Abstract: Methods for the identification of microorganisms or infectious disorders are disclosed, comprising obtaining a suitable sample from sources such as persons, animals, plants, food, water or soil. The methods also comprise providing tailored nucleic acid substrate(s) designed to react with a type 1 topoisomerase from one or more microorganism(s) or infectious agent(s), and incubating said substrate with said sample, or extracts or preparations from the sample, so that the substrate is processed by said topoisomerase if said microorganism(s) or infectious agent(s) is present in the sample. Microfluidic-implemented methods of detecting an enzyme, in particular a DNA-modifying enzyme, are also provided, as well as methods for detecting a cell, or a microorganism expressing said enzyme. The enzyme is detected by providing a nucleic acid substrate, which is specifically targeted by that enzyme.

Abstract: Microfluidic-implemented methods of detecting an enzyme, in particular a DNA-modifying enzyme, are provided, as well as methods for detecting a cell, or a microorganism expressing said enzyme. The enzyme is detected by providing a nucleic acid substrate, which is specifically targeted by that enzyme.

Abstract: Methods for the identification of microorganisms or infectious disorders are disclosed, comprising obtaining a suitable sample from sources such as persons, animals, plants, food, water or soil. The methods also comprise providing tailored nucleic acid substrate(s) designed to react with a type 1 topoisomerase from one or more microorganism(s) or infectious agent(s), and incubating said substrate with said sample, or extracts or preparations from the sample, so that the substrate is processed by said topoisomerase if said microorganism(s) or infectious agent(s) is present in the sample. Microfluidic-implemented methods of detecting an enzyme, in particular a DNA-modifying enzyme, are also provided, as well as methods for detecting a cell, or a microorganism expressing said enzyme. The enzyme is detected by providing a nucleic acid substrate, which is specifically targeted by that enzyme.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an enzyme activity assay using rolling circle 5 amplification for verifying that a sample contains enzyme activity. The enzyme activity assayed is typically involved in processing of mismatched nucleotides and/or damaged nucleotides in a double stranded nucleic acid. The present invention relates to methods for determining the presence of enzyme activities involved in processing double stranded oligonucleotide. Methods are also directed against determining the presence 10 of nucleotide repair enzyme activities involved in the repair of a circular oligonucleotide. The present invention also relates to liquid compositions and solid support both comprising an oligonucleotide probe. Furthermore, the present invention relates to methods for testing the efficacy of a drug, for diagnosing, prognosing, treating a disease by determining the enzyme activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an enzyme activity assay using rolling circle amplification for verifying that a sample contains the enzyme activity in question. Thus, the present invention pertains to a method for determining the presence or absence of one or more enzyme activities involved in circularising a non-circular oligonucleotide probe in a biological sample. Furthermore, the present invention concerns liquid compositions comprising one or more oligonucleotide probes. Within the scope of the present invention is also a composition comprising a liquid composition and a tissue sample, and solid support of one or more oligonucleotides of the present invention. Disclosed is also a microfluidic device with one or more compartments for performing rolling circle amplification events, and a method for correlating one or more rolling circle amplification events.

Abstract: A process for generating multiple linear complements of a single strand, circular nucleic acid template containing at least one cleavage site is described. The process consists of combining the single strand, circular nucleic acid template with polynucleotide primers under conditions sufficient for hybridization; extending the polynucleotide primer more than once around the circle to generate a complementary displacement of more than one continguous complement of the single strand, circular nucleic acid template. Also described is a process of synthesizing novel single strand, circular nucleic acids between 30 an 2200 nucleotides. The process consist of synthesizing a linear polynucleotide; combining the linear polynucleotide with a complementary linking oligonucleotide under conditions sufficient for hybridization; and ligating the linear polynucleotide pto produce a single strand, circular nucleic acid.