Abstract: Disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a combination of five or more phages and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, as well as methods of treating, reducing, or preventing a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a mammal, methods of treating an antibiotic resistant infection in a mammal, and methods of treating, reducing, or preventing activation of a latent disease caused by M. tuberculosis.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions comprising bacteriophages and methods of using these compositions for treating NTM infections. The present disclosure also provides compositions for screening bacteriophages that are effective in treating NTM infections and methods of using the same.

Abstract: In certain aspects, the disclosure relates to compositions and methods relating to mutant bacteriophage that target Propionibacterium acnes. In certain aspects, compositions and methods described herein are useful for the treatment of acne.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the invention relate to methods for preventing or treating a skin condition in a subject, comprising administering a composition comprising a lysterase to the subject. Some aspects of the invention relate to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a lysterase. Some aspects of the invention relate to methods for producing a pharmaceutical composition, comprising expressing a lysterase in a recombinant cell and purifying the lysterase.

Abstract: Methods are provided for detecting mycobacteria in a sample, including clinical samples. Methods are also provided for determining susceptibility of mycobacterial strains to known or potential antibiotic agents, as are kits therefor. Recombinant mycobacteriophages are also provided comprising heterologous nucleic acids of interest.

Abstract: Methods are provided for detecting mycobacteria in a sample, including clinical samples. Methods are also provided for determining susceptibility of mycobacterial strains to known or potential antibiotic agents, as are kits therefor. Recombinant mycobacteriophages are also provided comprising heterologous nucleic acids of interest.

Abstract: This invention relates to mycobacterial species-specific reporter mycobacteriophages (reporter mycobacteriophages), methods of producing said reporter mycobacteriophages and the use of said reporter mycobacteriophages for the rapid diagnosis of mycobacterial infection and the assessment of drug susceptibilities of mycobacterial strains in clinical samples. In particular, this invention is directed to the production and use of luciferase reporter mycobacteriophages to diagnose tuberculosis. The mycobacterial species-specific reporter mycobacteriophages comprise mycobacterial species-specific mycobacteriophages which contain reporter genes and transcriptional promoters therein. When the reporter mycobacteriophages are incubated with clinical samples which may contain the mycobacteria of interest, the gene product of the reporter genes will be expressed if the sample contains the mycobacteria of interest, thereby diagnosing mycobacterial infection.

Abstract: This invention relates to mycobacterial species-specific reporter mycobacteriophages (reporter mycobacteriophages), methods of producing said reporter mycobacteriophages and the use of said reporter mycobacteriophages for the rapid diagnosis of mycobacterial infection and the assessment of drug susceptibilities of mycobacterial strains in clinical samples. In particular, this invention is directed to the production and use of luciferase reporter mycobacteriophages to diagnose tuberculosis. The mycobacterial species-specific reporter mycobacteriophages comprise mycobacterial species-specific mycobacteriophages which contain reporter genes and transcriptional promoters therein. When the reporter mycobacteriophages are incubated with clinical samples which may contain the mycobacteria of interest, the gene product of the reporter genes will be expressed if the sample contains the mycobacteria of interest, thereby diagnosing mycobacterial infection.

Abstract: This invention is directed to L5 shuttle phasmids capable of delivering foreign DNA into mycobacteria and to methods of producing L5 shuttle phasmids. In addition, this invention is directed to a method of generating mycobacterial mutations and to a method of producing mycobacterial vaccines.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conditional shuttle phasmid constructed by inserting a cosmid into a non-essential region of the TM4 mycobacteriophage that introduces DNA of interest into mycobacteria, especially M. tuberculosis complex organisms and other slow growing mycobacteria. The present invention provides a recombinant mycobacterium which expresses a DNA of interest incorporated into its chromosome by a TM4 conditional shuttle phasmid containing the DNA of interest. The present invention further provides a mycobacterial auxotrophic mutant and a method of generating auxotrophic mutants.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conditional shuttle phasmid constructed by inserting a cosmid into a non-essential region of the D29 mycobacteriophage which is capable of introducing DNA of interest into the chromosome of mycobacteria, especially M. tuberculosis complex organisms and other slow growing mycobacteria. The present invention provides a recombinant mycobacterium which expresses a DNA of interest incorporated into its chromosome by a conditional shuttle plasmid containing the DNA of interest. The present invention further provides a mycobacterial auxotrophic mutant and method of generating auxotrophic mutants. Finally, the present invention provides a method of inactivating a mycobacterial virulence gene.

Abstract: This invention is directed to L5 shuttle phasmids capable of delivering foreign DNA into mycobacteria and to methods of producing L5 shuttle phasmids. In addition, this invention is directed to a method of generating mycobacterial mutations and to a method of producing mycobacterial vaccines.