ENZYME SUBSTRATES, CULTURE MEDIA CONTAINING SAME AND USE THEREOF IN ORDER TO DETECT AMINOPEPTIDASE ACTIVITY AND/OR DIFFERENTIATE GRAM-POSITIVE BACTERIA FROM GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA

摘要

The invention relates to novel chromogenic enzyme substrates which are used to detect aminopeptidase activity in micro-organisms or to determine whether at least one bacterium belongs to the Gram-positive group or the Gram-negative group according to the colour thereof. The invention also relates to culture media containing such substrates, the use of said substrates or media for the detection of aminopeptidase activities and/or the differentiation of Gram-positive bacteria in relation to Gram-negative bacteria and use methods thereof. The aforementioned novel substrates have the following formula, wherein: R1 is nothing or an alkyl, allyl, aryl group; R2 is formed by at least one amino acid, preferably alanine; R3, R4, R5 and R6 are formed independently of one another by H- or -O-alkyl, preferably -O-CH3; R7 is formed by H, O-CH3, alkyl or halogen; R8 is formed by H or Cl; and n is an integer corresponding to 0 or 1. The invention is particularly suitable for use in the field of diagnostics.