Patent ID: 7244583

Claim:
A method of detecting Listeria monocytogenes in a test sample, said method comprising the steps of: a) contacting the test sample with a peptide substrate for a protease that is unique to Listeria monocytogenes , wherein said peptide substrate comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, further comprising a fluorescent or chromagenic label and; b) determining cleavage of the labeled peptide substrate or absence of cleavage of the labeled peptide substrate based on detection of said label, wherein the detection of said label is indicative of peptide substrate cleavage, and wherein peptide substrate cleavage is indicative of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the test sample, and absence of cleavage of the peptide substrate is indicative of the absence of Listeria monocytogenes in the test sample.