Patent ID: 8377651

Claim:
A method for detecting the possible presence or absence of pathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria in a sample, comprising the steps of: a) contacting the sample with a detectably labeled peptide substrate for a membrane-bound protease enzyme specific for pathogenic Escherichia coli , under conditions that result in cleavage of said substrate by said enzyme; and b) detecting the cleavage or the absence of cleavage of said peptide substrate, wherein cleavage of said substrate indicates the possible presence of pathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria in said sample, and wherein the absence of cleavage of said substrate indicates the absence of possible pathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria in said sample, and wherein said detectably labeled substrate specific for Escherichia coli is selected form the group consisting of: (dabcyl-K) VSRRRRRGG(D-edans) (SEQ ID NO:2) KKAS(E-edans)VSRRRRRGG(K-dabcyl) (SEQ ID NOS: 3 and 4), and CHHHAS(E-edans)VSRRRRRGG(K-dabcyl) (SEQ ID NOS: 5 and 6).