PATENT ABSTRACTS

ove, chlorine bleach, and at least one additional detergent component.

4965188

P R O C E S S F O R A M P L I F Y I N G , D E T E C T I N G , A N D / O R C L O N I N G

N U C L E I C A C I D S E Q U E N C E S U S I N G A T H E R M O S T A B L E

E N Z Y M E

Kary Mullis, Henry A Erlich, David Gelfand, Glenn Horn, Randall Saiki assigned to Cetus Corporation

A process for amplifying any target nucleic acid sequence contained in a nucleic acid or mixture thereof comprises treating separate comple- mentary strands of the nucleic acid with a molar excess of two oligonucleotide primers and ex- tending the primers with a thermostable enzyme to form complementary primer extension pro- ducts which act as templates for synthesizing the desired nucleic acid sequence. The amplified sequence can be readily detected. The steps of the reaction can be repeated as often as desired and involve temperature cycling to effect hybridiza- tion, promotion of activity of the enzyme, and denaturation of the hybrids formed.

4 ~ 5 1 ~

D E T E C T I O N O F M I C R O B I A L B E T A - L A C T A M A S E

Kirk C S Chen assigned to Washington Research Foundation

An improved developer for a method for the specific detection of the presence of beta- lactamase from microbial sources is disclosed. The method utilizes a beta-lactam ring- containing substrate whose amide bond is hydrolyzed in the presence of beta-lactamase. A substrate which includes a beta-lactam antibiotic with an acyl side chain containing an alpha- amino group and an alpha-phenyl group or its derivatives is first contacted with an organism thought to produce beta-lactamase or a cell-free beta-lactamase preparation, and, subsequently, it is determined whether the reaction product between the unhydrolyzed substrate, the end products and the organism or the preparation fluoresces. Fluorescence is the indication of beta-lactamase activity. The developer com- prises the addition of an oxidizing agent (pre- ferably also containing formaldehyde) to the

105

reaction product to enhance the fluorescence. The oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of A g + , H g + + , H202, 13-, 104-, persulfate, Pd + + , p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, and mixtures thereof.

4 ~ 5 1 ~

P Y R U V A T E O X I D A S E A N D A N A N A L Y T I C A L M E T H O D U S I N G

T H E S A M E

Kazumi Yamamoto, Toshiro Kikuchi, Shigenori Emi, Tsuruga, Japan assigned to Toyo Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha

A pyruvate oxidase with excellent thermal stability, which is stable at pH 7.0 for 10 minutes at a temperature of up to 45 degrees C., an analytical method using said pyruvate oxidase, and an analytical reagent used for said method•

4968605

I M M O B I L I Z A T I O N O F E N Z Y M E S O N P O R O U S M E L T S P U N

P O L Y A M I D E Y A R N S

Nigel Hayman, Cheltenham, United Kingdom assigned to Imperial Chemical Industries plc

An immobilized enzyme structure in which molecules of one or more enzymes are attached to chemically active groups located on surface in the structure, such structure being composed of melt spun polyamide fibres comprising spaced fibrils of polyamide which are substantially aligned to the axis of the fibre, such aligned spaced fibrils being interconnected to each other in a random manner.

4970145

I M M O B I L I Z E D E N Z Y M E E L E C T R O D E S

Hugh P Bennetto, Gerard M Delaney, Jeremy Mason, Christopher Thurston, John L Stifling, David R DeKeyzer, London, United Kingdom assigned to Cambridge Life Sciences plc

Enzyme electrodes are disclosed which are capable of responding amperometrically to the catalytic activity oftbe enzyme in the presence of its respective substrate and comprising the en-