Identifying microorganisms by measuring enzymatic activity in the presence of enzyme activity affecting agents.

摘要

A method for rapidly identifying microorganisms by determining the rates of enzymatic hydrolysis of a plurality of substrates in the presence of at least one enzyme activity affecting agent, called an "affector" is provided. The substrates are selected from fluorogenic and chromogenic substrates to create a characteristic pattern of enzymatic cleavage rates by enzymes expressed by the unidentified microorganism. This characteristic pattern of enzymatic cleavage rates is a "fingerprint" of the unidentified microorganism when in the presence of the affector. The pattern of enzymatic cleavage rates for the unidentified microorganism is compared to a pattern of enzymatic cleavage rates of the same substrates in the presence of the same affector for one or more identified classes or subclasses of microorganisms. The unidentified microorganism is then identified as belonging to a class or subclasses of the known microorganisms which most closely matches the pattern of enzymatic cleavage rates in the presence of the affector.