The present invention provides methods and compositions related to modulating the resistance of a cell against a target nucleic acid or a transcription product thereof. In some preferred embodiments, the present invention provides compositions and methods for the use of one or more cas genes or proteins for modulating the resistance of a cell against a target nucleic acid or a transcription product thereof. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods and compositions that find use in the development and use of strain combinations and starter culture rotations. In additional embodiments, the present invention provides methods for labelling and/or identifying bacteria. In some preferred embodiments, the present invention provides methods for the use of CRISPR loci to determine the potential virulence of a phage against a cell and the use of CRISPR-cas to modulate the genetic sequence of a phage for increased virulence level. In still further embodiments, the present invention provides means and compositions for the development and use of phages as biocontrol agents.

The present invention provides a simple culture device that is designed for manufacture and use in areas of limited resources. The device is useful for cell culture in such environments with limited resources because cells grow in paper just as they do in a culture dish. Also provided is a binding assay that employs an activatable dormant bacteriophage carrying a reporter gene to qualitatively or quantitatively detect the presence of a substance of interest in a sample.

Various aspects and embodiments of the invention are directed to high-throughput phage-engineering methods and recombinant bacteriophages with tunable host ranges for controlling phage specificity.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treatment of microbial infections and for the enhancement of resistance to infection. The invention comprises administration of an effective amount of a protein isolated from bacterial lysate compositions for the treatment of pathological compositions of microbial infections. The present invention can also be used to enhance the immune system to prevent infections be the administration of an effective amount of compositions.

The present invention provides a simple culture device that is designed for manufacture and use in areas of limited resources. The device is useful for cell culture in such environments with limited resources because cells grow in paper just as they do in a culture dish. Also provided is a binding assay that employs an activatable dormant bacteriophage carrying a reporter gene to qualitatively or quantitatively detect the presence of a substance of interest in a sample.

Various aspects and embodiments of the invention are directed to high-throughput phage-engineering methods and recombinant bacteriophages with tunable host ranges for controlling phage specificity.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treatment of microbial infections and for the enhancement of resistance to infection. The invention comprises administration of an effective amount of bacterial lysate compositions for the treatment of pathological conditions of microbial infections. The present invention can also be used to enhance the immune system to prevent infections by the administration of an effective amount of the compositions.

A method of eliminating, reducing or preventing bacterial contamination of a surface, the method comprising dispersing a bacteriophage containing composition in air in proximity to the surface. In some embodiments, the bacteriophage containing composition is a powder dispersed by pressurizing a load chamber containing the powder so that the powder is expelled through an outlet. Also, devices for performing the method and a powder used in the method.