Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the preparation of a composition comprising natural vitamin B12, wherein said process comprises the steps of: a) obtaining microbial cells containing natural vitamin B12, b) causing opening of the microbial cells such that at least part of the soluble content of the cells comprising vitamin B12 is released in a liquid in which the cells are contained, c) separating the opened cells and the liquid comprising the vitamin B12, d) preparing a mixture of the vitamin B12 and at least a part of the opened cells, wherein the mixture has a vitamin B12 concentration on dry matter in excess of 0.1% (w/w).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biosynthetic process for preparing cobalamines. More precisely, it relates to a process for amplifying the production of cobalamines and, more specifically, of coenzyme B.sub.12 by means of recombinant DNA techniques and/or by means of adding a novel cobalamine precursor.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for preparing vitamin B.sub.12 (VB.sub.12) derivatives suitable for linking to a polymer, nanoparticle or therapeutic agent, protein or peptide. The methods involve reacting the 5'OH group of VB.sub.12 or an analogue thereof with an active carbonyl electrophile and subsequently obtaining said VB.sub.12 derivatives. The invention also relates to novel VB.sub.12 derivatives, VB.sub.12 derivatives prepared by the methods of the present invention and uses thereof in the preparation of in the preparation of polymer complexes or nanoparticles.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions which find use, inter alia, for modulating the stabilization of actin filaments. The compositions may comprise one or more polypeptide moieties derived from a novel human diaphanous polypeptide and/or one or more nucleic acid moieties derived from a novel human diaphanous gene or gene transcript. The invention also provides agents which specifically modify the binding of a natural human diaphanous gene or gene product with a natural binding target thereof, isolated human diaphanous hybridization probes and primers capable of specifically hybridizing with the disclosed human diaphanous genes, human diaphanous-specific binding agents such as specific antibodies, and methods of making and using the subject compositions in diagnosis, therapy and in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the preparation of a composition comprising natural vitamin B12, wherein said process comprises the steps of:a) obtaining microbial cells containing natural vitamin B12,b) causing opening of the microbial cells such that at least part of the soluble content of the cells comprising vitamin B12 is released in a liquid in which the cells are contained,c) separating the opened cells and the liquid comprising the vitamin B12,d) preparing a mixture of the vitamin B12 and at least a part of the opened cells, wherein the mixture has a vitamin B12 concentration on dry matter in excess of 0.1% (w/w).

Abstract: A method for diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome in an individual. Peripheral blood monocytes are isolated and p68 kinase activity, mRNA levels, protein levels, apoptosis and cell cycle analysis are measured. Significantly increased levels of any of these compared to healthy control individuals indicates the presence of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Abstract: Cells with an alteration at least in the gene involved in betaine catabolism, their preparation and their use, in particular for producing metabolites and/or enzymes, are disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided an economical, efficient and industrially useful method of producing vitamin B.sub.12 which comprises cultivating a microorganism belonging to Rhizobium cobalaminogenum FERM BP-4429 which is capable of producing vitamin B.sub.12 in a culture medium and recovering the vitamin B.sub.12. The microorganism is isolated from soil and has no formation of acids from L-arabinose. Further, there are no straight chain fatty acids 21:1 or 19:0.

Abstract: A method of purifying ferment-produced riboflavin, wherein the impure riboflavin is suspended in water or dilute aqueous acid, and the suspension is heated at a temperature of from 75.degree. to 130.degree. C. for from 0.3 to 3 hours with stirring, during which time crystal transformation takes place, after which the mixture is cooled and the purified product is isolated in known manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the conversion of corrinoids produced by microorganisms into cyanocorrinoids by reaction with cyanides. According to the invention a fermentation broth obtained by disruption of microorganism cells in a known manner, preferably by heat treatment in the presence or absence of sulfite ions, optionally after purification steps known per se, is contacted with a suitable adsorbent or ion exchange resin, the corrinoids adsorbed on the surface of the adsorbent or ion exchange resin are treated with an aqueous solution containing cyanide ions or a compound capable of supplying cyanide ions, in an amount providing cyanide ions in a 1.1 to 2.0-fold molar excess related to the corrinoids, the adsorbent or ion exchange resin is washed with water, and the cyanocorrinoids obtained is eluted in a known manner, preferably with aqueous ethanol.

Abstract: N-Homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamido cobalamin is useful for decreasing the induction of chemically-induced tumors in animals. It is also useful for inhibiting weight gain.

Abstract: A fermentation process is disclosed for the preparation of an inoculum, suitable for batchwise, semicontinuous, or continuous production of coenzyme B.sub.12 under septic conditions. The fermentation process begins with a broth consisting of methanol, cornsteep liquor hydrolysate or heat-treated corn slop, ammonium bicarbonate, magnesium chloride, cobalt chloride, 5,6-dimethyl-benzimidazole and sodium bisulfite used for anaerobic, mesophilic, septic fermentation production of coenzyme B.sub.12 with anaerobic, digested sewage sludge. Fermentation is carried out over several steps to provide an inoculum containing an anaerobic, mesophilic, methane-producing, new mixed micropopulation, containing bacteria of each of the types deposited at the Hungarian National Collection of Medical Bacteria, National Institute of Hygiene, under numbers 00076, 00079, and 00272.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a fermentation broth containing coenzyme B.sub.12, with a new, anaerobic, mesophilic, methane-producing mixed micropopulation, under anaerobic, septic conditions, using a new broth containing methanol, precursors and partially known nutrients,In the new process according to the invention the improvement consists in(a) removing 5 to 15 volume percent of the inoculum fermentation broth containing the anaerobic, mesophilic, methan-producing new mixed micropopulation and replacing same with an equal volume of a broth containing cornsteep liquor hydrolysate and/or corn slops of hydrolysate thereof and other known nutrients, the number and concentration of which has been reduced, for 6 to 8 days, and if desired, further manufacturing the fermentation broth removed,(b) after reaching an assimilation velocity of at least 0.15 to 0.2 g methanol/lit.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the treatment of fermentation broths containing vitamin B.sub.12 and other corrinoids, and for the preparation of vitamin B.sub.12 concentrates or crystalline vitamin B.sub.12 wherein the fermentation broth is contacted with a nonionic, macroreticular, adsorption resin having a pore size of 10.sup.-8 to 10.sup.-7 meters, a grain diameter of at least 10.sup.-4 m, and a specific surface area of at least 200 m.sup.2 /g so that the macromolecular adsorption resin adsorbs fermentation broth additives and metabolites of fermentation, whereas the intact microorganism cells containing the vitamin B.sub.12 remain in solution. The solution of intact vitamin B.sub.12 -containing cells is then treated further to obtain vitamin B.sub.12 in still purer form.

Abstract: A process for producing vitamin B.sub.12 by the fermentation technique which comprises cultivating a vitamin B.sub.12 -producing microorganism belonging to the genus Propionibacterium in a culture medium containing a carbon source and a nitrogen source, and collecting vitamin B.sub.12 accumulated in the cells of the microorganism; characterized in that(1) the cultivation is carried out while adding an alkali at suitable times to the cultivation system so that during the cultivation, the cultivation system is maintained at a pH in the range of about 5 to about 7.5, and(2) the cultivation is carried out while adding a carbon source portionwise to the cultivation system nearly at the same time as the addition of the alkali,(3) provided that when a vitamin B.sub.12 -producing microorganism having resistance to propionic acid is used as the microorganism, the portionwise addition of the carbon source in (2) can be omitted. Also disclosed are propionic acid-resistant, vitamin B.sub.

Abstract: Vitamin B.sub.12 -active substances are produced by the fermentation of an aqueous medium consisting essentially of methanol as the main source of assimilable carbon, a source of assimilable nitrogen, cobalt ions and essential growth factors and minerals with a vitamin B.sub.12 -activity substance producing organism capable of growing under anaerobic conditions.

Abstract: A process for obtaining metal-free corrinoids consisting of inoculating a culture media free of added compounds of metals of the VIIIth group of the Periodic Table with a parent strain of Rhodopseudomonas, cultivating under illumination, repeating the steps of inoculating and cultivating employing said culture media and said illumination employing a part of the sequential culture from the preceding stage as an inoculum in each subsequent state, for a series of several pre-production culture stages, inoculating said culture media with the preceding sequential culture for the last time, cultivating under illumination, separating the microorganism from the culture media of the production culture stage and isolating metal-free corrinoids from the culture media of the production culture stage.

Abstract: A process for fermentatively producing vitamin B.sub.12, which comprises cultivating a vitamin B.sub.12 -producing microorganism belonging to at least one of the genus Arthrobacter and the genus Propionibacterium in the presence of a pre-cultivation product of a vitamin B.sub.12 -producing microorganism belonging to at least the other genus, and separating vitamin B.sub.12 from the culture broth.