Amoco Corporation

Igenex, Inc.

Norval B. Galloway

Jyotsna S Shah

David J Lane

Amelia Buharin

Samuel W Chan

Donald N Halbert

Raymond M Nietupski

Walter King

Jing Liu

Theodore B Pitman

William G Weisburg

Jonathan M Lawrie

Ray M Nietupski

George Parsons

Sonya Popoff

Eugene Serpe

Jane Warshaw

James Smith

Patrick Groody

Nick S Harris

Susan Raposa

Stephen G Wilson

Raymond M Nietuspki

The present invention provides a method for detecting a target nucleic acid fragment directly from a specimen obtained from a patient by in situ hybridization. The method is comprised of several steps which are performed in the listed order. A sample of the specimen is deposited onto a slide. The sample is fixed onto the slide with fixative, the fixative comprising either methanol-acetic acid at a ratio of from 99:1 to 80:20, or formalin-acetic acid at a ratio of from 99:1 to 80:20. The nucleic acids of the fixed sample are contacted with a probe complex specific for the target nucleic acid fragment, under conditions appropriate for hybridization. Non-hybridized probe complex is rinsed from the sample. The rinsed sample is stained with Evans Blue. The hybridized probe complex is visually detected by microscopy, with the presence of the probe complex being an indication of the presence of the target nucleic acid fragment. The method can be performed with different hybridization buffers, several of which are disclosed. The method of the present invention is useful for detecting pathogens in a specimen. Specific probe complexes are disclosed which are useful for detecting pathogens of the species Babesia. The method is useful in detecting nucleic acids from a wide variety of specimens, including serum, plasma, sputum, urine, cerebral spinal fluids, tissue, breast milk, and insects such as ticks.

Insitu hybridization method for detecting target nucleic acid

The invention features nucleic acid probes and methods for detecting Pneumocystis carinii (e.g., human or ferret P. carinii) in hybridization assays.

Nucleic acid probes and methods for detecting Pneumocystis carinii

New methods for performing sandwich assays have been discovered. The assays utilize dual capture probes and eliminate noise resulting from nonspecific binding of detector probe to capture probe.

Multiple capture probe sandwich assays

Nucleic acid probes capable of specifically hybridizing to rRNA of Yersinia enterocolitica and not to rRNA of non-Yersinia enterocolitica are described along with methods utilizing such probes for the detection of Yersinia enterocolitica in food and other samples.

Nucleic acid probes for the detection of yersinia enterolitica

Nucleic acids which hybridize to rRNA or rDNA of Haemophilus influenzae and methods for using these nucleic acids to detect the presence of Haemophilus influenzae in a sample are described.

Nucleic acid probes for the detection of Haemophilus influenzae

Nucleic acid probes capable of hybridizing to rRNA of Staphylococcus aureus and not to rRNA of non-Staphylococcus aureus are described along with methods utilizing such probes for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus in food and other samples.

Nucleic acid probes for the detection of staphylococcus aureus

The present invention relates to a method of selectively detecting Giardia lamblia in a sample. The method makes use of at least one nucleic acid probe which is a DNA or PNA sequence which hybridizes, under appropriate conditions, to the ribosomal RNA or the ribosomal DNA of Giardia lamblia but does not hybridize to the ribosomal RNA or the ribosomal DNA of other organisms (non-Giardia lamblia organisms) which may be present in a sample.

Nucleic acid probes for the detection of Giardia lamblia

Disclosed are nucleic acid oligonucleotides which are substantially complementary to nucleic acids from Mycobacteria, and subgeneric classes thereof. More specifically, the oligonucleotides are complementary to ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and the DNA encoding rRNA (rDNA). Uses for such oligonucleotides include detection of Mycobacteria by hybridization and amplification of Mycobacterial nucleic acid by polymerase chain reaction.

Oligonucleotides complementary to mycobacterial nucleic acids

Nucleic acid probes capable of hybridizing to rRNA or rDNA of Pneumocystis carinii and not to rRNA or rDNA of non-Pneumocystis are described along with methods utilizing such probes for the detection of Pneumocystis carinii in clinical samples.

Nucleic acid probes for the detection of Pneumocystis carinii

Nucleic acid probes capable of hybridizing to rRNA of eubacteria and not to rRNA of non-eubacteria are described along with methods utilizing such probes for the detection of eubacteria in clinical and other samples. Preferred embodiments include probes capable of distinguishing between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Universal eubacteria nucleic acid probes and assay methods

Improved nucleic acid probes capable of specifically hybridizing to rRNA of Listeria and not to rRNA of non-Listeria are described along with methods utilizing such probes for the detection of Listeria in food and other samples.

Probes and methods for the detection of Listeria

Nucleic acid probes and methods for detecting Yersinia enterocolitica

Improved nucleic acid probes capable of specifically hybridizing to rRNA of Salmonella and not to rRNA of non-Salmonella are described along with methods utilizing such probes for the detection of Salmonella in food and other samples.

Growing community of inventors

Nashua, NH, United States of America

Jyotsna S Shah