Hybrid nanopores, comprising a protein pore supported within a solid-state membrane, which combine the robust nature of solid-state membranes with the easily tunable and precise engineering of protein nanopores. In an embodiment, a lipid-free hybrid nanopore comprises a water soluble and stable, modified portal protein of the Thermus thermophilus bacteriophage G20c, electrokinetically inserted into a larger nanopore in a solid-state membrane. The hybrid pore is stable and easy to fabricate, and exhibits low peripheral leakage, allowing sensing and discrimination among different types of biomolecules.

The present invention relates to methods of treating or preventing a bacterial disease or infection, antibacterial compositions, and antibacterial surfaces, including an isolated polypeptide comprising an enzymatically active domain (EAD) of a Bacillus bacteriophage endolysin.

Hybrid nanopores, comprising a protein pore supported within a solid-state membrane, which combine the robust nature of solid-state membranes with the easily tunable and precise engineering of protein nanopores. In an embodiment, a lipid-free hybrid nanopore comprises a water soluble and stable, modified portal protein of the Thermus thermophilus bacteriophage G20c, electrokinetically inserted into a larger nanopore in a solid-state membrane. The hybrid pore is stable and easy to fabricate, and exhibits low peripheral leakage, allowing sensing and discrimination among different types of biomolecules.

Some aspects of this disclosure provide methods for phage-assisted continuous evolution (PACE) of proteases. Some aspects of this invention provide methods for evaluating and selecting protease inhibitors based on the likelihood of the emergence of resistant proteases as determined by the protease PACE methods provided herein. Some aspects of this disclosure provide strategies, methods, and reagents for protease PACE, including fusion proteins for translating a desired protease activity into a selective advantage for phage particles encoding a protease exhibiting such an activity and improved mutagenesis-promoting expression constructs. Evolved proteases that recognize target cleavage sites which differ from their canonical cleavage site are also provided herein.

The present invention relates to bacteriophage therapy. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel bacteriophages having a high specificity against Escherichia coli strains, their manufacture, components thereof, compositions comprising the same and the uses thereof in phage therapy.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for rapid detection of microorganisms using a cell binding component (CBC). The specificity of CBSs for binding microorganisms allows targeted and highly specific detection of a microorganism of interest.

Methods of expressing an expression product of interest are provided. Accordingly there is provided a method comprising introducing into a cell a polynucleotide comprising an AimR responsive element operatively linked to a nucleic acid sequence encoding the expression product of interest, and contacting said cell with an AimP peptide comprising an amino acid sequence of XXXXGG/A, wherein said AimP peptide is capable of binding said AimR polypeptide and dissociating said AimR polypeptide from said AimR responsive element. Also provided are articles of manufacture, isolated peptides, polynucleotides and nucleic acid constructs.

Described are compositions, methods, systems, and kits related to related to synthetic phages with a customized host range. Customized host range of the synthetic phage is imparted on the synthetic phage by one or more recombinant tail-spike proteins. For example, a recombinant tail-spike protein may include a combination of the N-terminal region and the C-terminal region is engineered in a laboratory.

The present invention relates to the field of medicine, specifically the field of bacterial infection and treatment thereof.

Bacteriophage are provided, and methods of making and using the bacteriophage also are provided. The bacteriophage can be provided in a tobacco product, where the bacteriophage reduces the number of viable bacteria in the tobacco product and includes a nucleic acid sequence encoding an endolysin having at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleic acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.