Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for rapid, sensitive, and highly specific nucleic acid-based detection of B. anthracis in a sample. In general, the methods involve detecting within the sspE gene of B. anthracis the presence of a fragment of six unique contiguous nucleotides that is not present in the sspE genes of other Bacillus bacteria or other non-Bacillus bacteria. In many embodiments, the methods involve amplifying a nucleic acid comprising at least a fragment of an sspE gene from a sample, and detecting the presence of the six unique contiguous nucleotide fragments in the nucleic acid. The invention also provides primers and kits for detection of B. anthracis in a sample. The subject invention finds use in a variety of different applications, including research, medical, diagnostic and military applications.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for rapid, sensitive, and highly specific nucleic acid-based detection of B. anthracis in a sample. In general, the methods involve detecting within the sspE gene of B. anthracis the presence of a fragment of six unique contiguous nucleotides that is not present in the sspE genes of other Bacillus bacteria or other non-Bacillus bacteria. In many embodiments, the methods involve amplifying a nucleic acid comprising at least a fragment of an sspE gene from a sample, and detecting the presence of the six unique contiguous nucleotide fragments in the nucleic acid. The invention also provides primers and kits for detection of B. anthracis in a sample. The subject invention finds use in a variety of different applications, including research, medical, diagnostic and military applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for the detection of Bacillus species such as Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus globigii as well as Clostridium perfringens. It relies on nucleic acid sequence differences in spore protein genes carried in the genomic sequence of these organisms.