Systems, methods, and devices are described herein for identifying, monitoring, isolating, or selecting a cell having a predefined characteristic in a mixed population of cells utilizing a combination of any one or more of iDEP, a region of localized field enhancement, a variable frequency electric field, a wide bandwidth amplifier, and/or an imaging apparatus.

The present invention is directed to Clostridium difficile toxin-specific antibodies, compositions, and uses thereof. The anti-toxin antibodies may be specific for either TcdA or TcdB. The invention also includes methods of treating a Clostridium difficile infection, methods of capturing Clostridium difficile toxins, and methods of detecting Clostridium difficile toxins.

The present disclosure describes compositions and methods for increasing the abundance of commensal bacteria belonging to the order Clostridiales, including Blautia, Ruminococcus, Clostridium, Eubacterium, Holdemania and Dorea species, that are associated with reduced lethal GVHD and improved overall survival following bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The present disclosure, therefore, provides methods for reducing the likelihood, incidence or severity of GVHD by (1) avoiding the loss of endogenous beneficial species through antibiotic selection; (2) by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising one or more Clostridiales associated with reduced GVHD to individuals who may lack or have lost those strains from their intestinal microbiota. Additionally, support for endogenous or reestablished Clostridiales related to reduced GVHD as a treatment option for reducing GVHD can also be provided in the form of nutritional supplementation, for example, sugars fermented by some species of Clostridiales with GVHD reducing activity.

The invention provides epsilon toxin (ETX) produced by Clostridium perfringens type B or type D as a causative toxin for human multiple sclerosis (MS). The invention further identifies ETX binding receptor MAL for ETX mediated cell death and other toxin-logical activities in MS. Methods and compositions to prevent humans from multiple sclerosis (MS) and/or treating MS by directly or indirectly interfering with epsilon toxin (ETX), its binding receptor (e.g., MAL), or ETX-receptor interactions so as to inhibit or suppress downstream ETX mediated receptor signaling activities are provided. Also provided are various methods to detect, diagnose, monitor, assess multiple sclerosis (MS) by determining an expression level of ETX gene or its encoding protein in human patient suspected for and/or at risk for multiple sclerosis (MS).

The present invention provides a method, wherein the method treats a subject having a dysbiosis, the method comprising: determining a first metabolic profile of the gut microbiome of a subject having a dysbiosis; changing the first metabolic profile of the gut microbiome of the subject to a second metabolic profile of the gut microbiome of the subject, by administering to the subject a composition comprising at least one bacterial species selected from the group consisting of: Acidaminococcus intestinalis, Bacteroides ovatus, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium longum, Blautia sp., Clostridium sp., Collinsella aerofaciens, Escherichia coli, Eubacterium desmolans, Eubacterium eligens, Eubacterium limosum, Faecalibacterum prausnitzii, Lachnospira pectinoschiza, Lactobacillus casei, Parabacteroides distasonis, Roseburia faecalis, Roseburia intestinalis, Ruminococcus sp., Ruminococcus species, and Ruminococcus torques, wherein the composition is administered at a therapeutically effective amount, sufficient to alter the first metabolic profile of the gut microbiome to the second metabolic profile of the gut microbiome.

This application relates to assays, devices, and methods for conducting highly sensitive assays that employ two binding agents and are useful in detecting specific targets such as antigens. These devices and methods provide the ability to detect minute amounts of the specific target with reduced risk of false positive results.

A VAMP epitope suitable for generating an antibody against a VAMP C-terminal neurotoxin cleavage product. Method of using such an epitope to generate an antibody against cleaved VAMP. Method of using such an antibody to assay for cleavage of a VAMP by clostridial neurotoxin.

The present application provides stable peptide-based Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) serotype A capture agents and methods of use as detection and diagnosis agents and in the treatment of diseases and disorders. The application further provides methods of manufacturing BoNT serotype A capture agents using iterative on-bead in situ click chemistry.

The present disclosure relates generally to peptide reporter constructs of SNAP-25, which are useful in determining the activity of botulinum toxins, and methods of using the same.

Compositions and methods for improved cell-based methods of characterizing botulinum neurotoxins are provided. Cells utilized in these methods include a reporting construct that is cleaved following uptake and processing of botulinum neurotoxin by the cell, resulting in proteolysis of the portion of the reporting construct that is released following cleavage. The released portion includes a fluorophore and amino acid substitutions or sequences that enhance the rate of proteolysis. A pair of reporting constructs can be utilized in which one member of the pair is modified to resist cleavage by the botulinum neurotoxin while co-localizing with the remaining member of the pair.