The present invention relates to the delivery of a payload by bacterial delivery vehicle, i.e. the encapsulation and the delivery of a single plasmid by different bacterial virus particles. More specifically, the present invention concerns a pharmaceutical composition comprising a payload packaged in at least two different bacterial delivery vehicles and a method of production thereof.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for detection of microorganisms in a sample and the utilization of such methods for selecting and monitoring therapies. The specificity of indicator bacteriophage, such as Staphylococcus-specific bacteriophage, allows detection of a specific microorganism, such as Staphylococcus and the indicator signal may be amplified to optimize assay sensitivity.

Provided is a kit or a system including two elements or components. The first component (i) is a selective component including a nucleic acid sequence and at least one proto-spacer. The second component (ii) includes at least one sensitizing component including at least one cas gene and at least one CRISPR array. At least one spacer of the CRISPR targets a proto-spacer included within a pathogenic gene of a bacterium so as to specifically inactivate said pathogenic gene in said bacterium and wherein at least one spacer of said CRISPR targets a proto-spacer included within said selective component of (i) so as to specifically inactivate said selective component. Further provided is a method using the components or kits of the invention for interference with a horizontal transfer of a pathogenic gene between bacteria and for preventing a pathologic condition in a mammalian subject caused by a bacterial infection.

Disclosed herein are methods for the production of mutant bacteriophages with altered host range. Additionally, disclosed herein are methods and systems for rapid detection of microorganisms such as Listeria spp. in a sample. A genetically modified bacteriophage is also disclosed which comprises an indicator gene in the late gene region. The specificity of the bacteriophage, such as Listeria-specific bacteriophage, allows detection of a specific microorganism, such as Listeria spp. and an indicator signal may be amplified to optimize assay sensitivity.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for killing a target bacterium. Also disclosed are engineered bacteriophages.

Disclosed herein is an engineered bacteriophage comprising an indicator gene, wherein said indicator gene is an RNA aptamer or a green fluorescent protein (GFP) or GFP-like protein, and further wherein said indicator gene can indicate the presence of a microorganism, such as a bacterial infection. The engineered bacteriophage can be capable of infecting and killing the microorganism. The engineered microorganism can be in a composition for delivery to a subject, and can be in hyaluronic acid, for example. Also disclosed are methods of using the engineered bacteriophage to diagnose and/or treat a subject with a bacterial infection.

The present invention relates to an isolated strain of DNA mycovirus or a degenerate strain thereof, an isolated hypovirulent fungal strain or part thereof, and the use of the isolated strain of DNA mycovirus or hypovirulent fungal strain or part thereof as a biological control agent. Processes and compositions for the biological control of phytopathogenic microorganisms, particularly fungi, using the DNA mycovirus and hypovirulent fungal strain are also provided.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for rapid detection of microorganisms in a sample. A genetically modified bacteriophage is also disclosed which comprises an indicator gene in the late gene region. The specificity of the bacteriophage, such as Salmonella-specific bacteriophage, allows detection of a specific microorganism, such as Salmonella spp. and an indicator signal may be amplified to optimize assay sensitivity.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for rapid detection of microorganisms in a sample, without culturing for enrichment of the microorganism. A modified bacteriophage is also disclosed which comprises a non-native indicator gene in the late gene region. The indicator product is not a fusion protein. The specificity of infectious agents allows a specific microorganism to be targeted, and an indicator signal may be amplified to optimize assay sensitivity.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for rapid detection of microorganisms in a sample, without culturing for enrichment of the microorganism. A modified bacteriophage is also disclosed which comprises a non-native indicator gene in the late gene region. The indicator product is not a fusion protein. The specificity of infectious agents allows a specific microorganism to be targeted, and an indicator signal may be amplified to optimize assay sensitivity.