The United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

The Government of the United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Homeland Security

Linda Weigel

Bernard Quigley

Segaran Pillai

Fred C Tenover

David R Hodge

Disclosed herein are the identification, cloning, and optimizing the lytic activity of one or more novellysin proteins, a method of selecting a lysin agent for use in molecular diagnostic testing that includes analyzing genome databases forand near neighbors, selecting candidate genes encoding potential lytic enzymes based on conserved amino acid motifs as determined in peptidoglycan hydrolases, cloning the candidate genes in expression vector, isolating proteins thereof, and testing for lytic activity against, and selecting an optimum gene of the candidate genes for optimizing lysis conditions.

Lysin agent and method of use for diagnostic testing

Oligonucleotide probes for detecting Enterobacteriaceae species. Unique gyrA coding regions permit the development of probes specific for eight different species: , and . The invention thereby provides methods for the species-specific identification of these Enterobacteriaceae in a sample, and detection and diagnosis of Enterobacteriaceae infection in a subject. Further, nucleic acids are provided for determining quinolone-resistant status of these Enterobacteriaceae.

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Decatur, GA, United States of America

Linda Weigel