Abstract: The present invention relates to engineering metabolic pathways in bacterial host cells which results in enhanced carbon flow for the production of ascorbic acid (ASA) intermediates. In particular, the invention relates to increasing the production of ASA intermediates in bacterial cells by enhancing the availability of gluconate resulting from the inactivation of endogenous gluconate transporter genes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel ?-glucosidase nucleic acid sequence, designated bgl7, and the corresponding BGL7 amino acid sequence. The invention also provides expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding BGL7, recombinant BGL7 proteins and methods for producing the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of novel serine proteases in Gram-positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nuclei acid and amino acid sequences for the Bacillus subtilis serine proteases SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5. The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5. The present invention also provides host cells further comprising nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides a cleaning composition comprising a serine protease of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of novel serine proteases in Gram-positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nuclei acid and amino acid sequences for the Bacillus subtilis serine proteases SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5. The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5. The present invention also provides host cells further comprising nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides a cleaning composition comprising a serine protease of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of novel serine proteases in Gram-positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nuclei acid and amino acid sequences for the Bacillus subtilis serine proteases SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5. The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5. The present invention also provides host cells further comprising nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides a cleaning composition comprising a serine protease of the present invention.

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.

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 the identification of novel metallo-proteases (MP) in Gram-positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for Bacillus (MP). The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding MP. The present invention also provides host cells further comprising nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides cleaning compositions comprising an MP of the present invention.

Abstract: Modified target molecules are disclosed comprising genetically modified molecules, preferably enzymes, that include a catalytic triad which alters the performance of the polypeptide. Optionally, such a catalytic triad in the modified target molecule comprises three members equivalent to amino acid residues Serine 227, Histidine 200, or Glutamate 139, respectively, in the Bacillus cellulase 103 sequence. Using the embodiments disclosed by the present invention, altered performance profiles, such as enzyme activity or stability, under alkaline conditions can be achieved. Methods of making and using modified target molecules are also disclosed.

Abstract: Enzyme-containing formulations having improved stability and enzymatic activity in liquid medium, comprising one or more protease enzymes produced from any Bacillus bacteria, at least about 5% alkali metal halide salt, and at least about 50% polyol. Also disclosed are methods for making such formulations.

Abstract: The present invention provides means to identify functional CD8+ T-cell epitopes in any protein of interest. The present invention further provides CD8+ T-cell epitopes of various proteins. In additional embodiments, the present invention provides epitopes suitable for use in prophylactic and/or therapeutic vaccines. In particularly preferred embodiments, the present invention provides modified epitopes suitable for use in prophylactic and/or therapeutic vaccines. In some preferred embodiments, the present invention provides means for the development of HPV vaccines, in particular multivalent vaccines for the prevention of infection with high-risk HPV strains. In particular, the present invention provides means to identify CD8+ T-cell epitopes in HPV strains such as HPV 16 and HPV 18. In additional embodiments, the present invention provides means for the development of therapeutic vaccines against high-risk HPV types that prevent the development of benign and/or malignant tumors in infected individuals.

Abstract: A selective targeting method is disclosed which comprises contacting a peptide library with an anti-target to allow the peptides to bind; separating non-binding peptides from the anti-target bound peptides, contacting the non-binding anti-target peptides with a target allowing the unbound peptides to bind with the target to form a target-bound peptide complex; separating the target-bound peptide complex from peptides which do not bind to the target, and identifying the target-bound peptides. In one embodiment the target is skin or hair. In another embodiment the anti-target is hair when the target is skin, and the anti-target is skin when the target is hair.

Abstract: Novel protease variants derived from the DNA sequences of naturally-occurring or recombinant non-human proteases are disclosed. The variant proteases, in general, are obtained by in vitro modification of a precursor DNA sequence encoding the naturally-occurring or recombinant protease to generate the substitution of a plurality of amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of a precursor protease. Protease variants are provided that contain substitutions of the amino acids at one or more residue positions so that the substitution alters the charge at that position to make the charge more negative or less positive compared to a precursor protease and thus the protease variant is more effective in a low detergent concentration system than a precursor protease.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for directing the evolution of microorganisms comprising the use of mutator genes and growth under conditions of selective pressure. The method discloses mutator genes which can be used in the methods of the present invention and provides ATCC deposits which exemplify the evolved microorganisms produced by the methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of a novel metalloproteases in gram positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for the metalloprotease. The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding the metalloprotease. The present invention provides host cells which further comprises a nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides cleaning compositions, animal feeds and compositions used to treat a textile that include the metalloprotease of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel variant EGIII or EGIII-like cellulases that have improved stability. The variant cellulases have performance sensitive residues replaced to a residue having modified stability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of a novel metalloproteases in gram positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for the metalloprotease. The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding the metalloprotease. The present invention provides host cells which further comprises a nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides cleaning compositions, animal feeds and compositions used to treat a textile that include the metalloprotease of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of a novel metalloprotease in gram positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for the metalloprotease. The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding the metalloprotease. The present invention provides host cells which further comprises a nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides cleaning compositions, animal feeds and compositions used to treat a textile that include the metalloprotease of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of a novel metalloprotease in gram positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for the metalloprotease. The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding the metalloprotease. The present invention provides host cells which further comprises a nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides cleaning compositions, animal feeds and compositions used to treat a textile that include the metalloprotease of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of a novel metalloprotease in gram positive microorganisms. The present invention provides the nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for the metalloprotease. The present invention also provides host cells having a mutation or deletion of part or all of the gene encoding the metalloprotease. The present invention provides host cells which further comprises a nucleic acid encoding desired heterologous proteins such as enzymes. The present invention also provides cleaning compositions, animal feeds and compositions used to treat a textile that include the metalloprotease of the present invention.