Abstract: Bacteriophage adhesion proteins binding to the O-antigen of gram negative bacteria, but lacking the ability of binding to a bacteriophage and of hydrolysing lipopolysaccharides, are described, as well as nucleic acid molecules encoding the proteins. In addition, methods for generating the bacteriophage adhesion proteins and their use in detection, purification and enrichment of bacteria are described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a compound of the following formula (I), as an enzyme substrate for the detection of a peptidase activity or as a pH indicator: according to which: Y1 is a peptide, H or an alkyl; W1, W2, W3 and W4 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, alkoxy, thiomethyl, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl (including the esters or amides thereof) or any combination thereof; n=0, 1 or 2; U is N or N+R and V is CZ6N or N+R or else V is N or N+R and U is CZ6; R is H, alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkanoyl or alkylsulfonyl; Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 and Z5 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, sulfonyl, including the carboxyl or sulfonyl esters or amides, and salts thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a compound having formula (I) as an enzymatic substrate for the detection of a nitroreductase activity, wherein: W1, W2, W3 and W4 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, alkoxy, thiomethyl, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl (including the esters or amides thereof) or any combination of same; n=0, 1 or 2; U is N or N+R and V is CZ6N or N+R or V is N or N+R and U is CZ6, R being H, alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkanoic or alkylsulphonic; and Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5 and Z6 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, sulphonyl, including the sulphonyl or carboxyl amides or esters thereof, and the salts of same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a compound of the following formula (I) for detecting a peptidase activity and/or a variation in pH: according to which: Y1 is a peptide, H or an alkyl; W1, W2, W3 and W4 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, alkoxy, thiomethyl, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl (including the esters or amides thereof) or any combination thereof; n=0, 1 or 2; X is NR, CZ5Z6, S or O, R being H, alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkanoyl or alkylsulfonyl, Z5 and Z6 being an alkyl; Y is N or N+R, R being alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkanoyl or alkylsulfonyl; Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 being independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, sulfonyl, including the carboxyl or sulfonyl esters or amides, and salts thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a compound of the following formula (I) for detecting a peptidase activity and/or a variation in pH: according to which: Y1 is a peptide, H or an alkyl; W1, W2, W3 and W4 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, alkoxy, thiomethyl, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl (including the esters or amides thereof) or any combination thereof; n=0, 1 or 2; U and V are N, N+R or CZ4, R being H, alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkanoyl or alkylsulfonyl; Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 being independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, sulfonyl, including the carboxyl or sulfonyl esters or amides, and salts thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a compound having formula (I) as an enzymatic substrate for the detection of a nitroreductase activity or as an enzymatic substrate for the detection of a nitroreductase activity and indicator of pH, wherein: W1, W2, W3 and W4 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, alkoxy, thiomethyl, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl (including the esters or amides thereof) or any combination of same; n=0, 1 or 2; U and V are N, N+R, CZ4, R being H, alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkanoic or alkylsulphonic, preferably if U is CZ4, V is N or N+R and, if V is CZ4, U is N or N+R; and Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, sulphonyl, including the sulphonyl or carboxyl amides or esters thereof, and the salts of same.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved tests for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The tests are particularly useful for eliminating false positive results due to the presence of a mixed bacterial population in patient samples.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modified polypeptide with a biological activity to lyse cell walls of bacteria, wherein the polypeptide has no caspase, clostripain, enterokinase, factor Xa, granzyme B, staphylococcus peptidase I (V8 Protease), plasmin, streptopain, bacillolysin and/or thrombin cleavage site. The invention further relates to nucleic acids with a sequence encoding a polypeptide according to the present invention.

Abstract: The aim of the present invention is a method of sampling all or part of a sample (11) of biological matter (7), which is crude, enriched or cultured through contact with a culture medium (8), such as agar, for example in a Petri dish, using a probe (3) equipped with a terminal end (4), said sampling method comprising the steps of cooling the terminal end (4) of the probe (3), sticking all or part of the sample (11) of biological matter (7) to be sampled through contact, or by applying a pressure exerted by the terminal end (4) onto the sample (11) of biological matter (7), and sampling of all or part of the sample (11) of biological matter (7) so as to separate the sample (11) of biological matter (7) from the culture medium (8), a method of depositing into a container (9) or onto an analysis plate (14) all or part of a sample (11) of biological matter (7) stuck onto a frosted terminal end (4) of a probe, said depositing method including a step of separating the terminal end (4) of the probe (3) from all or p

Abstract: The present invention provides improved tests for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The tests are particularly useful for eliminating false positive results due to the presence of a mixed bacterial population in patient samples.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptide fragments of endolysin Ply511, which recognize and bind listeria irrespective of the serotype but which have no cell wall hydrolysing enzymatic activity. The invention further relates to methods for enrichment, removal, and detection of listeria.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant polypeptides having the activity of binding and lysing of bacteria, comprising at least one enzymatically active domain and at least two bacterial cell binding domains. The present invention further relates to recombinant polypeptide having the activity of binding bacteria, comprising at least two bacterial cell binding domain. Further the present inventions relates to nucleic acid molecules comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the recombinant polypeptides, vectors and host cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a compound having formula (I) as an enzymatic substrate for the detection of a nitroreductase activity, wherein: W1, W2, W3 and W4 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, alkoxy, thiomethyl, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl (including the esters or amides thereof) or any combination of same; n=0, 1 or 2; X is NR, CZ5Z6, S or O, R being H, alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkanoic or alkylsulphonie, Z5 and Z6 being an alkyl; Y is N or N+R, R being alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkanoic or alkylsulphonic; Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are independently H, Br, Cl, F, I, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, perfluoroalkyl, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, sulphonyl, including the sulphonyl or carboxyl amides or esters thereof, and the salts of same.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for detecting aggregate-forming circulating protein forms in a biological sample of human origin that may contain said aggregate-forming circulating protein forms, characterized in that it uses a non-protein agent I producing aggregation of the circulating forms of the noninfectious proteins involved in pathological aggregation processes of the central nervous system and/or a non-protein agent II for capturing the natural aggregrates of aggregate-forming circulating protein forms or the aggregates induced by said agents I.

Abstract: The invention relates to fluorescent polymers soluble in an aqueous solution carrying at least 5 fluorophores which are distributed on the polymer and which exhibit the following properties: the fluorophores are water-soluble, the fluorophores are not self-associated in water at a concentration of less than or equal to 10?4 mol/l, preferably at a concentration of less than or equal to 10?3 mol/l, the fluorophores which are free in the aqueous solution have a molar extinction coefficient of greater than 1000 M?1·cm?1, preferably greater than 5000 M?1·cm?1, the fluorophores which are free in the aqueous solution have a quantum yield of greater than 0.3, preferably greater than 0.6, said polymers having a fluorescence amplification factor of greater than or equal to 0.35 per kg/mol of polymer, preferably greater than 0.45 per kg/mol of polymer.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the simultaneous detection of different bacteria, comprising the following steps: coupling one or more species of bacteriophage tail proteins onto a support, incubating the support coupled with the bacteriophage tail proteins with a sample, optionally removing the sample and the bacteria of the sample not bound to the bacteriophage tail proteins, contacting the bacteria bound to the bacteriophage tail proteins with the bacteriophages and/or bacteriophage proteins specifically binding the bacteria to be detected, removing the bacteriophages and/or bacteriophage proteins not bound to the bacteria, and performing the detection reaction by means of an enzyme coupled to the specifically binding bacteriophages and/or bacteriophage proteins or by means of an immuno assay.

Abstract: A method for discriminating single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) offers improved sensitivity and specificity. A test kit is also provided. The method may be for genotyping in typing assays applied to a biological sample. The method may include steps of performing a real-time amplification of the target, generating multiple copies of amplicons, in presence of at least two different labeled probes, each probe allowing real-time detection at the SNP position of both the wildtype and at least one possible mutation, assessing the discriminatory variable value(s) based on the signals of each combination of two detection probes, and discriminating between the genotypes. The methods may be for diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for isolating microorganisms on an agar culture medium, including the steps of: depositing, on said agar culture medium, a predetermined amount of a sample to be analyzed and optionally containing said microorganisms or a suspension of said microorganisms; applying a seeding means onto agar culture medium in contact with the volume of sample or suspension; moving the seeding means so as totally or partially spread the volume of sample or suspension over the surface of the agar culture medium, the movement of said seeding means being discontinuous so that during said movement the contact between the seeding means and the surface of the agar culture medium is interrupted and re-established at least once, thereby creating spreading segments and resulting in a depletion of the seeding means in terms of the sample or suspension; and incubating said agar culture medium under conditions enabling the growth of microorganisms.

Abstract: Oligonucleotides used to prime in vitro nucleic acid amplification of 16S rRNA sequences or DNA encoding 16S rRNA sequences for many species within the genus Mycobacterium are disclosed. Kits including such oligonucleotides are disclosed. Methods of detecting Mycobacterium species using the oligonucleotides in in vitro nucleic acid amplification are disclosed.

Abstract: A biochip, and a device for reading the biochip, the biochip including a plurality of molecular recognition areas distributed with a determined layout to create a format of molecular recognition areas and a mechanism for making optical position marks for each molecular recognition area, distributed with a determined layout to form an optical format. The optical format and the format of recognition areas are formats produced independently of each other. A mechanism is provided determining the relative position of the two formats being provided on the biochip.