Momentum Bioscience Limited

Zeus Scientific, Inc.

Daniel Zweitzig

Shawn Mark O'Hara

Shawn Mark O'hara

An assay kit of reagents including a nucleic acid capable of acting as substrate for polymerase microorganism activity useful in a method of detecting polymerase activity as an indicator of the presence of a micro-organism in a sample are disclosed. The disclosed embodiments also relate to reagents for use in such methods, and to test kits comprising such reagents for carrying out the methods.

Methods for measuring enzyme activity useful in determining cell viability in non-purified samples

Methods for detecting microorganisms, in particular detection of bacteria and methods for measuring enzyme activity, such as Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase activity are disclosed. The aforesaid methods include, but are not limited to such methods performed on microbial crude lysates, useful for determining microbial enzyme activities, which can be linked to amplification signal generators such as real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques, thereby enabling determination of microbial pathogens in samples such as unpurified blood and other body fluids. Moreover, the disclosed embodiments also relate to reagents for use in such methods, and to test kits comprising such reagents for carrying out the methods.

A method for performing a diagnostic assay for the detection of the presence or amount of a microorganism within a sample matrix containing active DNA polymerase, is disclosed. The method utilizes the measurement of DNA polymerase extension activity, wherein the assay comprises the steps of incubating DNA polymerase in the sample matrix with a selected suitable substrate, and performing PCR cycling and detection via the use of a selected suitable nucleic acid probe, thereby to detect endogenous DNA polymerase extension activity in the sample matrix as an indication of the presence or amount of said microorganism.

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Feasterville, PA, United States of America

Daniel Zweitzig