Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of producing a Streptococcus thermophilus strain comprising the steps of a) Providing a mother strain in the form of Streptococcus thermophilus DSM32502, b) Growing a culture of the mother strain in the presence of a bacteriophage, to which the mother strain is not resistant, to obtain a number of mutant strains, which are resistant to the said bacteriophage, c) Measuring the acidification time of the bacteriophage-resistant mutant strains and the mother strain in a milk base and selecting at least one mutant strain with a reduced acidification time as compared to the mother strain to obtain a fast-acidifying mutant strain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel tacrolimus analogs, a composition for the prevention or treatment of neurological diseases or immune hypersensitivity disorders comprising the same, a method for preventing or treating neurological diseases or immune hypersensitivity disorders comprising administering the analogs to a subject, a method for preparing the analogs using an isolated modified Streptomyces sp. strain wherein the activity of one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of TcsA, TcsB, TcsC and TcsD is reduced; and the isolated modified Streptomyces sp. strain for prepare the analogs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of methods for obtaining ethanol-producing yeast strains, to the field of the thus produced strains and to the field of the industrial production of ethanol from said strains. Particularly, the present invention relates, in the most general aspect thereof, to a method for preparing yeasts from industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, to said strains, and to the use thereof in the industrial production of ethanol from industrial media containing at least one pentose.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the enzymatic decarboxylation of malonic acid (propanedioic acid) derivatives catalyzed by enzymes structurally and/or functionally related to arylmalonate decarboxylase (AMDase) as isolated from microorganisms of the genus Bordetella. The present invention also relates to novel enzymes with a decarboxylase activity, useful for performing the claimed method, mutants thereof, corresponding coding sequences and expression systems, methods of preparing said novel enzymes, and screening methods for obtaining further suitable enzymes also having said decarboxylase activity.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of biotechnology or genetic engineering. Specifically, this invention relates to the field of gene expression. More specifically, this invention relates to a novel ecdysone receptor/chimeric retinoid X receptor-based inducible gene expression system and methods of modulating gene expression in a host cell for applications such as gene therapy, large-scale production of proteins and antibodies, cell-based high throughput screening assays, functional genomics and regulation of traits in transgenic organisms.

Abstract: Provided are novel specific binding molecules, particularly human antibodies as well as fragments, derivatives and variants thereof that recognize neoepitopes of disease-associated proteins which derive from native endogenous proteins but are prevalent in the body of a patient in a variant form and/or out of their normal physiological context. In addition, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such binding molecules, antibodies and mimics thereof and methods of screening for novel binding molecules, which may or may not be antibodies as well as targets in the treatment of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease are described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having endoglucanase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: Provided is an antibody specifically binding to the CTLD (C-type lectin like domain) of clecl4a (C-type lectin domain family 14, member A), a method for preparing the antibody, a composition for suppressing angiogenesis comprising the antibody, a method for suppressing angiogenesis by administering the antibody or the composition, a composition for preventing or treating cancer comprising the antibody, a method for treating cancer by administering the antibody or the composition, a composition for diagnosing cancer comprising the antibody, a kit for diagnosing cancer comprising the composition, a method for diagnosing cancer using the composition, a composition for suppressing angiogenesis comprising a material for inhibiting expression of clecl4a, a kit for angiogenesis comprising the composition, a method for suppressing angiogenesis or treating cancer using the composition, and the use of the CTLD of clecl4a as an epitope for an antibody suppressive of angiogenesis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to variants with improved activity in an amide-bond reaction. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the variants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having xanthan degrading activity, catalytic domains and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides and catalytic domains. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides and catalytic domains.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having xylanase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fusion protein comprising a skin-penetrating peptide, a polynucleotide encoding the fusion protein, an expression vector comprising the polynucleotide, a transformant comprising the expression vector, a method for preparing the fusion protein, a cosmetic composition for improving skin conditions, which comprises the fusion protein, and a pharmaceutical composition for external skin use, which comprises the fusion protein. The fusion protein of the invention comprises a skin-penetrating peptide bound to a physiologically active protein. The fusion protein significantly enhances the skin penetration and skin retention of the physiologically active protein while maintaining or enhancing the ability of the physiologically active protein to synthesize a material showing physiologically active effects. Thus, it can be widely used as an active ingredient in functional cosmetic compositions and pharmaceutical compositions for external skin use.

Abstract: Certain embodiments are directed to polypeptide sensors. Certain aspects of the invention are directed to polypeptides for sensing or detecting GTP and GTP concentrations. In further aspects, the polypeptide sensor can measure GTP concentrations, with high temporal and spatial resolution.

Abstract: The invention provides fusion proteins comprising at least one fluorescent protein that is linked to at least one transporter protein that changes three-dimensional conformation upon specifically transporting its substrate. The transporter protein may be a nitrate transporter, a peptide transporter, or a hormone transporter. The invention provides fusion proteins comprising at least one fluorescent protein that is linked to at least one mechanosensitive ion channel protein. The invention also provides for methods of using the fusion proteins of the present invention and nucleic acids encoding the fusion proteins.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for diagnosing and detecting diseases associated with colon. The present invention provides one or more proteins or fragments thereof, peptides or nucleic acid molecules differentially expressed in colon diseases (CCAT) and antibodies binds to CCAT. The present invention provides that CCAT is used as targets for screening agents that modulates the CCAT activities. Further the present invention provides methods for treating diseases associated with colon.

Abstract: Provided are isolated polypeptides having glucoamylase activity, catalytic domains, and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, catalytic domains. Also provided are nucleic acid constructs, vectors and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides, catalytic domains.

Abstract: This disclosure provides anti-human cytomegalovirus antibodies and methods of treatment, prophylaxis, detection, and diagnosis using the same. In another aspect, the disclosure features therapeutic, prophylactic, and/or diagnostic compositions for human cytomegalovirus infection or for a human cytomegalovirus-related disease that include a binding agent (e.g., antibody) or polynucleotide disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the composition is formulated for ocular or topical administration. The compositions can further include one or more human cytomegalovirus-neutralizing antibodies, an intravenous immunoglobulin preparation, and/or one or more antiviral compounds (e.g., ganciclovir, foscamet, cidofovir, or valganciclovir).

Abstract: The present invention relates to use of Caminibacter carbonic anhydrase in CO2 extraction, e.g., from flue gas, natural gas, biogas or ambient air. The Caminibacter carbonic anhydrases are especially well suited for these purpose due to their extreme thermostability.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides, inter alia, genetically encoded recombinant peptide biosensors comprising analyte-binding framework portions and signaling portions, wherein the signaling portions are present within the framework portions at sites or amino acid positions that undergo a conformational change upon interaction of the framework portion with an analyte.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having alpha-glucuronidase activity, catalytic domains and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, catalytic domains. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides or catalytic domains.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tomaymycin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces species FH6421, and its use for producing 11-de-O-methyltomaymycin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel mutants with cyclase activity and use thereof in a method for biocatalytic cyclization of terpenes, such as in particular for the production of isopulegol by cyclization of citronellal; a method for the preparation of menthol and methods for the biocatalytic conversion of further compounds with structural motifs similar to terpene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to antibodies capable of binding to the coagulation Factor XI and/or its activated form factor XIa and methods of use thereof, particularly methods of use as agents inhibiting platelet aggregation and by this inhibits thrombus formation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having glucoamylase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: The disclosure provides thermostable enzymes isolated from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii and fragments thereof useful for the degradation of cellulose and/or hemicellulose, including thermostable cellulases and hemicellulases. The disclosure further provides nucleic acids encoding the thermostable enzymes of the disclosure. The disclosure also provides methods for the conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose into fermentable sugars using thermostable enzymes of the disclosure. The disclosure also provides enzyme cocktails containing multiple enzymes disclosed herein. The enzymes can be used to release sugars present in cellulose or hemicellulose for subsequent fermentation to produce value-added products.

Abstract: The present invention relates tocutinasevariants. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the variants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an repebody capable of binding specifically to interleukin-6 (IL-6) to inhibit the biological activity of IL-6, a polynucleotide encoding the repebody, a vector comprising the polynucleotide, a recombinant microorganism having introduced therein the polynucleotide or the vector, a method of producing the repebody using the recombinant microorganism, a composition for preventing or treating cancer, which comprises the repebody, and a method for preventing or treating cancer, which comprises administering the composition for preventing or treating cancer, which comprises the repebody. The repebody of the present invention significantly reduces the activity of STAT3 and the concentration of interleukin-6, and thus can be widely used as an agent for preventing or treating IL-6-related diseases.

Abstract: The invention provides for methods for the production of mevalonate, isoprene, isoprenoid precursor molecules, and/or isoprenoids in cells via the heterologous expression of phosphoketolase enzymes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding a chimeric protein having the biochemical activity of a surface active protein, wherein said chimeric protein comprises: (a) an N-terminal portion of a first surface active protein, wherein the N-terminal portion is devoid of between 0 and 10 of the most N-terminal amino acids of the mature first surface active protein; and, C-terminally thereof, (b) a C-terminal portion of a second surface active protein, wherein the C-terminal portion is devoid of between 0 and 10 of the most C-terminal amino acids of the mature second surface active protein. The present invention further relates to a vector, a non-human host and a method for the production of a chimeric protein having the biochemical activity of a surface active protein. In addition, the present invention relates to a chimeric protein encoded by the nucleic acid molecule of the invention and a composition comprising the chimeric protein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to Huwentoxin-IV variants, polynucleotides encoding them, methods of making and using the foregoing, and methods of alleviating pain with peptide inhibitors of Nav1.7.

Abstract: Described are compositions and methods relating to variant alpha-amylasess having altered biochemical properties and advantageous performance characteristics as compared to a reference alpha-amylase. The variants are suitable for use in various industrial applications such as starch conversion, ethanol production, laundry, dishwashing, pulp and paper production, textile desizing, and/or sweetener production.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant expression of variant forms of M. thermophila CBH1a and homologs thereof, having improved thermoactivity, specific activity, and other desirable properties. Also provided are methods for producing ethanol and other valuable organic compounds by combining cellobiohydrolase variants with cellulosic materials.

Abstract: The invention provides a promoter derived from a genome of an actinomycete, Streptomyces species, and can specifically induce expression of a transgene in an actinomycete, Streptomyces species, in and after a logarithmic growth phase, and an actinomycete host having a high secondary metabolite production ability and a high precursor supply ability in and after the logarithmic growth phase, and a method for producing useful substances in which the promoter and the actinomycete host are combined.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for producing rapamycin by submerged fermentation which comprises cultivating Streptomyces hygroscopicus (CBS 773.72) and mutants thereof. The present invention provides a high yielding mutant culture MTCC5681 from Streptomyces hygroscopicus CBS 773.72. This culture is capable of producing rapamycin more efficiently than the cultures Streptomyces hygroscopicus from sources like ATCC, NRRL etc which have been reported so far.

Abstract: Some aspects of this invention relate to methods useful for the conversion of a carbon source to a biofuel or biofuel precursor using engineered microbes. Some aspects of this invention relate to the discovery of a key regulator of lipid metabolism in microbes. Some aspects of this invention relate to engineered microbes for biofuel or biofuel precursor production.

Abstract: The invention provides bispecific fusion proteins that inhibit activation of complement pathway and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway and methods for using these fusion proteins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to GH61 polypeptide variants. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the variants.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a recombinant microorganism engineered to express an enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of a primary amine and an acyl thioester to a fatty amide. The disclosure further encompasses a method of producing a fatty amide by culturing the recombinant microorganism in the presence of a carbon source.

Abstract: A bacterium belonging to the genus Streptomyces having an ability to produce reveromycin A or a synthetic intermediate thereof, the bacterium being modified so as to increase expression of revQ gene coding for the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36 or an amino acid sequence having an identity of not less than 80% to SEQ ID NO: 36 as compared with a parent strain, thereby the above-mentioned production ability is increased as compared with the parent strain.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered transaminase polypeptides for the production of amines, polynucleotides encoding the engineered transaminases, host cells capable of expressing the engineered transaminases, and methods of using the engineered transaminases to prepare compounds useful in the production of active pharmaceutical agents. The present disclosure provides engineered polypeptides having transaminase activity, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, methods of the making the polypeptides, and methods of using the polypeptides for the biocatalytic conversion of ketone substrates to amine products. The present enzymes have been engineered to have one or more residue differences as compared to the amino acid sequence of the naturally occurring transaminase of Vibrio fluvialis. In particular, the transaminases of the present disclosure have been engineered for efficient formation of chiral tryptamine derivatives from its corresponding prochiral ketone substrates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to host cells that produce compounds that are characterized as benzylisoquinolines, as well as select precursors and intermediates thereof. The host cells comprise one, two or more heterologous coding sequences wherein each of the heterologous coding sequences encodes an enzyme involved in the metabolic pathway of a benzylisoquinoline, or its precursors or intermediates from a starting compound. The invention also relates to methods of producing the benzylisoquinoline, as well as select precursors and intermediates thereof by culturing the host cells under culture conditions that promote expression of the enzymes that produce the benzylisoquinoline or precursors or intermediates thereof.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein pertain to cells, and methods for preparing cells, that can be used as biocatalysts by altering enzymes that compete for a substrate or product of a pathway of interest such that the targeted enzyme is sensitive to a site-specific protease, which protease is expressed but relocated in the cell to a site where it is not in contact with the targeted enzyme in the intact cell. Upon cell lysis, the protease contacts the target enzyme, which is then inactivated by protease cleavage.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions and methods, including polynucleotide sequences, amino acid sequences, recombinant host cells and recombinant host cell cultures engineered to produce fatty acid derivative compositions comprising fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fatty aldehydes, fatty esters, alkanes, terminal olefins, internal olefins or ketones. The fatty acid derivative composition is produced extracellularly with a higher titer, yield or productivity than the corresponding wild type or non-engineered host cell.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to multi-specific Fab fusion proteins (MSFP) which comprise an antibody Fab fragment with both N-termini fused to a fusion moiety (fusion moiety A or B). MSFP containing the Fab fragment exhibit significantly reduced binding ability of the Fab fragment to the Fab target. Binding of the Fab to its target is restored when the MSFP is clustered on a cell surface by binding of the fusion moieties to their target. The reduced binding of the Fab to its target, especially when presented on a cell surface in its native state, absent fusion moiety binding provides advantages such as: reduced side effects and allows desirable pharmacological effects of selectivity and specificity in a controlled manner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydantoinase having an amino acid sequence selected from (i) or (ii), with (i) amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 6-20 and SEQ ID NO: 73-119 (ii) amino acid sequence wherein in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6-20 and SEQ ID NO: 73-119, 1 to 75 amino acid residues have been substituted, deleted, inserted and/or added, and wherein further the catalytic activity of the hydantoinase is higher by a factor of at least 1.2 than the catalytic activity of the hydantoinase having amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, The present invention further relates to a process for preparing amino acids, wherein said hydantoinase is used.

Abstract: Provided herein are non-naturally occurring microbial organisms having a formaldehyde fixation pathway and a formate assimilation pathway, which can further include a methanol metabolic pathway, a methanol oxidation pathway, a hydrogenase and/or a carbon monoxide dehydrogenase. These microbial organisms can further include a butadiene, 1,3-butanediol, crotyl alcohol or 3-buten-2-ol pathway. Additionally provided are methods of using such microbial organisms to produce butadiene, 1,3-butanediol, crotyl alcohol or 3-buten-2-ol.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the biosynthetic pathway for a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) derived drug and analogs thereof. The invention also discloses polynucleotide sequences useful for heterologous expression in a convenient microbial host for the synthesis of the NRPS derived drug.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding an enzyme having carboxyl esterase [E.C. 2.1.1.1] activity.

Abstract: The biosynthesis of fungal bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane indole alkaloids with a wide spectrum of biological activities have attracted increasing interest. Their intriguing mode of assembly has long been proposed to feature a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase, a presumed intramolecular Diels-Alderase, a variant number of prenyltransferases, and a series of oxidases responsible for the diverse tailoring modifications of their cyclodipeptide-based structural core. Until recently, the details of these biosynthetic pathways have remained largely unknown due to lack of information on the fungal derived biosynthetic gene clusters. Herein, we report a comparative analysis of four natural product metabolic systems of a select group of bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane indole alkaloids including (+)/(?)-notoamide, paraherquamide and malbrancheamide, in which we propose an enzyme for each step in the biosynthetic pathway based on deep annotation and on-going biochemical studies.

Abstract: Polypeptides are provided that are capable of significantly inhibiting andor neutralizing P aeruginosa. The polypeptides comprise two or more immunoglobulin single variable domains that are directed against the PcrV protein of P. aeruginosa, wherein the “first” immunoglobulin single variable domain and the “second” immunoglobulin single variable domain have different paratopes.