Methods for Generation of Reporter Phages and Immobilization of Active Bacteriophages on a Polymer Surface

A method for immobilizing a phage on a polymer surface, the method comprising:

• treating a polymer surface to increase the surface tension;
• applying a mixture of monomer or oligomer, photoinitiator, and phage to the treated polymer surface;
• and
• polymerizing the mixture to the polymer surface using UV light, thereby immobilizing the phage on the polymer surface.

A method of detecting the presence of a target bacterium in a sample, the method comprising:

• providing a lysogenic phage specific to the target bacterium, wherein the lysogenic phage is immobilized on a polymer surface, and wherein the lysogenic phage comprises a polynucleotide encoding a reporter polypeptide;
• contacting the lysogenic phage with a preparation derived from the sample;
• and
• observing the expression or lack of expression of the reporter polypeptide, thereby detecting the presence or absence of the target bacterium in the sample.