Molecular probes for detecting gram-negative bacteria in vitro and in vivo
AssigneeThe University Court of the University of Edinburgh
InventorsMark Bradley, Annamaria Helena Lilienkampf, Nikolaos Avlonitis, Marc Vendrell Escobar, Neil Alexander McDonald, Christopher Haslett, Kanwaldeep Dhaliwal, Timothy Simon Walsh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A probe is provided comprising a label and a binding moiety, wherein the binding moiety is adapted to bind to gram-negative bacteria, and to substantially not bind to animal cells or gram-positive bacteria. A method of detecting the presence of bacteria in a target area is also provided, which allows the detection of bacteria generally, and the determination of whether that bacteria is gram negative or gram positive.
Claims22
A probe comprising a label and a binding moiety, wherein the binding moiety is a truncated polymyxin moiety where at least a portion of the hydrocarbon tail of the polymyxin has been removed, and wherein the label is NBD.
A method of detecting bacteria and/or fungi in a target area, the method comprising the steps:
- (1) providing a first probe adapted to fluorescently label bacteria and/or fungi and comprising at least one first binding moiety and at least one first fluorophore, the at least one first binding moiety comprising a ubiguicidin moiety, such as the full length ubiguicidin (SEQ ID NO.1) or a fragment or variant thereof;
- (2) delivering the first probe to the target area;
- (3) illuminating the target area with an appropriate wavelength of light to excite the first probe;
- (4) determining whether bacteria and/or fungi has been labelled by the first probe in the target area;
- (5) providing a second probe adapted to fluorescently label gram-negative or gram-positive bacteria only and comprising a second binding moiety and a second fluorophore, wherein the second binding moiety is a truncated polymyxin moiety where at least a portion of the hydrocarbon tail of the polymyxin has been removed;
- (6) delivering the second probe to the target area;
- (7) illuminating the target area with an appropriate wavelength of light to excite the second probe;
- (8) determining whether the second probe has labelled bacteria in the target area;
- wherein species labelled with the first prove in the target area are identified as bacteria and/or fungi, and species labelled with the second probe in the target area are identified as gram-negative or gram-positive bacteria, and wherein the first and second proves are adapted to not fluorescently label mammalian cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.