Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated polypeptides bearing sequence homology to the Sp36 protein found in pneumococcal organisms, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides are also disclosed. The invention also relates to antibodies specific for the disclosed polypeptides and to uses of such antibodies in the treatment of diseases caused by staphylococci as well as group A and B streptococci. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the disclosed polypeptides in compositions and as vaccines and for prophylactic uses such as in vaccination of animals, especially humans, against a wide variety of streptococcal, staphylococcal and other diseases.

Abstract: A purified or highly pure recombinant monoclonal antibody with 4G10-hybridoma type specificity is disclosed along with polynucleotides, including cDNA sequences, encoding the antibody chains and the amino acid sequences corresponding to said cDNA polynucleotides and uses for said sequences. Also disclosed are corresponding tagged sequences useful in molecular biological techniques and uses for said sequences.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for ligation of oligonucleotides containing 5′-phosphorothioates on complementary templates by the action of DNA ligases. This reaction is readily applied to the synthesis of a single stranded circular DNA containing a phosphorothioate linkage at the site of ligation junction. The efficiency of 5′-phosphorothioate directed ligation reaction by ATP dependent DNA ligase reaction is similar to conventional 5′-phosphate ligation. The utility of enzymatic ligation in probing specific sequences of DNA is also described. The present invention also provides a novel non-enzymatic ligation of 5′-phosphorothioates that has been applied to the synthesis of single strand phosphorothioate and phosphate circular DNA.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for allele discrimination involving the use of rolling circle amplification (RCA) coupled with primer extension and utilizing exonuclease deficient polymerases to distinguish matched and unmated single nucleotide sites, such as in the case of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).

Abstract: High throughput screening assays for the identification of potential therapeutic agents able to modulate the activity of enzymes of fatty acid biosynthesis, especially desaturases and/or elongases, are disclosed along with therapeutic uses of the agents identified by such assays for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases related to fatty acid metabolism. Substrates useful in such assays are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides bacterial immunogenic agents for administration to humans and non-human animals to stimulate an immune response. Also provided are methods for vaccination of mammalian species, especially human patients, with variants of the E. coli FimH protein, said variants being derived from different strains of E. coli, and to production of antibodies that protect the vaccine recipient against infection by pathogenic bacterial species. In another aspect the invention provides antibodies against such proteins and protein complexes that may be used as diagnostics and/or as protective/treatment agents for pathogenic bacterial species. A plasmid-based method of producing polypeptides, especially fused polypeptides, such as the complex of a bacterial chaperone and a bacterial adhesin, is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel immunogenic polypeptides, and therapeutically active fragments thereof, and vaccines, and vaccine compositions, for the prevention and treatment of streptococcal infection, especially by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The invention also relates to antibodies against the disclosed polypeptides, as well as methods of disease prevention and/or treatment.

Abstract: This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides, polypeptides encoded by such polynucleotides, the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides, as well as the production and isolation of such polynucleotides and polypeptides. More particularly, the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention have been identified as porcine stem cell factors, and in particular membrane-bound porcine stem cell factors, and still more particularly as being involved in the culture of pluripotent or totipotent porcine cells.

Abstract: Ultra high affinity antibodies with binding affinities in the range of 1010 M−1, and even 1011 M−1 are disclosed. Such antibodies include antibodies having novel high affinity complementarity determining regions (CDRs), especially those with framework and constant regions derived from either humans or mice. Methods of preparing and screening such antibodies, as well as methods of using them to prevent and/or treat disease, especially virus-induced diseases, are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention features ABC1 nucleic acids and polypeptides for the diagnosis and treatment of abnormal cholesterol regulation. The invention also features methods for identifying compounds for modulating cholesterol levels in an animal (e.g., a human).

Abstract: A vaccine composition is disclosed that comprises polypeptides and fragments of polypeptides containing histidine triad residues or coiled-coil regions, some of which polypeptides or fragments lie between 80 and 680 residues in length. Also disclosed are processes for preventing infection caused by S. pneumoniae comprising administering of vaccine compositions.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for vaccine priming, using co-treatment, at a temporally similar or at a previous time, with a priming antibody capable of priming, or enhancing, or potentiating the effects of a vaccine, or vaccine composition. Also disclosed are methods of using this process to prevent or treat disease.

Abstract: Compounds of the general structure according to Formula (I) wherein R1 is selected from alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkyl, haloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, cycloalkyl, and heterocycloalkyl; R2 is selected from alkyl, alkenyl, alkyny, heteroalkyl, haloalkyl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, and heterocycloalkylalkyl; R3 is selected from aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, and heterocycloalkyl; W is selected from Ch2, O and S; n is 0 to about 3: X is selected from S or O; Y, if present, is selected from a bond, aryl, NH, NR, O or S, where R3 is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkyl, haloalkyl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, and heterocycloalkylalkyl; and Z, if present, can represent a bond or is selected from lower alkyl, O or S are disclosed. Also disclosed are uses of such compounds for treating a variety of disease conditions, including cancer.

Abstract: The present invention provides bacterial immunogenic agents for administration to humans and non-human animals to stimulate an immune response. It particularly relates to the vaccination of mammalian species with pneumococcal derived polypeptides that include an alpha helix but exclude a choline binding region as a mechanism for stimulating production of antibodies that protect the vaccine recipient against infection by pathogenic bacterial species. In another aspect the invention provides antibodies against such proteins and protein complexes that may be used as diagnositics and/or as protective/treatment agents for pathogenic bacterial species.

Abstract: The present invention provides bacterial immunogenic agents for administration to humans and non-human animals to stimulate an immune response. It particularly relates to the vaccination of mammalian species with heteropolymeric protein complexes as a mechanism for stimulating production of antibodies that protect the vaccine recipient against infection by pathogenic bacterial species. In another aspect the invention provides antibodies against such proteins and protein complexes that may be used as diagnostics and/or as protective/treatment agents for pathogenic bacterial species. A novel vector for expressing the FimC-H complex at optimal levels is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the rapid simultaneous production of a plurality of single-stranded DNA circles having a predetermined size and nucleotide sequence using pre-designed hairpin oligonucleotides containing complementary sequences for directing ligation to form dumbbell-shaped monomers followed by heat denaturation to yield single-stranded DNA circles.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of isolating and/or propagating porcine stem cells, more specifically pluripotential porcine embryonic stem cells. The pluripotential cells are isolated and/or propagated by the use of a selectable marker gene which is inserted into the genetic material of the cells, and which permits the survival and growth of the porcine embryonic stem cells. The selectable marker gene is inserted so as to be regulated by a control or promoter polynucleotide sequence in the embryonic stem cells, for example the promoter polynucleotide sequence being the porcine Oct-4 promoter sequence of the present invention. The invention also provides for a transgenic pig which will constitute a source of the pluripotent cells.

Abstract: Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides derived from the genome of swine gamma-herpesviruses are disclosed, including recombinant cells and vectors encoding such polypeptides and expressing such polynucleotides. Use of the novel polynucleotides as probes of the swine genome is also described. Assay methods employing antibodies against the isolated polypeptides are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides polynucleotides coding for the mature transcriptional regulators known as ivi-2 and ivi-3, as well as a polynucleotide coding for a polypeptide designated as ivi-4. The polynucleotides were obtained from a genomic library obtained from the bacterial species Enterococcus faecalis.

Abstract: The present invention provides immunogenic compositions and methods for inducing enhanced immune responses using an antigen by use of an adjuvant comprising a member selected from a Caulobacter (in particular, C. crescentus) LPS or a fragment or derivative thereof.