well as cell death associated phase (14 dpi). After respective growth time, roots were thoroughly washed and cut into pieces of 2 cm length (2nd to 4th cm of the root). Samples were vacuum infiltrated (Vacuumbrand, CVC 3000, VWR) with deionized water 5x15 min at 250 mbar with 1 m in atmospheric pressure break. Bundled infiltrated roots were centrifuged in 5 ml syringe barrels at 2000 rpm for 15 m in at 4°C. Pooled APF was stored at -20'C. In order to exclude cytoplasmic contamination apoplastic fluid was tested in immunoblots with GFP antibody. For higher peptide mass accuracy APF was deglycosylated with Protein Deglycosylation Mix (P6039S, New England BioLabs, Ipswich, USA) under denaturing conditions. For peptide mass identification samples were digested with trypsin and subjected to LC-MS/MS mass spectrometry. Proteins matched to peptides were analyzed for the presence of signal peptides and exclusiveness in the three specific time points of APF extraction.

Sequences comprised by the sequence listing:

SEQ ID NO 29 PRT gi|598027571 |ref|XP_007343158.1 |_Auricularia subglabra TFB- 10046 SS5

SEQ ID NO 30 PRT gi|598039723|ref|XP_007349234.1 |_Auricularia subglabra TFB- 10046 SS5

SEQ ID NO 31 PRT gi| 1024106614|gb|KZV97813.1 |_Exidia glandulosa HHB12029

SEQ ID NO 32 PRT gi| 1024101480|gb|KZV92756.1 |_Exidia glandulosa HHB12029

SEQ ID NO 33 PRT gi| 1024104254|gb|KZV95484.1 |_Exidia glandulosa HHB12029

SEQ ID NO 34 PRT jg i I U m bra 1 |249846|_com best_scaffold_44_94105

SEQ ID NO 35 PRT jgi|Mictr1 |637882|gm1.4452_g

Full citations of the references cited throughout the specification

Tamura K, Stecher G, Peterson D, Filipski A, Kumar S. MEGA6: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis version 6.0. Molecular biology and evolution 30, 2725-2729 (2013).

Hilbert M, Voll LM, DingY, Hofmann J, Sharma M, Zuccaro A. Indole derivative production by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica is not required for growth promotion but for biotrophic colonization of barley roots. The New phyfologist 196, 520-534 (2012).

Djamei A, et al. Metabolic priming by a secreted fungal effector. Nature 478, 395-398 (201 1 ).

McFeeters RF. A manual method for reducing sugar determinations with 2,2'-bicinchoninate reagent. Anal Biochem 103,302-306 (1980).

Einbu A, Grasdalen H, Varum KM. Kinetics of hydrolysis of chitin/chitosan oligomers in concentrated hydrochloric acid. Carbohydrate research 342, 1055-1062 (2007).