The invention relates to the methods for modifying the methylation pattern of bacteriophage DNA and phagemid DNA and to methods for selective killing of bacteria using lysogenic bacteriophages comprising bacteriophage DNA or phagemid DNA comprising components of an engineered CRISPR-Cas system.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for rapid detection of microorganisms such as Cronobacter 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 Cronobacter-specific bacteriophage, allows detection of a specific microorganism, such as Cronobacter spp. and an indicator signal may be amplified to optimize assay sensitivity.

Methods and systems are provided for packaging reporter nucleic acid molecules into non-replicative transduction particles for use as reporter molecules. The non-replicative transduction particles can be constructed from viruses and use viral transduction and replication systems. The reporter nucleic acid molecules include a reporter gene, such as a reporter molecule or selectable marker, for detecting target genes or cells. Methods and systems are provided for detection of cells and target nucleic acid molecules using the non-replicative transduction particles as reporter molecules.

Methods and systems are provided for packaging reporter nucleic acid molecules into non-replicative transduction particles for use as reporter molecules. The non-replicative transduction particles can be constructed from viruses and use viral transduction and replication systems. The reporter nucleic acid molecules include a reporter gene, such as a reporter molecule or selectable marker, for detecting target genes or cells. Methods and systems are provided for detection of cells and target nucleic acid molecules using the non-replicative transduction particles as reporter molecules.

Methods and systems are provided for packaging reporter nucleic acid molecules into non-replicative transduction particles for use as reporter molecules. The non-replicative transduction particles can be constructed from viruses and use viral transduction and replication systems. The reporter nucleic acid molecules include a reporter gene, such as a reporter molecule or selectable marker, for detecting target genes or cells. Methods and systems are provided for detection of cells and target nucleic acid molecules using the non-replicative transduction particles as reporter molecules.

Methods and systems are provided for packaging reporter nucleic acid molecules into non-replicative transduction particles for use as reporter molecules. The non-replicative transduction particles can be constructed from viruses and use viral transduction and replication systems. The reporter nucleic acid molecules include a reporter gene, such as a reporter molecule or selectable marker, for detecting target genes or cells. Methods and systems are provided for detection of cells and target nucleic acid molecules using the non-replicative transduction particles as reporter molecules.

Methods and systems are provided for packaging reporter nucleic acid molecules into non-replicative transduction particles for use as reporter molecules. The non-replicative transduction particles can be constructed from viruses and use viral transduction and replication systems. The reporter nucleic acid molecules include a reporter gene, such as a reporter molecule or selectable marker, for detecting target genes or cells. Methods and systems are provided for detection of cells and target nucleic acid molecules using the non-replicative transduction particles as reporter molecules.

The invention relates to methods and compositions for treating or preventing an infection by E coli cells in human or animal subjects. The method comprises administering to the subject a plurality of transduction particles that encode a nuclease for targeting the genomes of B2 phylogroup E coli cells.

The invention relates to modified viruses that are synthetic, compositions comprising such viruses, virus infectivity assays and methods of selecting modified synthetic viruses. The invention also relates to methods of modifying viruses to produce modified synthetic viruses comprising heterologous nucleic acid (DNA or RNA).

The present invention provides chimeric ectolysins useful for selective suppression of certain targeted bacterial species while having little to no effect on closely related non-targeted bacterial species. Specifically, the disclosure provides polypeptides for selective suppression of growth of Staphylococcus aureus and/or S. hominis but not S. epidermidis. Compositions and methods for selective suppression of target bacterial species are also provided.