IDENTIFYING MICROORGANISMS BY MEASURING ENZYMATIC ACTIVITY IN THE PRESENCE OF ENZYME ACTIVITY AFFECTING AGENTS

摘要

A method for rapidly identifying microorganisms bydetermining the rates of enzymatic hydrolysis of aplurality of substrates in the presence of at least oneenzyme activity affecting agent, called an "affector" isprovided. The substrates are selected from fluorogenicand chromogenic substrates to create a characteristicpattern of enzymatic cleavage rates by enzymes expressedby the unidentified microorganism. This characteristicpattern of enzymatic cleavage rates is a "fingerprint" ofthe unidentified microorganism when in the presence of theaffector. The pattern of enzymatic cleavage rates for theunidentified microorganism is compared to a pattern ofenzymatic cleavage rates of the same substrates in thepresence of the same affector for one or more identifiedclasses or subclasses of microorganisms. The unidentifiedmicroorganism is then identified as belonging to a classor subclasses of the known microorganisms which mostclosely matches the pattern of enzymatic cleavage rates inthe presence of the affector.