The invention includes methods and kits for the detection of a virus that may be in a sample. In embodiments, the invention includes a method of detecting a virus in a sample by forming a reaction mixture exposing an aliquot of the sample purportedly containing a virus to an immobilized receptor. A soluble receptor including a detectable label is added to the reaction mixture. A washing step washes the immobilized receptor, and the detectable label is detected.

A method of proteolyzing a protein, including immobilizing a protein in at least one pore of a porous body, and contacting the protein immobilized in the pore and a protease immobilized on a solid surface such that the protease selectively accesses a site of the protein and proteolyzes the protein at the site.

The present invention provides methods identifying subjects having prostate cancer (PCa) by detecting in microparticles a pair of biomarkers. The methods disclosed can be used to distinguish subjects having PCa from those having non-malignant prostate pathologies, including benign prostatic hyperplasia. Methods for monitoring prostate cancer and assessing efficacy of prostate cancer therapies are also disclosed. Kits for detecting prostate cancer using the methods disclosed are also provided.

The invention provides an isolated essentially mammalian positive-sense single stranded RNA virus classifiable as belonging to the Order: Nidovirales; Family: Coronaviridae; Subfamily: Coronavirinae; Genus: Betacoronavirus; and non-Lineage A, non-Lineage B or non-Lineage D, human betacoronavirus. The invention also provides a human virus having a receptor binding domain (RBD) capable of binding to a dipeptidyl peptidase 4. The invention also provides diagnostic means and methods, prophylactic means and methods and therapeutic means and methods to be employed in the diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of disease, in particular of respiratory disease, in particular of mammals, more in particular in humans.

The present invention provides a method for rapid, highly specific and sensitive detection and quantification of a virus by observing viral substrate binding to its host receptor protein. The invention also provides a method for rapid, highly specific and sensitive detection and quantification of a virus in an individual suspected of being infected with a virus. The invention further provides a test kit for rapid, highly specific and sensitive point-of-care detection of a virus in an individual. The viruses and their host receptor proteins that can rapidly be detected include SARS-CoV-2 and its host receptor protein ACE2. The surprisingly rapid, specific and sensitive method and kit of the invention provide a point-of care test capable of diagnosing individuals suffering from COVID-19 by observation of a color change in the assay, which color change occurs in about five minutes, and which test can be completed by a user in about 60 minutes.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for using fixed biological samples in partition-based assays. In at least one embodiment, the disclosure provides a composition comprising a fixed biological sample and an un-fixing agent contained in a partition, such as a discrete droplet. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides un-fixing agent compounds capable of catalytically cleaving crosslinks in fixed biological samples, particularly crosslinked nucleic acids, such as RNA.

The present disclosure an ELISA-based assay that uses a glycosylated polypeptide fragment derived from the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (Covid-19) receptor binding domain (S1RBD) that has affinity for the extracellular domain of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). The S1RBD polypeptide is generated by expression of an encoding nucleic acid by a human cell expression system resulting in glycosylation of the expressed spike receptor binding domain (S1RBD) protein at least at the N343 N-glycosylation site thereof, and which surprisingly and significantly increases the affinity of the S1RBD for ACE2, provides a significant increase in the sensitivity of the assay compared to other known assays.

The application provides Fc fusion proteins having novel arrangements. In one embodiment, the application provides Fc fusion proteins comprising a .sup.10Fn3 domain. In another embodiment, the application provides Fc fusion proteins comprising linkers derived from the naturally occurring C-terminal tail regions of membrane bound or secretory immunoglobulins.

Method, kit and composition for analyzing analytes for modifications using modification site specific antibodies to bind an analyte with his specific modification sites of interest to different dyes simultaneously with an antibody which is specific to the non-modificated analyte binding to another dye to determine the concentration of the analyte for quantification of the modified analyte in the identical sample.

A method of proteolyzing a protein, including immobilizing a protein in at least one pore of a porous body, and contacting the protein immobilized in the pore and a protease immobilized on a solid surface such that the protease selectively accesses a site of the protein and proteolyzes the protein at the site.