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Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition having the activity of degrading the cell wall of a Mycobacterium species comprising: (a) a first fusion protein including (i) a domain with a first enzymatic activity, the enzymatic activity being at least one or more of the following: N-acetyl-b-D-muramidase (lysozyme, lytic transglycosylase), N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase, N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase, L-alanoyl-D-glutamate (LD) endopeptidase, c-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid (DL) peptidase, D-Ala-m-DAP (DD) endopeptidase, or m-DAP-m-DAP (LD) endopeptidase, (ii) at least one peptide stretch fused to the N- or C-terminus of the domain with the first enzymatic activity; and (iii) a protein transduction domain (PTD) being at the N- or C-terminus of the first fusion protein; and (b) a second fusion protein including (i) a domain with a second enzymatic activity, the enzymatic activity being at least one or more of the following: lipolytic activity, cutinase, mycolarabinogalactanesterase, or alpha/beta hydrolase; (ii) at least one peptide stretch fused to the N- or C-terminus of the domain of the second enzymatic activity; and (iii) a protein transduction domain (PTD) being at the N- or C-terminus of the second fusion protein for use as a diagnostic agent. Moreover, the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding said fusion protein. In addition, the present invention relates to methods for the detection of a Mycobacterium species in a sample and a kit comprising the fusion proteins for conduction the methods for the detection.

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First Claim