The presently claimed subject matter concerns methods and kits for identifying agents that reduce binding of a clostridial neurotoxin to synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 (SV2).

The present specification discloses SNAP-25 compositions, methods of making α-SNAP-25 antibodies that bind an epitope comprising a carboxyl-terminus at the P.sub.1 residue from the BoNT/A cleavage site scissile bond from a SNAP-25 cleavage product, α-SNAP-25 antibodies that bind an epitope comprising a carboxyl-terminus at the P.sub.1 residue from the BoNT/A cleavage site scissile bond from a SNAP-25 cleavage product, methods of detecting BoNT/A activity, and methods of detecting neutralizing α-BoNT/A antibodies.

The present invention provides a method for detecting and assaying Clostridium neurotoxins and identification of serotypes of botulinum neurotoxins in various food matrices and clinical samples. This method is also used for detection of BoNT inside the neuronal and epithelial cells. The method comprises detecting and assaying the presence of a Clostridium neurotoxin in a sample by: exposing the sample containing a Clostridium neurotoxin to a sample comprising a novel SNAMPXIN/SNAMP universal recombinant substrate fusion protein capable of producing a detectable FRET, following cleavage; detecting and assaying the presence of the Clostridium neurotoxin by measuring a change in the energy transfer or the luminescence signal; and detecting and assaying an electrophoretic mobility pattern of one or more cleaved protein bands or a degraded protein, using a high throughput automated system to identify the different serotypes of the Clostridium neurotoxin. SNAMPXIN/SNAMP is formed from parts of BoNT substrates SNAP-25 and VAMP.

The invention enables efficient, rapid, and sensitive enumeration of living cells by detecting microscopic colonies derived from in situ cell division using large area imaging. Microbial enumeration tests based on the invention address an important problem in clinical and industrial microbiology—the long time needed for detection in traditional tests—while retaining key advantages of the traditional methods based on microbial culture. Embodiments of the invention include non-destructive aseptic methods for detecting cellular microcolonies without labeling reagents. These methods allow for the generation of pure cultures which can be used for microbial identification and determination of antimicrobial resistance.

The present invention is directed to a method for identifying a gene that regulates clostridial neurotoxin activity, the method comprising: a. providing a sample of human neuronal cells expressing a polypeptide that comprises a C-terminal detectable label, wherein the polypeptide is cleavable by a clostridial neurotoxin; b. altering expression of a target gene of the cells; c. contacting the cells with the clostridial neurotoxin; d. measuring an amount of C-terminal detectable label, thereby quantifying clostridial neurotoxin activity; and e. identifying the target gene as a regulator of clostridial neurotoxin activity when the quantified clostridial neurotoxin activity is different to the quantified clostridial neurotoxin activity when expression of the target gene is unaltered; or f. identifying that the target gene is not a regulator of clostridial neurotoxin activity when the quantified clostridial neurotoxin activity is equivalent to the quantified clostridial neurotoxin activity when expression of the target gene is unaltered. Also provided are related methods for identifying an agent that regulates clostridial neurotoxin activity, as well as human neuronal cells, nucleotides, vectors, polypeptides, kits, and compositions suitable for use in the methods of the invention.

A composition and method for identifying a microbial composition that inhibits colonization of an enteric pathogen in an animal is disclosed. The method includes removing a microbial sample from a digestive tract of at least one healthy individual, culturing the microbial sample, isolating one or more microbial species within the microbial sample, and identifying one or more isolated microbial species. The method further includes determining one or more bile-tolerant properties of the one or more isolated microbial species, and creating one or more microbial compositions of the one or more isolated microbial species that are bile-tolerant. The method further includes determining an ability of the one or more microbial compositions to inhibit growth of an enteric pathogen in at least one of an assay, and identifying one or more microbial compositions from the one or more microbial compositions capable of inhibiting growth of enteric pathogens in an animal.

Methods and compositions are provided herein for treating type 2 diabetes in a subject, using one or more bacterial strains such as Alistipes sp. HGB5, Atopobium parvulum type strain (IPP 1246), Bacteroides clarus DSM 22519, Butyrivibrio crossotus T9-40 A, Eubacterium hadrum B2-52, Prevotella stercorea CB35, Roseburia inulinivorans A2-194, Ruminococcus sp. 5.1.39BFAA, and Zinderia insecticola CARI.

The invention enables efficient, rapid, and sensitive enumeration of living cells by detecting microscopic colonies derived from in situ cell division using large area imaging. Microbial enumeration tests based on the invention address an important problem in clinical and industrial microbiology—the long time needed for detection in traditional tests—while retaining key advantages of the traditional methods based on microbial culture. Embodiments of the invention include non-destructive aseptic methods for detecting cellular microcolonies without labeling reagents. These methods allow for the generation of pure cultures which can be used for microbial identification and determination of antimicrobial resistance.

Provided herein is a large immuno-sorbent surface area assay (ALISSA) for the rapid and sensitive detection of botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) and anthrax toxin. This assay is designed to capture a low number of toxin molecules and to measure their intrinsic protease activity via conversion of a fluorogenic or luminescent substrate. Also provided herein are novel peptides that can be specifically cleaved by BoNT and novel peptides that are resistant to cleavage by BoNT. The combination of these cleavable and control peptides can be used for implementation of an exemplary ALISSA used to specifically detect BoNT enzymatic activity. Furthermore, the ALISSA as described herein may also be used in a column based format for use in a high-throughput system for testing large quantities of samples.

Provided is a non-invasive method for diagnosing colorectal cancer in a subject by detecting enrichment or reduction of certain bacterial species. A kit and device useful for such methods are also provided. In addition, a method for reducing the risk of colon cancer by regulating the pertinent bacterial species in human colon is also provided.