PNA oligomers, oligomer sets, methods and kits pertaining to the determination of Enterococcus faecalis and other Enterococcus species

1 . A PNA oligomer comprising a probing nucleobase sequence, wherein at least a portion of the probing nucleobase sequence is at least ninety percent homologous to the nucleobase sequences, or their complements, selected from the group consisting of: CCT-CTG-ATG-GGT-AGG (Seq. ID No.1) and CCT-TCT-GAT-GGG-CAG (Seq. ID No. 2).

2 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the probing nucleobase sequence is one hundred percent homologous to one of Seq. ID No.1 or Seq. ID No. 2.

3 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the PNA oligomer has the exact sequence of either Seq. ID No.1 or Seq. ID No. 2.

4 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the oligomer is unlabeled.

5 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the oligomer is labeled with at least one detectable moiety.

6 . The PNA oligomer of claim 5 , wherein the detectable moiety or moieties are each independently selected from the group consisting of: a dextran conjugate, a branched nucleic acid detection system, a chromophore, a fluorophore, a spin label, a radioisotope, an enzyme, a hapten, an acridinium ester and a chemiluminescent compound.

7 . The PNA oligomer of claim 6 , wherein the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of alkaline phosphatase, soybean peroxidase, horseradish peroxidase, ribonuclease and protease.

8 . The PNA oligomer of claim 6 , wherein the hapten is selected from the group consisting of fluorescein, biotin, 2,4-dinitrophenyl and digoxigenin.

9 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the oligomer is labeled with at least two independently detectable moieties.

10 . The PNA oligomer of claim 9 , wherein the two or more independently detectable moieties are independently detectable fluorophores.

11 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the oligomer comprises a non-fluorescent quencher moiety.

12 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the oligomer comprises an energy transfer set of labels.

13 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the oligomer is support bound.

14 . The PNA oligomer of claim 1 , wherein the PNA oligomer comprises one or more non-natural nucleobases selected from the group consisting of 2,6-diaminopurine, 2-thiouracil and 2-thiothymine.

15 . An oligomer set comprising two or more oligomers, at least one of which is a PNA oligomer comprising a probing nucleobase sequence that is at least ninety percent homologous to the nucleobase sequences, or their complements, selected from the group consisting of: CCT-CTG-ATG-GGT-AGG (Seq. ID No. 1) and CCT-TCT-GAT-GGG-CAG (Seq. ID No. 2).

16 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein the set comprises a PNA oligomer comprising a probing nucleobase sequence that is at least 90 percent homologous to only Seq. ID No. 1.

17 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein the set comprises a PNA oligomer comprising a probing nucleobase sequence that is at least 90 percent homologous to only Seq. ID No. 2.

18 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein the set comprises both a PNA oligomer comprising a probing nucleobase sequence that is at least 90 percent homologous to Seq. ID No. 1 and a PNA oligomer comprising a probing nucleobase sequence that is at least 90 percent homologous to Seq. ID No. 2.

19 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein said at least one PNA oligomer comprises a probing nucleobase sequence that is one hundred percent homologous to one of Seq. ID No. 1 or Seq. ID No. 2.

20 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein said at least one PNA oligomer comprises a probing nucleobase sequence that is identical in sequence of either of Seq. ID No. 1 or Seq. ID No. 2

21 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein all oligomers of the set are unlabeled.

22 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein at least one oligomer of the set is labeled with at least one detectable moiety.

23 . The oligomer set of claim 22 , wherein the detectable moiety or moieties are each independently selected from the group consisting of: a dextran conjugate, a branched nucleic acid detection system, a chromophore, a fluorophore, a spin label, a radioisotope, an enzyme, a hapten, an acridinium ester and a chemiluminescent compound.

24 . The oligomer set of claim 23 , wherein the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of alkaline phosphatase, soybean peroxidase, horseradish peroxidase, ribonuclease and protease.

25 . The oligomer set of claim 23 , wherein the hapten is selected from the group consisting of fluorescein, biotin, 2,4-dinitrophenyl and digoxigenin.

26 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein one or more oligomers of the set are labeled with two or more independently detectable moieties.

27 . The oligomer set of claim 26 , wherein the two or more independently detectable moieties are independently detectable fluorophores.

28 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein at least one oligomer of the set comprises a non-fluorescent quencher moiety.

29 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein at least one oligomer of the set comprises an energy transfer set of labels.

30 . The oligomer set of claim 15 , wherein at least one oligomer of the set is support bound.

31 . The oligomer set of claim 30 , wherein the oligomers of the set form an array of oligomers.

32 . A method for determining Enterococcus faecalis, in a sample; said method comprising:

a) contacting the sample, under suitable hybridization conditions, with at least one PNA oligomer at least a portion of the probing nucleobase sequence of the PNA oligomer is at least ninety percent homologous to the nucleobase sequence: CCT-CTG-ATG-GGT-AGG (Seq. ID No. 1) or its complement; and

b) detecting, identify and/or quantitating hybridization of the probing nucleobase sequence of the PNA oligomer to the target sequence and correlating the result with the presence, absence, quantity and/or location of organisms of Enterococcus faecalis, or the nucleic acid thereof, in the sample.

33 . A method for determining Enterococcus species, in a sample; said method comprising:

a) contacting the sample, under suitable hybridization conditions, with at least one PNA oligomer at least a portion of the probing nucleobase sequence of the PNA oligomer is at least ninety percent homologous to the nucleobase sequence: CCT-TCT-GAT-GGG-CAG (Seq. ID No. 2) or its complement; and

b) detecting, identify and/or quantitating hybridization of the probing nucleobase sequence of the PNA oligomer to the target sequence and correlating the result with the presence, absence, quantity and/or location of organisms of Enterococcus species, or the nucleic acid thereof, in the sample.

34 . The method of any of claims 32 or 33 , wherein the at least one PNA oligomer is labeled with at least one detectable moiety.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the detectable moiety or moieties are each independently selected from the group consisting of: a dextran conjugate, a branched nucleic acid detection system, a chromophore, a fluorophore, a spin label, a radioisotope, an enzyme, a hapten, an acridinium ester and a chemiluminescent compound.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of alkaline phosphatase, soybean peroxidase, horseradish peroxidase, ribonuclease and protease.

37 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the hapten is selected from the group consisting of fluorescein, biotin, 2,4-dinitrophenyl and digoxigenin.

38 . The method of any of claims 32 or 33 , wherein the at least one PNA oligomer is labeled with two or more independently detectable moieties.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the two or more independently detectable moieties are independently detectable fluorophores.

40 . The method of any of claims 32 or 33 , wherein the at least the PNA oligomer comprises a non-fluorescent quencher moiety.

41 . The method of any of claims 32 or 33 , wherein the at least one PNA oligomer comprises an energy transfer set of labels.

42 . The method of any of claims 32 or 33 , wherein the at least one PNA oligomer is support bound.

43 . A kit suitable for determining the presence, absence and/or quantity of the nucleic acid of Enterococcus faecalis and/or other Enterococcus species in a sample, said kit comprising:

a) one or more PNA oligomers comprising a probing nucleobase sequence that is at least ninety percent homologous to the nucleobase sequences, or their complements, selected from the group consisting of: CCT-CTG-ATG-GGT-AGG (Seq. ID No. 1) and CCT-TCT-GAT-GGG-CAG (Seq. ID No. 2); and

b) other reagents, instructions or compositions useful in performing the assay.

44 . The kit of claim 43 , wherein the oligomers of the kit are unlabeled.

45 . The kit of claim 44 , wherein hybridization of the probing nucleobase sequence of the oligomer to the nucleic acid of the organism of interest is detected using one or more antibodies or antibody fragments, wherein at least one or the antibodies or antibody fragments specifically bind to the PNA/nucleic acid complex.

46 . The kit of claim 45 , comprising at least one antibody labeled with a detectable moiety.

47 . The kit of claim 43 , wherein at least one oligomer is labeled with a detectable moiety.