Patent ID: 6511804
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: C12P

Abstract:
An assay for determining the identity of an unknown live microorganism in a mixed culture, said assay comprising the steps of:i. culturing a sample of the mixed culture in an aqueous medium, said medium able to culture one or more microorganisms other than the unknown microorganism and comprising a nucleic acid analog, which analog (a) can bind to an analog-specific binding member, (b) can enter living cells of the unknown microorganism from said medium, (c) once inside a living cell, can be incorporated into nucleic acids of replicating cells of the unknown microorganism, and (d) is not toxic to cells of the microorganism when incorporated into said nucleic acids at concentrations sufficient to permit detection; ii. lysing cultured microorganisms to release nucleic acids of the unknown microorganism, and of other microorganisms present; iii. capturing nucleic acids incorporating the analog using the analog-specific binding member; iv, separating the captured nucleic acids from any nucleic acids which have not been captured; V. amplifying captured nucleic acids originating from the unknown microorganism; and, vi. detecting amplified captured nucleic acids originating from the unknown microorganism and identifying the unknown microorganism from which the amplified captured nucleic acids originate.