Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for detecting the presence of a pathogen in a clinical sample suspected of containing said pathogen, said method comprising: depositing said sample on an inert support; treating said sample to affix genetic material of any of said pathogen present in said sample to said support in substantially single stranded form at substantially the same site on said support where said sample was deposited; contacting said fixed single stranded genetic material with a labeled probe having a nucleotide sequence of at least about 25 bases at least substantially complementary to a nucleotide sequence of a structural gene characteristic of said pathogen, said contacting being under hybridizing conditions at a predetermined stringency; and detecting duplex formation on said support by means of said label.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for detecting the presence of a pathogen in a clinical sample suspected of containing said pathogen, said method comprising: depositing said sample on an inert support; treating said sample to affix genetic material of any of said pathogen present in said sample to said support in substantially single stranded form at substantially the same site on said support where said sample was deposited; contacting said fixed single stranded genetic material with a labeled probe having a nucleotide sequence of at least about 25 bases at least substantially complementary to a nucleotide sequence of a structural gene characteristic of said pathogen, said contacting being under hybridizing conditions at a predetermined stringency; and detecting duplex formation on said support by means of said label.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, including the additional step of cultivating said deposited sample to produce at least one individual colony.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
17 words
A method according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said depositing is performed by streaking or spotting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said support is an inert porous filter and said cultivating comprises: maintaining said filter in contact with a nutrient gel; and said contacting comprises placing said filter on a bibulous material wetted with reagent solution capable of removing other than genetic material to leave single stranded genetic material.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
16 words
A method according to claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein said pathogen is a unicellular organism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said unicellular organism is a bacterium.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
15 words
A method according to claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein said pathogen is a virus.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
16 words
A method according to claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein said pathogen is a multicellular organism.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
18 words
A method according to claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein said structural gene codes for an excreted product.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
18 words
A method according to claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein said structural gene codes for a cytoplasmic product.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for detecting the presence of a unicellular pathogen in a sample suspected of containing said pathogen, said method comprising: depositing said sample on an inert porous filter as a plurality of individual portions; transferring said filter to a bibulous material wetted with a reagent solution capable of lysing said pathogen and denaturing the genetic material of said pathogen to provide single stranded DNA; heating said filter to fix said single stranded DNA at substantially the same site as the individual portion from which said genetic material is derived; contacting said fixed single stranded DNA with a labeled probe having a nucleotide sequence of at least about 25 bases at least substantially complementary to a nucleotide sequence of a structural gene characteristic of said pathogen under hybridizing conditions of a predetermined stringency,; and detecting duplex formation on said support by means of said label.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for detecting the presence of a unicellular pathogen in a sample suspected of containing said pathogen, said method comprising: depositing said sample on an inert porous filter as a plurality of individual portions; transferring said filter to a bibulous material wetted with a reagent solution capable of lysing said pathogen and denaturing the genetic material of said pathogen to provide single stranded DNA; heating said filter to fix said single stranded DNA at substantially the same site as the individual portion from which said genetic material is derived; contacting said fixed single stranded DNA with a labeled probe having a nucleotide sequence of at least about 25 bases at least substantially complementary to a nucleotide sequence of a structural gene characteristic of said pathogen under hybridizing conditions of a predetermined stringency,; and detecting duplex formation on said support by means of said label.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 11, including the step of: cultivating said individual portions on said inert porous filter by contacting said filter with a nutrient gel to produce individual colonies of said pathogen, and wherein said reagent solution is a dilute aqueous alkaline solution.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
14 words
A method according to claims 11 or 12, wherein said label is a radionuclide.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
15 words
A method according to claims 11 or 12, wherein said label is a fluorescent molecule.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
15 words
A method according to claims 11 or 12, wherein said unicellular pathogen is a bacterium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said label is a radionuclide.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for detecting the presence of a gram negative bacillus in a clinical isolate suspected of containing said bacillus, said method comprising: spotting said clinical isolate onto an inert porous filter; contacting said spotted inert porous filter with a nutrient gel, whereby nutrients diffuse to said bacillus in said spot, whereby a colony forms; transferring said filter supporting said colony onto a bibulous material containing a reagent solution for lysing said bacillus and denaturing the genome of said bacillus to provide single stranded DNA at substantially the same site as said colony; heating said filter to fix said single stranded DNA to said filter; contacting said filter with said fixed single stranded DNA, with a radioactively labeled probe having a nucleotide sequence of at least about 25 bases and at least substantially complementary to a nucleotide sequence of a structural gene characteristic of said bacillus under hybridizing conditions of a predetermined stringency; and detecting duplex formation on said support by means of said radioactive isotope.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for detecting the presence of a gram negative bacillus in a clinical isolate suspected of containing said bacillus, said method comprising: spotting said clinical isolate onto an inert porous filter; contacting said spotted inert porous filter with a nutrient gel, whereby nutrients diffuse to said bacillus in said spot, whereby a colony forms; transferring said filter supporting said colony onto a bibulous material containing a reagent solution for lysing said bacillus and denaturing the genome of said bacillus to provide single stranded DNA at substantially the same site as said colony; heating said filter to fix said single stranded DNA to said filter; contacting said filter with said fixed single stranded DNA, with a radioactively labeled probe having a nucleotide sequence of at least about 25 bases and at least substantially complementary to a nucleotide sequence of a structural gene characteristic of said bacillus under hybridizing conditions of a predetermined stringency; and detecting duplex formation on said support by means of said radioactive isotope.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein said structural gene codes for a released product.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said released product is a toxin.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
16 words
A method according to claims 17, 18 or 19, wherein said bacillus is enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.