Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant .beta.-1,3-glucanase essentially free of proteases. The enzyme is obtained through the use of a recombinant DNA expression vector which comprises a DNA sequence encoding the .beta.-1,3-glucanase gene or mutants and variants thereof placed under the control of an exogenous expression promoter, preferably a bacterial promoter. Also, the .beta.-1,3-glucanase gene may include sequences flanking the open reading frame of the native .beta.-1,3-glucanase gene. The present invention also relates to a microorganism transformed with a recombinant DNA expression vector comprising the .beta.-1,3-glucanase gene or mutants and variants thereof under the control of an exogenous expression promoter.

Abstract: A process for identifying proteinaceous protoxins expressed by Bacillus thuringiensis genes is disclosed. According to the process, daughter toxins are first generated by subjecting a protoxin-containing material, such as parasporal crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis, to limited proteolysis with a proteolytic enzyme in an aqueous suspension having a pH above 9.5. The daughter toxins are then separated by high performance anion-exchange liquid chromatography at a constant pH in excess of 10 in an increasing gradient of a salt, preferably sodium chloride. The gradient conditions, which are specific for the column used, are achieved by employing a series of buffers having increasing concentration of the salt and introduced at a predetermined time and rate. The procedure provides a chromatogram showing clearly identifiable peaks of toxins and permits therefore the qualitative and quantitative characterization of the original mixture and isolation of the individual toxins.

Abstract: A process for identifying proteinaceous protoxins expressed by Bacillus thuringiensis genes is disclosed. According to the process, daughter toxins are first generated by subjecting a protoxin-containing material, such as parasporal crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis, to limited proteolysis with a proteolytic enzyme in an aqueous suspension having a pH above 9.5. The daughter toxins are then separated by high performance anion-exchange liquid chromatography at a constant pH in excess of 10 in an increasing gradient of a salt, preferably sodium chloride. The gradient conditions, which are specific for the column used, are achieved by employing a series of buffers having increasing concentration of the salt and introduced at a predetermined time and rate. The procedure provides a chromatogram showing clearly identifiable peaks of toxins and permits therefore the qualitative and quantitative characterization of the original mixture and isolation of the individual toxins.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recombinant vertebrate F such as vaccinia virus which comprises in its genome (i) spheroidin promoter of entomopoxvirus such as Choristoneura biennis and (ii) at least one structural gene coding for at least one protein foreign to entomopoxvirus and to the vertebrate poxvirus and is capable of expressing the foreign protein gene in a vertebrate tissue culture cell or in a vertebrate animal susceptible to the vaccinia virus. The recombinant virus is capable of expressing the foreign gene at a significantly higher rate due to the presence of the entomopoxvirus spheroidin promoter than the same virus without the entomopoxvirus promoter. The protein may be antigenic or otherwise pharmaceutically useful. Also disclosed vaccine and a process for producing the protein using the recombinant virus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the degree of freshness of raw, frozen and processed edible fish by monitoring the degradation of adenine triphosphate to inosine monophosphate, inosine and hypoxanthine. This method comprises simultaneously determining, by use of a suitable amperometric electrode such as platinum vs. silver/silver chloride polarized at 0.7 V, the amount of uric acid and hydrogen peroxide resulting from the degradation of hypoxanthine by xanthine oxidase, the degradation of inosine by the combined action of nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine oxidase and the degradation of inosine monophosphate by the combined action of nucleotidase, nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine oxidase. Also within the scope of this invention is a method for the immobilization of nucleotidase on the walls of a polymeric tube such as polystyrene tube and the co-immobilization of nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine oxidase on a porous polymeric membrane such as a nylon membrane.

Abstract: Composition for enhancing germination and growth of plants which comprises an effective amount of at least one abscisic acid-related compound having the following formula (I): ##STR1##

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for quantitatively assaying the presence of DSP toxins such as okadaic acid and dinophysistoxin-1 in marine samples. The method comprises the steps of preparing a marine extract, fractionating the prepared marine extract and selecting the extract fraction containing the toxin to be assayed. Once the desired extract fraction has been selected, a labelled substrate for protein phosphatase and at least one protein phosphatase are added to the extract in an assay. The amount of toxin present is quantitatively measured by the ability of the extract fraction to inhibit catalysis, mainly dephosphorylation, of the labelled substrate by protein phosphatases, such as phosphatase-1 (PP1) or phosphatase-2A (PP2A). Preferably, the method of the present invention is used to assay the presence of okadaic acid in marine organisms such as mussels, oysters, scallops, phytoplankton and the like.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting liquids into a body without using hypodermic needles, the liquid being ejected from a small orifice in a probe at a velocity which will penetrate the surface of a body against which the probe is placed. The apparatus ejects a specific small volume of the liquid under a very high initial velocity and pressure followed by the ejection of the main charge of liquid at a lower velocity so that the liquid flows into the channel caused by the initial penetration without penetrating to a greater depth. The probe is connected to a hand-held portion whose other end is attached via a flexible tube containing a suitable hydraulic fluid to two remote pressure intensifiers, one of which creates the required high initial pressure for a short period of time and the other of which provides the pressure necessary to eject the main charge of liquid at a lower velocity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an approach for conducting site-directed mutagenesis using double-stranded DNA templates. The approach involves the development of a method for generating structures capable of directing full-length complementary-strand synthesis from double-stranded plasmid DNA. These structures are formed following heat denaturation and cooling of linearized plasmid DNA molecules in the presence of what is referred to as a "closing oligonucleotide". A "closing oligonucleotide" is a single-stranded oligonucleotide consisting of a sequence complementary to either or both free ends of one of the two plasmid DNA strands. The "closing oligonucleotide" therefore functions as an agent for recircularization of a DNA strand and generation of a primer-circular template structure suitable for polymerase-dependent full-length complementary-strand synthesis and ligation into a covalently-closed heteroduplex DNA molecule.

Abstract: A B. subtilis strain possessing an enhanced surfactin production potential. The strain is a mutant of B. subtilis ATCC 21332 and has at least one mutation between Arg4 and HisA1 sites of the genetic map of B. subtilis ATCC 21332. Also included in the present invention is B. subtilis strain having the identifying characteristics of ATCC 53813.

Abstract: A dry porous macromolecular matrix is prepared comprising a cross-linked mixture of 69.9 to 86.6% by weight of an inert protein 0.4 to 10.2% by weight of a lipase enzyme and about 11.7 to 23% by weight of a cross-linking agent. The matrix is prepared by reacting the lipase, inert protein and cross-linking agent in a buffer solution, freezing the resulting reacted mixture at a temperature ranging between -20.degree. C. and -195.degree. C., allowing the frozen mixture to thaw to a temperature ranging from 4.degree. C. to 25.degree. C., and rinsing and drying the resulting product at room temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the reductive dehalogenation of polyhaloaromatic compounds. It comprises reacting polyhaloaromatics in a hydrocarbon or silicone-based oil or an organic diluent, with an alkali metal in the presence of an ammonium salt to reduce the polyhaloaromatics to hydrogenated aromatics and to convert the halogen content to metal halides. Preferably, the polyhaloaromatics and the ammonium salt are to be reacted with the alkali metal in the form of a suspension. Other preferred features include the use of an amount of alkali metal ranging from 5 to 10 moles and the use of an amount of ammonium salt also ranging from 5 to 10 moles for each mole of the polyhaloaromatic compound to be reduced, carrying out the reaction under an inert atmosphere and carrying out the reaction at a temperature ranging from 40.degree. to 60.degree. C.