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The cleavage of sphingoid base phosphates by sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) lyase to produce phosphoethanolamine and a fatty aldehyde is the final degradative step in the sphingolipid metabolic pathway. Researchers at NIH injected rabbits with the C-terminal peptide of the mouse S1P lyase — 551-TTDPVTQGNQMNGSPKPR-568 — to develop an antibody that can be used in western blotting to study this pathway.

Legionella pneumophila is the causative species in most cases of Legionnaires' disease (LD). CDC scientists have developed a real-time PCR assay capable of detecting all Legionella species and discriminating L. pneumophila from other Legionella species. LD is typically difficult to diagnose from a clinical standpoint as it confers no unique clinical features or symptoms. This assay provides a rapid and accurate alternative to laborious PCR assays, prone to aberrant results.

This invention relates to selective detection of human rhinovirus (HRV) in biological media. Specifically, this invention discloses a real-time TaqMan RT-PCR assay targeting the 5'-noncoding region of the HRV genome. This is a one-step, real-time nucleic acid assay that offers rapid, sensitive, and quantitative results. The assay is validated against all 100 recognized HRV prototype strains.

Our technology describes unique genetic signatures in patients with digestive diseases and liver disorders. Using comprehensive analysis of 735 microRNAs and 19,000 mRNAs, we have identified a unique set of microRNAs and/or mRNAs which predict disease phenotypes in patients with digestive and liver disorders. The identification of such point-of- care genetic signatures is significant for both personalized biomarkers and novel targeted biotherapeutics. These microRNAs and mRNAs function either together or separately thus modulating protein expressions in one or more signaling pathways.

CDC researchers have developed a real-time PCR assay for the detection of Neisseria meningitidis sodC within clinical specimens. The ability to detect all strains of N. meningitidis, regardless of individual serogroup, is the central innovation of this technology. Further, the assay is sensitive enough to detect even the very limited sample sizes of N. meningitidis that would typically be found in clinical specimens. This technology avoids potentially catastrophic false-negative results associated with current N.

CDC researchers developed a real-time PCR assay targeting insertion sequence (IS481) and pertussis toxin subunit 1 (ptxS1) of Bordetella pertussis. This real-time nucleic acid assay offers rapid, sensitive, and quantitative results. The employed primers have been validated through extensive diagnostic testing of 41 Bordetella and 64 non-Bordetella clinical isolates. This technology can be used to diagnose and distinguish B. pertussis, B. parapertussis and B.

CDC scientists have developed a real-time PCR assay for diagnosing pneumococcal disease using amplification of the bacterial gene encoding pneumococcal surface adhesin A (PsaA). Pneumococcal isolation and identification is often complicated by 1) antimicrobial suppression of growth in culture and 2) contamination by normal flora alpha-streptococci. Further, pneumococcal detection by culture and serological methods can be time-consuming, relatively expensive, laborious and, ultimately, indeterminate.

This invention describes materials and methods of detecting novel influenza virus in a sample. As highlighted by the recent H1N1 pandemic strain, influenza viruses are constantly evolving and novel reassortments can quickly spread around the world.

The CDC developed a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) Taqman assay and an RT-semi nested PCR (RT-snPCR) assay for the detection of parechoviruses. Similar to enteroviruses, parechoviruses are responsible for gastrointestinal, respiratory and central nervous system infections. All tests target conserved regions in the 5'-nontranslated region (5-'NTR) of the parechovirus genome and share forward and reverse primers. The Taqman probe and RTsnPCR nested primer target the same conserved site but vary in length.

In order to address a global need for rapid, cost-effective, sensitive, and specific assays for many pathogens, CDC scientists have developed a broad-use, multiplexed RT-PCR assay. This comprehensive assay covers numerous pathogens that are common causes of infection in neonates and also important to food-safety.