Biosynth Ag

Lawrence Restaino

G&uuml;nter Schabert

Elon W Frampton

Detection of microbial metabolites

The invention provides compounds of formula (I) in which R , R , R , R and R are independently selected from hydrogen and chromogenic substituents, and X is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl; OR wherein R is selected from the group consisting of C -C alkyl; and O Me wherein Me is a cation derived from an organic or inorganic base. A preferred species of formula (I) is 4-Methylumbelliferyl myo-inositol-1-phosphate and salts thereof with an organic or inorganic base. The invention also provides fluorogenic methods for detecting various pathogenic bacteria, e.g., Listeria, Staphylococcus and Clostridium species, using substrates containing at least one formula (I) compound. A kit for detecting a phosphatidyl-inositol-specific phospholipase C enzyme as an indication of bacterial activity is disclosed.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Lawrence Restaino