The invention provides for an isolated antibody that specifically recognizes a galactan-III epitope of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen structure of Klebsiella pneumoniae, which epitope is incorporated in galactan-III repeating units, wherein the galactan-III repeating unit is a branched galactose homopolymer of Formula (I). The invention further provides for a pharmaceutical or diagnostic preparation comprising said antibody, and a method of producing said antibody. ##STR00001##

A method for identifying a subject having at least an indication or predisposition for developing inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer based upon the presence of Salmonella AvrA protein, nucleic acids and antibodies is provided as is a method for treating Salmonella infection-related colorectal cancer using a Wnt1 agonist.

The present invention provides a Mitrecin A polypeptide useful in prevention and treatment of one or more bacteria. Also provided is a method to kill or prevent growth of one or more bacteria comprising contacting the one or more bacteria with a Mitrecin A polypeptide. The target bacteria can be selected from the group consisting of a Gram-positive bacterium, a Gram-negative bacterium, or both. In one embodiment, the present invention is drawn to a polynucleotide encoding a Mitrecin A polypeptide, a vector comprising the polynucleotide, a host cell comprising the polynucleotide, or a composition comprising the Mitrecin A polypeptide, the polynucleotide, the vector, or the host cell.

The present invention discloses a highly efficient method for detecting opioids, opiates, cannabinoids, or benzodiazepines present in a sample, comprising the steps of adding to said sample an enzyme with β-glucuronidase activity originated from genus Brachyspira or any mutant derived thereof; incubating the sample with the enzyme; and detecting said opioids, opiates, cannabinoids, or benzodiazepines by means of a suitable technique.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for reducing virulence of microorganisms. In particular, the present invention provides HMGB1 and variants and mimetics thereof for use in reducing virulence of microorganisms (e.g., in disease).

A generic inert bio-vector Salmonella sp. S9H and potential uses thereof are provided. The generic inert bio-vector Salmonella sp. S9H is derived from a continuous in-vitro culture of an inert bio-vector bacterium Salmonella sp. S9 by using LB solid and liquid culture media for passage to the fortieth generation. With a quantity of bacteria at a working concentration, the S9H does not cause non-specific agglutination reactions in sera or whole blood derived from humans, mice, cattle, pigs and poultry (including chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons and quails); moreover, S9H has a property of carrying, and expressing and displaying different antigen factors derived from humans, mice, cattle, pigs and poultry (including chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons and quails) on the surface thereof .

Antigen binding proteins that interact with class 5 ETEC adhesins, compositions comprising said antigen binding proteins, and methods of preventing or treating ETEC related disorders in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of one or more of said compositions are described.

This invention relates to a functionalised biomaterial comprising aggregated self-assembling peptides, for example amyloidogenic peptides, such as STVIIE, QVQIIE, ISFLIF and/or GNNQQNY, wherein at least a proportion of the self-assembling peptides are functionalised with a biological agent or a chemical agent. The self-assembling peptides may be connected to reporter molecules and recognition elements, such as antibodies. These biomaterials allow for signal amplification for example in assays for detecting analytes. Biomaterials, assays and kits are provided.

The present invention provides sensor cells comprising a receptor that binds to an analyte indicative of the presence of an agent, where binding of the analyte to the receptor triggers a detection event that is indicative of the presence of the agent. In certain embodiments, the detection event is appearance of a reporter detectable by the naked eye. The present invention also provides uses of such sensor cells for detecting the presence of an agent in a sample.

The present disclosure provides binding proteins (e.g., antibodies or antigen binding fragments thereof) that specifically bind to Klebsiella pneumoniae O1 and induce opsonophagocytic killing of Klebsiella (e.g., Klebsiella pneumoniae). The present disclosure also provides methods of reducing Klebsiella (e.g., Klebsiella pneumoniae) or treating or preventing Klebsiella (e.g., Klebsiella pneumoniae) infection in a subject comprising administering the Klebsiella pneumoniae O1 binding proteins, (e.g., antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof) to the subject.