Abstract: Embodiments are directed to methods and composition for preparing and using therapeutic phage.

Abstract: Certain embodiments are directed to methods of developing bacterial strains having a selected metabolism for producing a target molecule(s) or bacterial strains or bacteriophage strains comprising a modified gene encoding a selected agent.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to compositions and methods related to delivery of drugs via a capsid shell.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recombinant nonpermutated bacteriophage that includes a nucleic acid sequence that is at least 150 kb in length wherein the bacteriophage is made to display one or more surface antigens such as heterologous polypeptides, and compositions and kits that include the recombinant nonpermutated bacteriophages of the present invention. Also disclosed are methods of inducing an immune response in a subject that involve administration of a pharmaceutically effective amount of a composition comprising the recombinant nonpermutated bacteriophages of the present invention.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of increasing the virulence of a bacteriophage, comprising contacting a bacteriophage with a composition comprising a bacterium or bacterial extract; and a polymer. Also disclosed are methods of propagating and isolating therapeutic bacteriophages that involve use of dilute polymer compositions. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions the bacteriophage for which virulence has been increased by the methods set forth herein or which have been isolated by the methods set forth herein.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the resolution of macromolecules during electrophoresis. A method of creating an electrical field-rectifying fractionation-ratchet includes obtaining a fractionated particle that has an electrophoretic mobility that varies when an electric field varies, applying a pulsed electrical field to the fractionated particle, and varying a plurality of pulses of the electrical field repeatedly. Another method includes preparative gel electrophoresis that utilizes a continuous fractionation method made possible by an electrophoretic ratchet-generating field. Another method includes implementing cyclic electrophoresis including analyzing a sample by constant field electrophoresis; and enhancing the sample by an electrophoretic ratchet. Another method includes error checking during cyclic electrophoresis comprising: analyzing a sample by constant field electrophoresis; checking for errors in the sample; and enhancing the sample by an electrophoretic ratchet.

Abstract: The use of T7 bacteriophage to produce DNA length standards by enzymatically joining terminally repetitious, blunt-ended DNA has now been demonstrated. It is now possible to precisely control the formation of concatemeric DNAs thereby generating custom-made size-ranges of length standards. Furthermore, the standards thus produced are stable over time providing a highly reproducible and convenient product for the molecular biologist.

Abstract: The invention provides high molecular weight DNA length standards useful for sizing very long DNA molecules and methods for producing such standards. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a mixture of T4 DNA concatemers that forms a DNA "ladder" having rungs differing by at least 0.17 Mb (Megabases) in length upon gel electrophoresis and methods for producing and using such compositions.

Abstract: A user programmable device for horizontal gel eletrophoresis is provided. This device can both accurately and programmably control: (a) the angle between electrical field and gel by use of a rotatable gel bed, (b) magnitude of the electrical field, and (c) temperature. The present invention is programmable by a microprocessor-based contol board which sends control signals to: (a) a motor attached to the rotatable gel (b) the source of elecrical potential and (c) Peltier devices attached to the sides of buffer chambers horizontally displaced from the rotatable gel bed. The present invention is particularly appropriate for lowering cost, lowering footprint, reducing heat dissipated, maintaining close tolerances of electric field gradients and temperature, and exploring and using thus far untried modes of electrical field variation. It is thereby suitable for analyzing large linear DNA, open circular DNA and/or DNA-protein complexes.

Abstract: The invention provides high molecular weight DNA length standards useful for sizing very long DNA molecules and methods for producing such standards. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a mixture of T4 DNA concatemers that forms a DNA "ladder" having rungs differing by at least 0.17 Mb (Megabases) in length upon gel electrophoresis and methods for producing and using such compositions.

Abstract: An apparatus and a procedure for fractionating DNA using agarose gel electrophoresis is provided. To improve resolution by length and conformation, the direction of the electric field impressed upon the sample is changed by rotating the gel. During agarose gel electrophoresis in one mode, a commerically available stepping motor and indexer are used to periodically re-orient to two different positions a gel on a circular disk within a conventional, horizontal, submerged gel electrophoresis apparatus. Because of the homogeneous field used, DNA forms comparatively sharp, undistorted bands. In one of several other modes, involving electrophoresis during periods of both continuous gel motion and stationary gel, the gel is rotated through integer multiples of 360.degree. followed by stationary electrophoresis.

Abstract: The use of T7 bacteriophage to produce DNA length standards by enzymatically joining terminally repetitious, blunt-ended DNA has now been demonstrated. It is now possible to precisely control the formation of concatemeric DNAs thereby generating custom-made size-ranges of length standards. Furthermore, the standards thus produced are stable over time providing a highly reproducible and convenient product for the molecular biologist.

Abstract: Provided are agarose gels and processes for producing agarose gels having a uniform concentration of agarose and a pore size gradient. These gels are prepared by allowing gelation in a salt or buffer gradient. The agarose gels are suitable for the purposes of sieving based electrophoretic separations or other sieving-based separations, such as, chromatography.

Abstract: An apparatus for conducting orthogonal electrophoretic separations in a gel bed. The apparatus comprises two pairs of opposing tanks, each tank having a flat base, an electrode assembly and buffer containment zone. A gel bed may be formed on the base so that each edge of the gel bed is in communication with a buffer containment zone. Each buffer tank may be isolated by a barrier from the base or gel bed. A sample of soluble materials may be placed in the gel bed and electrophoretically driven in a first direction and then in an orthogonal second direction. The barriers are all utilized together to retain liquid gel precursor and then are used in opposing pairs to isolate tanks whose electrode assemblies are not in use.After the soluble materials have been subjected to electrophoresis in both dimensions, possibly each dimensional migration in a different gel, the gel migration patterns of the materials may be found by staining, for example.

Abstract: A template and method for using the same to form multiple concentration running gel tracks within a single electrophoretic gel bed. A template body comprises a support frame maintaining in parallel alignment a set of elongate bars. A sample well forming comb is provided for use in conjunction with the template body, said comb comprising a set of teeth projecting from a base and aligned in the same fashion as the elongate bars. The template body and comb are positioned in a gel bed with the well comb forming the electrophoretic origin and the bars forming tracts running parallel with the eventual current. A liquified gel is poured into the gel bed being excluded by the template in part, thereby forming the eventual gel running tracts and sample wells. After the gel hardens the template body is removed and the gel running tracks are filled with varying concentrations of gels.