DNA probes, method and kit for identifying antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria

A method for testing Streptococcus pneumoniae for resistance to, penicillin the method comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating DNA from a Streptococcus pneumoniae strain
• b) hybridizing the DNA obtained in step (a) with at least one sensitivity-specific DNA probe and at least one resistance-specific DNA probe, and
• c) determining whether or not said Streptococcus pneumoniae strain is sensitive to penicillin or not by detecting which probe or probes hybridize,
• wherein the resistance-specific probes are selected from the group of sequences consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 14, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 16, SEQ ID NO:
• 17, and sequences which differ from said sequences by one to four nucleotides, wherein SEQ ID NOS.:
• 14-17 are, respectively:
• TGG AGA ATA NTT CAA TAG N, GTC TAC TTG AAC AAA AAA TG, TTA GTT GGG ACG GAC CCT, and GTA ACN NTT CAA CAG CCT;
• wherein N is any nucleotide.

A method for testing Streptococcus pneumoniae for resistance to penicillin, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating DNA from a Streptococcus pneumonia strain,
• b) hybridizing the DNA obtained in step (a) with at least one sensitivity-specific DNA probe and at least one resistance-specific DNA probe, and
• c) determining whether or not said Streptococcus pneumoniae strain is sensitive to penicillin or not by detecting which probe or probes hybridize;
• wherein the sensitivity-specific probes are probes which specifically hybridize to the DNA of antibiotic sensitive strains and are selected from the group of sequences consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, SEQ ID NO:
• 2, SEQ ID NO:
• 3, SEQ ID NO:
• 4, SEQ ID NO:
• 5, SEQ ID NO:
• 6 and sequences which differ from said sequences by one to four nucleotides wherein SEQ ID NOS.:1-6 are, respectively:
• AGT CAG CAA CGG GTA AG, AAC GAA CGA TGG ACG GT, CAT TTC CAG NCC CCT CCA, TGC AGA TGC CAC GAT TC, CTG GTC AGC TTC CTG CG, and TGG TTA TCT AGT CGG GTT AA;
• wherein N is any nucleotide;
• and wherein the resistance-specific probes are probes which specifically hybridize to the DNA of antibiotic resistant strains and are selected from the group of sequences consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 14, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 16, SEQ ID NO:
• 17, and sequences which differ from said sequences by one to four nucleotides wherein SEQ ID NOS.:14-17 are, respectively:
• TGG AGA ATA NTT CAA TAG N, GTC TAC TTG AAC AAA AAA TG, TTA GTT GGG ACG GAC CCT, and GTA ACN NTT CAA CAG CCT;
• wherein N is any nucleotide.

A method for testing Streptococcus pneumoniae for resistance to penicillin, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) isolating DNA from a Streptococcus pneumonia strain,
• b) hybridizing the DNA obtained in step (a) with at least one sensitivity-specific DNA probe and at least one resistance-specific DNA probe, and
• c) determining whether or not said Streptococcus pneumoniae strain is sensitive to penicillin or not by detecting which probe or probes hybridize;
• wherein the sensitivity-specific probes are probes which specifically hybridize to the DNA of antibiotic sensitive strains and are selected from the group of sequences consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, SEQ ID NO:
• 2, SEQ ID NO:
• 3, SEQ ID NO:
• 4, SEQ ID NO:
• 5 and SEQ ID NO:
• 6, wherein SEQ ID NOS.:1-6 are, respectively:
• AGT CAG CAA CGG GTA AG, AAC GAA CGA TGG ACG GT, CAT TTC CAG NCC CCT CCA, TGC AGA TGC CAC GAT TC, CTG GTC AGC TTC CTG CG, and TGG TTA TCT AGT CGG GTT AA;
• wherein N is any nucleotide;
• and wherein the resistance-specific probes are probes which specifically hybridize to the DNA of antibiotic resistant strains and are selected from the group of sequences consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 14, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 16 and SEQ ID NO:
• 17, wherein SEQ ID NOS.:14-17 are, respectively:
• TGG AGA ATA NTT CAA TAG N, GTC TAC TTG AAC AAA AAA TG, TTA GTT GGG ACG GAC CCT, and GTA ACN NTT CAA CAG CCT;
• wherein N is any nucleotide.