The present invention relates to a method of preparing a molecular sensor that is specific for a target molecule having a saccharide or peptide region. The method comprises using the target molecule as a template and incubating the template with a receptor to form a template-receptor complex. A molecular scaffold is formed on a surface around the template-receptor complex such that the receptor and at least a portion of the template are embedded in the scaffold, and the template is removed to produce a cavity defined by the scaffold, such that the cavity is complementary to at least a portion of the saccharide or peptide region of the target molecule.

Methods and compositions are provided to identify oligonucleotide probes that can detect various targets of interest. The targets include microvesicles, microvesicle antigens, and nucleic acids. The target detection may be used to provide a diagnosis, prognosis or theranosis of a medical condition, a disease or a disorder.

Provided herein are methods for the obtention of an active HBV RNaseH preparation and its use in screening methods to identify potential inhibitors of the enzyme for possible use as therapeutic agents. Also provided are methods of treatment using agents identified according to the screen.

Method for detecting the presence of nucleases in a sample, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: —incubating the sample to be tested for the presence of nucleases with at least one oligonucleotide linker constituting the substrate for the nuclease to be detected, for a sufficient time to cause degradation of said oligonucleotide linker by the nuclease possibly present in the sample, —adding to the sample, upon incubation, colloidal gold nanoparticles comprising gold nanoparticles functionalized with a first probe oligonucleotide and gold nanoparticles functionalized with a respective second probe oligonucleotide, said first and second probe oligonucleotides being complementary to a respective portion of the nucleotide sequence of the oligonucleotide linker, and—examining the possible colour change of the sample as a result of the addition of said nanoparticles, a colour change of the sample to the colour assumed by the colloidal gold particles when aggregated at a distance less than their size being indicative of the absence of the tested nuclease from the sample.

Disclosed herein are compounds and methods for inhibiting bacterial DNA repair enzymes, including AddAB and RecBCD helicase-nucleases. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating a subject with an antibacterial agent are also disclosed herein.

Methods for diagnosing cancer and monitoring treatment efficacy based on detecting the presence of increased levels of expression of satellite correlated genes.

The disclosure provides articles and methods useful for detecting a discrete source of DNase activity. DNase-producing microorganisms can be detected. The device can further include selective agents and/or indicators to differentiate groups or species microorganisms. Methods of use include detecting or enumerating DNase-producing microorganisms.

The invention provides an exonuclease or an enzymatically active fragment thereof, said exonuclease having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 1 or an amino acid sequence which is at least about 50% identical thereto, wherein said exonuclease or enzymatically active fragment thereof (i) is substantially irreversibly inactivated by heating at a temperature of about 55° C. for 10 minutes in a buffer consisting of 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.5 at 25° C., 50 mM KCl and 5 mM MgCl.sub.2; (ii) is substantially specific for single stranded DNA; and (iii) has a 3′-5′ exonuclease activity. The invention further provides a method of removing single stranded DNA from a sample, a method of nucleic acid amplification, a method of reverse transcription and a method of nucleic acid sequence analysis in which the exonuclease or enzymatically active fragment thereof is used. The invention still further provides nucleic acids encoding said exonuclease or an enzymatically active fragment thereof and kits or compositions comprising the same.

Provided is an isolated binding protein including a Taq DNA polymerase antigen-binding domain. The antigen-binding domain includes at least one complementarity determining region selected from CDR-VH1-3 and CDR-VL1-3, or has at least 80% sequence identity with the complementarity determining region and has an affinity of K.sub.D≤8.568×10.sup.−9 mol/L to the Taq DNA polymerase. The binding protein may be used in the field of molecular detection.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for reducing an undesirable T cell immune response in human patients prior to and/or during gene therapy using CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic modulation.