Systems and methods for detection of cells using engineered transduction particles

A method, comprising:

• mixing with a sample a plurality of transduction particles associated with a target cell, the plurality of transduction particles engineered to include a nucleic acid molecule formulated to cause the target cell to produce a plurality of reporter molecules, the plurality of transduction particles being devoid of a wild-type DNA capable of exhibiting wild-type viral functions associated with a virus from which the plurality of transduction particles is derived;
• maintaining the sample and the plurality of transduction particles to express the plurality of reporter molecules is produced when the target cell is present in the sample;
• and
• receiving a signal associated with a quantity of the plurality of reporter molecules, a magnitude of the signal being independent from a quantity of the plurality of transduction particles above a predetermined quantity.

A method, comprising:

• introducing into a sample a plurality of transduction particles associated with a target cell, the plurality of transduction particles engineered to include a nucleic acid molecule formulated to cause the target cell to produce a plurality of reporter molecules, the plurality of transduction particles being incapable of lysogenic replication;
• maintaining the sample and the plurality of transduction particles to express the plurality of reporter molecules when the target cell is present in the sample;
• and
• receiving a signal associated with a quantity of the plurality of reporter molecules, a magnitude of the signal being independent from a quantity of the plurality of transduction particles above a predetermined quantity.