Non-replicative transduction particles and transduction particle-based reporter systems for detection of acinetobacter baumannii

A bacterial cell packaging system for packaging a reporter plasmid comprising a reporter gene into a non-replicative transduction particle (NRTP) for introduction into an A. baumannii cell, the packaging system comprising:

• a host A. baumannii cell;
• a first nucleic acid construct inside the host A. baumannii cell comprising a bacteriophage genome having a disruption of one or more genes that encode packaging-related enzymatic activity, wherein the disruption prevents packaging of the bacteriophage genome into the NRTP, and wherein the bacteriophage genome is selected from the group consisting of the genome of bacteriophage Abi 33, the genome of bacteriophage Abi 49, and the genome of bacteriophage 147;
• and
• a second nucleic acid construct inside the host A. baumannii cell and separate from the first nucleic acid construct, said second nucleic acid construct comprising a reporter nucleic acid molecule comprising a reporter gene and one or more genes that encode packaging-related enzymatic activity that complements the disruption on the bacteriophage genome and facilitates packaging of a replicon of the reporter nucleic acid molecule into the NRTP.