Abstract: Methodologies, formulations, and kits suitable for decontaminating environments containing bacterial spores by degrading the spores. Formulations contain papain and at least one germinant. Methods for killing bacterial spores include contacting the spores with the formulation for a duration sufficient to initiate germination of the bacterial spores. The spores are then killed with the papain in the formulation, or are rendered by the papain susceptible to being killed by a reagent.

Abstract: Methodologies, formulations, and kits suitable for decontaminating environments containing bacterial spores by degrading the spores. Formulations contain papain and at least one germinant. Methods for killing bacterial spores include contacting the spores with the formulation for a duration sufficient to initiate germination of the bacterial spores. The spores are then killed with the papain in the formulation, or are rendered by the papain susceptible to being killed by a reagent.

Abstract: Methodologies, formulations, and kits suitable for decontaminating environments containing bacterial spores by degrading the spores. Formulations contain papain, at least one germinant, and optionally one or more additional enzymes. Methods for killing a bacterial spore include contacting a bacterial spore with the formulation for a duration sufficient to kill the spore, or for a duration sufficient to render the spore susceptible to being killed by a reagent and then contacting the spore with the reagent for a duration sufficient to kill the spore.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method for distinguishing spore preparation procedures using spore molecular signatures, the method comprising harvesting spores from a sample; extracting molecules from the spores, fractionating the extracted molecules for analysis; generating molecular signatures from the fractionated molecules, and comparing the molecular signatures to a library of molecular signatures.

Abstract: The invention provides an antibiotic protein having the properties of a native B. subtilis TasA protein. The invention also provides a method of translocating a desired protein across a membrane by expressing the desired protein as a fusion with a SipW recognition sequence in a membrane-bound genetic expression system. When a sporulating bacterium is employed as the membrane-bound expression system, the domain consisting of the desired protein is cleaved from the fusion protein and secreted into the resultant spores.