Abstract: Macromolecules such as nucleic acid strands are aligned, adhered and stretched on a support surface by passing the strands through a meniscus of a solvent containing the strands. The meniscus may be that of a solvent between two surfaces at an interface of the solvent with air. One end of a nucleic acid strand is attached to one surface which may be a glass surface and another end is free. The meniscus is moved relative to the surface to which the end is attached such as by evaporating the solvent or by moving the surface. As the nucleic acid strand passes through the meniscus, the strand elongates and aligns perpendicular to the meniscus on the surface. This method may be used in assaying, measuring intramolecular distance of and/or separating macromolecules.

Abstract: A recombinant strain of B. anthracis is characterized in that it can induce the production of protective antibodies against virulent strains of B. anthracis in a human or animal host, and characterized also by the mutation of the pX01 plasmid of at least one given gene coding for a protein which causes a toxic effect of B. anthracis, wherein said mutation leads to the deletion of all or part of said gene which codes for the protein causing the toxic effect, and to the insertion of a DNA cassette at said gene's deletion site in pX01, whereby the strain thereby modified may be selected and a back mutation of the recombinant strain may be prevented, and wherein the gene thereby mutated is thereafter either unable to produce the protein causing the toxic effect for which it codes, or able to code for a truncated protein which has lost its toxic properties. The use of such a strain in immunogenic compositions is also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to polypeptides possessing urease activity of the type expressed naturally in C. pylori and immunogenic compositions comprising those polypeptides. This invention also relates to antibodies to polypeptides possessing urease activity and use of those antibodies to detect C. pylori.

Abstract: Fragments of nucleic acids derived from an appropriate mycobacteria genome, particularly Mycobacterium tuberculosis, their applications in the diagnosis of mycobacteria infections, as well as plasmides containing said fragments. The nucleotidic sequence is comprised of a nucleotidic sequence repeated in the genome of a mycobacterium and specific of the bacillus of tuberculosis and is characterized by a strong hybridation with M. tuberculosis.

Abstract: A nucleotide sequence having the following properties: it includes all or part of DNA fragment XbaI of 7 kb shown in FIG. 4A, as obtained from plasmid pCBM1 filed with the CNCM on Jun. 15, 1993 under no. I-1317; it hybridises with oligonucleotide probe 18A (TGT GAA GTI AAT TGT GA) SEQ ID NO:1 and/or oligonucleotide probe 16A (TTT CAT ATI GAA GCI GTI AAT GAA GG) SEQ ID NO:2 and/or at least one of probes 66A (ATG AAT ACI AAT ATI TTT TCI ACI AA) SEQ ID NO:3 or 66B (TC IGG TTC ICC ATA IAT CCA TTC ATC) SEQ ID NO:4 under stringent conditions; and it codes for a protein, polypeptide or peptide capable of participating in the toxic activity of the expression products of fragment XbaI of 7 kb against Diptera larvae and mosquito or sandfly larvae in particular. The polypeptides encoded by said sequence and their use in larvicidal compositions are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to cycloheximide resistance proteins, which are capable of conferring resistance to cycloheximide to cells containing the protein. The invention also relates to fragments or derivatives of cycloheximide proteins which confer cycloheximide resistance and/or are recognized by antibodies specific for the cycloheximide resistance proteins.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new class of retroviruses, designated by HIV-2, of which samples have been deposited to the ECACC under numbers 87.01.1001 and 87.01.1002 and to the NCIB under numbers 12.398 and 12.399.It relates also to antigens capable to be obtained from this virus, particularly proteins p12, p16, p26 and gp140. These various antigens can be used for the diagnosis of the disease, especially by contacting these antigens with a serum of a patient submitted to the diagnosis.It relates to immunogenic compositions containing more particularly the glycoprotein gp140. Finally it concerns nucleotidic sequences, which can be used especially as hybridization probes, derived from the RNA of HIV-2.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of constructing a villin gene hybrid by inserting an I-Sce I restriction site next to or within a gene or cDNA encoding a villin protein. The insertion site of the I-Sce I restriction site is chosen as to provide a first downstream part and a second upstream part from the site, containing at least twelve nucleotides of the gene or cDNA encoding the villin protein. Furthermore, the insertion of the restriction permits a high frequency of homologous recombination events. The villin gene hybrid may be used to transfect eukaryotic cells, and particularly, embryonic stem cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleotide sequence characterized in that it is selected amongst the following nucleotide sequences: the sequence of the gene coding for a B-lactamase, or any part of said gene, particularly the sequence between nucleotides 1 and 394 containing the signals for expression of the gene, or the coding sequence comprising nucleotides 395 to 1274, or any sequence hybridizing under stringent conditions with the above sequence. Utilization of B-lactamase as a carrier protein for carrying heterolog epitopes for the preparation of vaccine compositions is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to papillomavirus probes derived from new DNA-HPVs deposited with the CNCM on the 6 May 1988 under the following filing numbers:PGEM 4 HPV49: I-754PSP 65 HPV50: I-755PSP 64 HPV54: I-756PGEM 4 HPV55A: I-757PGEM 4 HPV55B: I-758These probes can be used for in vitro detection of:in the case of HPV49: warts of the skin (in particular, common and plantar warts) and the differential diagnosis of epidermodysplasia verruciformis,in the case of HPV50: epidermodysplasia verruciformis, intra-epithelial neoplasias and cutaneous cancers,in the case of HPV55: genital neoplasias and cancers of the uterine cervix,in the case of HPV55: genital neoplasias and cancers of the uterine cervix, condylomas and papillomas.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is new means, comprising nucleotide sequences, for the detection, especially after amplification, of the DNA or of the cDNA of S. enterica or S. bongori.The invention relates especially to the oligo-nucleotides having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:4-18.

Abstract: An HIV isolate, LAV.sub.MAL, has been purified, sequenced, and characterized at the genetic level. The entire nucleic acid sequence of the viral genome, the encoded amino acid sequences, and the open reading frames found in the genome are disclosed. Specific peptides relating to the envelope glycoprotein of the viral genome are discussed. These peptides can be used in diagnostic methods and kits for detecting the presence of an HIV virus.

Abstract: The invention relates to cloning of the gene for the toxoplasma GP28.5 anen. It also encompasses purified GP28.5 antigen preparations and antigenic polypeptides derived from said antigen, and their applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of Actinomycetales, in particular of mycobacteria, to oligonucleotides contained within said nucleotide sequences, to their uses as primers for the synthesis of Actinomycetales DNA and as probes for the detection of DNA and/or the transcription products of Actinomycetales, in particular of mycobacteria, to the products of expression of said sequences, to their uses and to antibodies directed towards the said products, to a method for detecting and identifying Actinomycetales and its uses, as well as to immunogenic compositions comprising the said expression products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sequence of nucleotides, characterized in that it comprises at least a part of a sequence coding for a protein with urease activity such as that expressed by C. pylori.Another subject of the invention is the uses of this sequence, in particular for the in vitro diagnosis of diseases associated with the presence of Campylobacter pylori in the organism of an individual.

Abstract: Fragments of nucleic acids derived from an appropriate mycobacteria genome, particularly Mycobacterium tuberculosis, their applications in the diagnosis of mycobacteria infections, as well as plasmides containing said fragments. The nucleotidic sequence is comprised of a nucleotidic sequence repeated in the genome of a mycobacterium and specific of the bacillus of tuberculosis and is characterized by a strong hybridation with M. tuberculosis.

Abstract: Characterization of the envelope transmembrane protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) was carried out using murine polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies or patient sera specific for HIV-2 proteins. A 80-Mr glycoprotein (gp80) was produced in HIV-2 infected cells along with three other glycoproteins that were recently reported: the extracellular glycoprotein (gp125), the envelope glycoprotein precursor (gp140), and the transient dimeric form of gp140 (gp300). The gp125 and gp80 were detectable after the synthesis of gp140 and the formation of gp300. Among these four glycoproteins, only gp80 and gp125 were associated with HIV-2 virions. As the other glycoproteins, gp8O was recognized by all HIV-2 positive sera. A murine polyclonal antibody raised against the purified gp300 recognized all four glycoproteins.

Abstract: Nucleic sequences from the genome of Salmonella Typhi include all or part of the genetic information required for the in vitro infection of cultured HeLa cells by Salmonella bacteria. Polypeptides encoded by these nucleic sequences are also described, as is the use of said polypeptides and nucleic sequences for implementing methods of in vitro Salmonella detection in biological samples which are thought to contain it.

Abstract: Deoxyribonucleotide 5' triphosphate (dNTP) or ribonucleotide 5' triphosphate (NTP) esters for use in a nucleic acid sequencing process without use of a gel and having one o formulae (I), (II), (III) or (IV).

Abstract: A method for determining the nucleotide size of DNA fragments separated by gel electrophoresis, comprising the steps of (i) measuring the migration time of each detected DNA fragment, and (ii) correlating the size of each detected DNA fragment with its migration time.