Patent ID: 8124370
Filing Date: 2012-02-28
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting the presence or absence of a proteinase in a sample, wherein the presence of the proteinase is indicative of the presence of bacteria selected from the group consisting of Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Proteus mirabilis and combinations thereof, in the sample, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) contacting the sample with a detectably labeled substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a cationic anti-microbial peptide variant consisting essentially of either SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein said peptide variant does not comprise SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the peptide variant is degradable by a proteinase produced and/or secreted by said bacteria, under conditions that result in the degradation of the peptide variant by the proteinase, wherein degradation of the peptide variant results in a detectable signal; and b) detecting the resulting signal indicative of the peptide variant degradation, wherein degradation of the peptide variant indicates the presence of the bacterial proteinase in the sample.