Abstract: The invention relates to modified Mycobacterium cells, and their uses as vaccines, and, particularly, modified Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccines. The invention extends to the use of the modified vaccines for vaccination applications in a wide range of animals, including cattle and humans. The invention extends to novel antigens, kits and compositions comprising these novel antigens and to their use in diagnosis. The invention also extends to apparatus comprising the modified vaccine and the antigens, and compositions comprising the antigens.

Abstract: There is provided a skin test diagnostic reagent comprising: at least one 40mer polypeptide consisting of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 3 or 4; at least one 40mer polypeptide consisting of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 7 or 8; and at least one 40mer polypeptide consisting of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 10, 11 or 12, characterised in that the reagent elicits a positive result when administered in a skin test to an animal infected with Mycobacterium bovis or Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Abstract: There is provided a diagnostic reagent for use in the detection of M. bovis or M. tuberculosis infection in an animal, comprising a peptide which has an epitope from Mycobacterium bovis hypothetic protein Mb3645c (SEQ ID NO: 1) or an epitope from a polypeptide having at least 76% identity with SEQ ID NO: 1.

Abstract: There is provided a diagnostic reagent useful to determine whether an animal has a tuberculosis infection or has been exposed to a tuberculosis agent, for example a Mycobacterium. The reagent is useful to distinguish between such an animal and an animal which has been vaccinated against a tuberculosis infection.

Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting in a sample the presence of an anti-M and/or anti-A and/or anti-C/Y antibody, the method comprising contacting the sample with a diagnostic conjugate provided according to the invention, comprising an oligosaccharide which comprises at least two units of 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose and comprising at least one -(1-3)- link between adjacent 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose units, in which the carbon at position 5 in the pyranose is linked to an R group, where R is independently selected from —CH2OH, —H or an alkyl group having at least one C atom, the oligosaccharide being covalently linked to a non-saccharide molecule or to a surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the development of fusion proteins based on peptide toxins as pesticides. The invention also relates to transgenic plants encoding said peptides and their utility in pest management.

Abstract: There is provided a device (1) for carrying out an assay to detect a target nucleic acid in a sample, the device (1) comprising a body in which is formed: •a) a sample entry well location comprising a sample entry well (22) or means for engaging with a sample entry well (22), the sample entry well (22) having a first volume; •b) an amplification well location comprising an amplification well (56) or means for engaging with an amplification well (56), the well (56) having a second volume less than or the same as the first volume and in which a nucleic acid amplification reaction of the target nucleic acid may be effected; •c) a first channel (60) linking the sample entry well (22) with the amplification well (56); •d) a diluent well location comprising a diluent well (35) or means for engaging with a diluent well (35), the well (35) being sealed, having a third volume greater than the second volume and being openable to an unsealed configuration; •e) a second channel (65) linking the diluent well (35), when in

Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting in a sample the presence of an anti-M and/or anti-A and/or anti-C/Y antibody, the method comprising contacting the sample with a diagnostic conjugate provided according to the invention, comprising an oligosaccharide which comprises at least two units of 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose and comprising at least one -(1-3)- link between adjacent 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose units, in which the carbon at position 5 in the pyranose is linked to an R group, where R is independently selected from —CH2OH, —H or an alkyl group having at least one C atom, the oligosaccharide being covalently linked to a non-saccharide molecule or to a surface.

Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting in a sample the presence of an anti-M and/or anti-A and/or anti-C/Y antibody, the method comprising contacting the sample with a diagnostic conjugate provided according to the invention, comprising an oligosaccharide which comprises at least two units of 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose and comprising at least one -(1-3)-link between adjacent 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose units, in which the carbon at position 5 in the pyranose is linked to an R group, where R is independently selected from —CH2OH, —H or an alkyl group having at least one C atom, the oligosaccharide being covalently linked to a non-saccharide molecule or to a surface.

Abstract: There is provided a diagnostic reagent for use in the detection of M. bovis or M. tuberculosis infection in an animal, comprising a peptide which has an epitope from Mycobacterium bovis hypothetic protein Mb3645c (SEQ ID NO: 1) or an epitope from a polypeptide having at least 76% identity with SEQ ID NO: 1.

Abstract: There is provided a diagnostic reagent for use in the detection of M. bovis or M. tuberculosis infection in an animal, comprising a peptide which has an epitope from Mycobacterium bovis hypothetic protein Mb3645c (SEQ ID NO: 1) or an epitope from a polypeptide having at least 76% identity with SEQ ID NO: 1.

Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting in a sample the presence of an anti-M and/or anti-A and/or anti-C/Y anti-body, the method comprising contacting the sample with a diagnostic conjugate provided according to the invention, comprising an oligosaccharide which comprises at least two units of 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose and comprising at least one -(1-3)-link between adjacent 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose units, in which the carbon at position 5 in the pyranose is linked to an R group, where R is independently selected from —CH2OH, —H or an alkyl group having at least one C atom, the oligosaccharide being covalently linked to a non-saccharide molecule or to a surface.

Abstract: A device (1) for carrying out a chemical or biochemical reaction and detecting the results is described. The device may be used in an assay to detect a target nucleic acid in a sample. The device includes (i) a well (8) in which a chemical or biochemical reaction such as a nucleic acid amplification reaction may be effected in a liquid phase or a receiver for such a well; (ii) a channel (16) extending from the well; (iii) a lateral flow assay device (32) arranged to receive liquid contents from channel, on a bibulous membrane thereon. The membrane contains elements that are able to detect the products of the chemical or biochemical reaction such as a target nucleic acid. Methods for using such devices and apparatus for carrying out assays using these are also described and claimed.

Abstract: There is provided a skin test diagnostic reagent comprising at least one CFP-10 epitope polypeptide, at least one ESAT-6 epitope polypeptide and at least one Rv3615c epitope polypeptide, the reagent eliciting a positive result when administered in a skin test to an animal infected with Mycobacterium bovis or Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The reagent is useful in that it can be used in a method to determine whether an animal is infected with Mycobacterium bovis or Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Abstract: Brucellosis is a disease caused by facultative intracellular bacteria of the monospecific genus Brucella melitensis. The invention in one aspect is an immunogenic nucleic acid composition comprising DNA encoding Brucella melitensis Invasion Protein B, a polypeptide with at least 95% identity thereto, or an immunologically active fragment of either of these, and an adjuvant. In another aspect, the invention is a DNA vaccine composition comprising a plasmid vector having DNA encoding a polypeptide as recited above, in which said plasmid vector is adsorbed to a liposome. Other aspects of the invention include methods of inducing an enhanced immune response to Brucella infection in an animal, methods for the differential diagnosis in an animal of brucellosis and vaccination by an immunogenic nucleic acid composition having DNA encoding any of the above-recited polypeptides, and a kit for conducting said differential diagnosis methods.

Abstract: There is provided a diagnostic reagent for use in the detection of M. bovis or M. tuberculosis infection in an animal, comprising a peptide which has an epitope from Mycobacterium bovis hypothetic protein Mb3645c (SEQ ID NO: 1) or an epitope from a polypeptide having at least 76% identity with SEQ ID NO: 1.

Abstract: There is provided a method of identifying a protective Leptospira vaccine composition, comprising determining that the composition contains a protective concentration of a Lipl32 epitope polypeptide, for example, of a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:13 or an antigenic variant or portion thereof. There is also provided a vaccine composition comprising a protective concentration of at least one Lipl32 epitope polypeptide having up to 250 amino acids and comprising SEQ ID NO:13 or an antigenic variant or portion thereof. There is further provided a method of identifying an immunogenic element in a vaccine composition comprising submitting the composition to a two-dimensional liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (2D LC/MS) process.

Abstract: A device (1) for carrying out a chemical or biochemical reaction and detecting the results, such as an assay to detect a target nucleic acid in a sample, said device comprising (i) a first well (8) in which a chemical or biochemical reaction such as a nucleic acid amplification reaction may be effected in a liquid phase or a receiving means for such a first well; (ii) a first channel (16) extending from the first well; (iii) a lateral flow assay device (32) arranged to receive liquid contents from said first channel, optionally by way of second well, on a bibulous membrane thereon, wherein said membrane contains elements that are able to detect the products of the chemical or biochemical reaction such as a target nucleic acid. Methods for using such devices and apparatus for carrying out assays using these are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a diagnostic moiety indicative of exposure to an infectious organism in a biological sample taken from a human or animal, said method comprising use of a first and second fluorescently labelled reagent which are capable of binding to a diagnostic moiety or to a binding partner in competition with a diagnostic moiety, wherein labels on the first and second labelled reagents act as fluorescent donors and acceptors to one another, the proximity of the reagents to one another being detectable by measuring the emission of fluorescent energy from at least one of the labels.

Abstract: A method for separating nucleic acid from a liquid sample, said method comprising the steps of causing a liquid sample containing or suspected of containing said nucleic acid to flow along a bibulous membrane, for example of a conventional lateral flow device, so that nucleic acid is distributed along the length of the membrane. The nucleic acid may be detected on the membrane.