Probes for rapid and specific detection of mycobacteria

A probe specific for a mycobacterium, said probe comprising a β-lactamase substrate group covalently attached to a detectable label group, wherein the β-lactamase substrate group has the formula VI:

• wherein, in the β-lactamase substrate group:
• n=0 or 1;
• R4 is selected from the group consisting of:
• a hydrogen, an alkyl, a substituted alkyl, an alkoxy, an alkoxycarbonyl, an alkoxyl, an alkoxyalkyl, an alkylene, an aralkoxycarbonyl, an aralkyl, an aralkyloxyl, an aroyl, an aroylamino, an aryl, a substituted aryl group, a carbamoyl, a carbonyl, a carboxamide, a carboxyl, a heteroaryl, a heterocyclic, a hydroxyalkyl, a substituted alkenyl, a substituted cycloaliphatic, a substituted aliphatic, a thiol, a thioalkoxy, a thioalkyl, a thioaryl, a thiophene, or a substituted thiophene;
• R5 is Me, —CH2CH3, —CF3, —CH2CF3, —CF2CH3, —CHF2, —CH2F, —OCH2F, or —OCHF2;
• R6 and R7 are each H or
• and
• R8 is O or S,
• and wherein the detectable label has a caging group covalently attached thereto by an esterase-cleavable ester bond, said probe further comprising a mycobacterium-specific decaprenylphosphoryl-β-D-ribose 2′-epimerase (DprE1)-trapping moiety, or an ester or salt thereof, said DprE1-trapping moiety covalently attached to the detectable label.