Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods related to the expression of Bowman-Birk protease inhibitors and variants thereof in bacterial species. The present invention further provides fusion nucleic acids, vectors, fusion polypeptides, and processes for obtaining the Bowman-Birk protease inhibitors.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for producing products comprising improved host cells genetically engineered to have uncoupled productive and catabolic pathways. In particular, the present invention provides host cells having a modification in nucleic acid encoding an endogenous enzymatic activity that phosphorylates D-glucose at its 6th carbon and/or a modification of nucleic acid encoding an enzymatic activity that phosphorylates D-gluconate at its 6th carbon. Such improved host cells are used for the production of products, such as, ascorbic acid intermediates. Methods for making and using the improved host cells are provided. Nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for glucokinase and gluconokinase are provided.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and compositions for the production and secretion of polypeptides. Included herein is the use of interrupting peptide transport activity for an increase in polypeptide production and/or secretion.

Abstract: Methods for forming peptide derivatives using functional moieties and peptide derivatives are provided. Further, methods for using peptide derivatives to form silicon-based composite materials and silicon-based composite materials formed thereby are provided. The silicon-based composite materials may have features on the nanoscale, and the materials may exhibit characteristics derived from the functional moieties on the peptide derivatives. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that is will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Abstract: The present application relates to peptides which bind to a target stain, phenol oxidizing enzyme-binding peptide complexes wherein the binding peptide is attached to the C-terminus of the phenol oxidizing enzyme or is inserted or substituted into the phenol oxidizing enzyme. In a preferred embodiment the phenol oxidizing enzyme is a laccase specifically Stachybotrys oxidase B and variants thereof. The invention provides expression vectors comprising the phenol oxidizing enzyme-binding peptide complex as well as host cells comprising the vectors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to modified pullulanases useful in the starch industry. The present invention provides methods for producing the modified pullulanase, enzymatic compositions comprising the modified pullulanase, and methods for the saccharification of starch comprising the use of the enzymatic compositions.

Abstract: The present invention makes use of unique tags of a specific biopolymer that can be exploited for determining the concentration the biopolymer in crude solutions. In preferred embodiments the biopolymer is either a protein or a polynucleotide. Particularly, the invention provides a method for the determination and quantitation of biomolecules in crude mixtures by way of a separation technique in combination with mass spectroscopy. In one general embodiment, a target biomolecule is selected for analysis and an analog thereof is generated. Peak area integration of the peptide pairs provides a direct measure for the amount of target protein in the crude solution.

Abstract: Methods for forming repeat protein polymers and utilizing the repeat protein polymers to form inorganic structures are provided. The inorganic structures may have features on the nanoscale, and the structures generally do not have the repeat protein polymer incorporated therein.

Abstract: The present invention is related to cis-diols and biological methods of producing cis-diols. The present invention further relates to processes for subsequently converting such silane cis-diols to the more stable acetonide derivatives, as well as a process for converting silane cis-diols to the corresponding catechols and the compounds produced thereby. The present invention also provides chemical methods for the conversion of said silane cis-diols and acetonide compounds to epoxy, saturated and otherwise modified derivatives. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that is will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for the enhanced production of secreted proteins. The secretion of a protein of interest having a substantially non-polar carboxy tail is enhanced by the placement of charged amino acid residues at the carboxy terminus either by adding to the native peptide or by replacing, i.e., substituting, the terminal residues of the native peptide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to materials comprising hydrophilic polymers and immobilized proteorhodopsin and the use of such materials as an optical information carrier. The material comprises one or more hydrophilic polymers that are capable to form a homogeneous phase with proteorhodopsin prior to solidification to a solid form. The hydrophilic polymer, for example, is silica sol-gel, gelatin, polyvinylalcohol, agarose, agar, methyl cellulose, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol, or a mixture thereof. The solid material having immobilized proteorhodopsin is deposited on a substrate selected from the group consisting of glass, paper, metal, fabric material, plastic material, and used as an optical data storage material or a fraud-proof carrier. The present invention further provides a security ink comprising proteorhodopsin and one or more hydrophilic polymers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated promoter sequences, particularly a promoter isolated from Aspergillus niger designated herein as A4-L or A4 and DNA constructs and vectors including the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for separating one or more components of interest from a sample containing particulates and soluble materials. The method comprises the steps of: (a) filtering a sample through silica filter media whose surface silanol groups have reacted with one or more silanes, and (b) simultaneously capturing particulates and binding a soluble component to the silica filter media. The bound soluble component of interest is subsequently eluted from the silica filter media. In one embodiment of the invention, unwanted soluble materials are captured by the treated silica filter media and desired component of interest is recovered from the flow-through. In another embodiment, different components of interest are recovered from both the eluate and the flow-through. Preferred treated silica filter media are silane-treated rice hull ash or diatomaceous earth with functional quarternary ammonium group or functional sulphonate group.

Abstract: Described herein are novel nucleic acids, proteins and methods that can be used to provide new catalysts with desirable traits for industrial processes. In particular, novel reductases isolated from the environment using PCR methods are described.

Abstract: This invention provides modified enzymes comprising one or more amino acid residues replaced by cysteine residues, where the cysteine residues are modified by replacing the thiol hydrogen in the cysteine residues with a substituent group providing a thiol side chain comprising a multiply charged moiety. The enzymes show improved interaction and/or specificity and/or activity with charged substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thiosulfonate-activated ionophore comprising an ionophore, a spacer group, and an alkylthiosulfonate moiety. A preferred ionophore is gramicidin A. A preferred alkylthiosulfonate is methanethiosulfonate. The present invention also provides a conjugate comprising an ionophore, a spacer group, and a recognition molecule. Further the invention related to membranes incorporating the conjugates and biosensors comprising said membranes.

Abstract: Methods for forming peptide derivatives using functional moieties and peptide derivatives are provided. Further, methods for using peptide derivatives to form silicon-based composite materials and silicon-based composite materials formed thereby are provided. The silicon-based composite materials may have features on the nanoscale, and the materials may exhibit characteristics derived from the functional moieties on the peptide derivatives. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that is will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an acid-stable alpha amylase (asAA) derived from a strain of Aspergillus kawachi, which has granular starch hydrolyzing (GSH) activity, the heterologous expression of the asAA having GSH activity in filamentous fungal host cells and enzyme compositions including the same which optionally include glucoamylase.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel endoglucanase nucleic acid sequence, designated egl6, and the corresponding EGVI amino acid sequence. The invention also provides expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding EGVI, recombinant EGVI proteins and methods for producing the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel ?-glucosidase nucleic acid sequence, designated bgl3, and the corresponding BGL3 amino acid sequence. The invention also provides expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding BGL3, recombinant BGL3 proteins and methods for producing the same.