Patent ID: 8557538

Claim:
A method of selectively inhibiting the growth of non-target bacteria cells in a mixed population of target and non-target bacteria cells, the method comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the mixed population with a growth medium containing a selective agent comprising a carrier moiety linked to a toxic moiety having a negative Log P; wherein the carrier moiety is linked to a toxic moiety; wherein the selective agent is able to enter non-target cells in which the linkage is cleaved, releasing the toxic moiety to exert a toxic effect on the non-target cells causing inhibition of the growth, of the non-target cells, whereas the linkage is not cleaved in target cells or the toxic moiety, if released from the selective agent, does not exert a toxic effect on the target cell; and (b) culturing the bacteria cells in conditions which allow for growth of target cells.