Bacteriophage assay
AssigneeScottish Crop Research Institute
InventorsLizbeth Jane Hyman, Ian Karoly Toth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided an assay suitable for the typing of bacterial strains. In the assay a predetermined amount of phage is combined with a bacterial isolate of unknown strain, the mixture being located in a suitable container. The mixture of phage and bacteria is conveniently held in a liquid or semi-liquid medium facilitating interaction of the two species. The extent of bacterial growth in the presence of the phage is measured by conventional means, preferably by means of an OD reading. Desirably the phage is retained in the selected container, which is conveniently a micro-titer plate, through use of a fixant such as 5% gelatin.
Claims16
An assay to identify bacteria, said assay comprising the following steps:
- (a) providing an isolated colony of said bacteria;
- (b) combining said isolated colony of bacteria with a selected bacteriophage in a container, the combination of bacteria and phage being incubated in a medium containing the nutrients required for bacterial growth and which enables phage/bacteria interaction;
- and
- (c) determining the extent of bacterial growth compared to a control sample and analysing the value so obtained to predetermined growth data for known bacteria with said bacteriophage thereby identifying said bacteria.
An assay to select a bacteriophage able to combat replication of a specific bacterial species, said assay comprising:
- (a) providing an isolated colony of said bacteria;
- (b) combining said isolated colony of bacteria with a selected bacteriophage, said combination being held in a liquid medium containing the nutrients required for bacterial growth and incubating said combination;
- (c) determining the extent of bacterial growth;
- and
- (d) selecting any bacteriophage which has depressed the extent of bacterial growth compared to a control sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.