Enzyme detection/assay method and substrates

摘要

The invention relates to a method of detecting and/or assaying nucleoside hydrolases or nucleoside phosphorylases using a chromogenic substrate. Preferred chromogenic substrates have formula (I) where X is OH, or H, and Y is the residue of Y-OH where Y-OH is a chromophore or a compound readily converted to a chromophore and the substrates are hydrolysed by the nucleoside hydrolase to yield ribose or 2-deoxyribose plus Y-OH. Alternatively those substrates may be phosphorylysed by nucleoside phosphorylase to yield ribose-1-phosphate plus Y-OH. The methods may be used to detect and/or assay parasites in biological samples.