Abstract: The present invention is related to a composition comprising an agent selected from the group comprising HCMV virions, HCMV dense bodies and HCMV NIEP, whereby the composition is capable of elucidating an immune response while the virions, the NIEP and/or the dense bodies being non-fusiogenic.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a composition comprising an agent selected from the group comprising HCMV virions, HCMV dense bodies and HCMV NIEP, whereby the composition is capable of elucidating an immune response while the virions, the NIEP and/or the dense bodies being non-fusiogenic.

Abstract: The present invention is a composition that comprises at least two hepatitis B virus surface antigens (HBsAgs), fragments thereof and/or nucleic acids encoding them, the HBsAgs differing in HBV genotype in the S region and/or pre-S1 region and the composition containing no HBV core antigen (HBcAg) or nucleic acid encoding that antigen. The present invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions, especially vaccines, comprising these compositions for the prevention and/or treatment of an HBV infection or an HBV-mediated disease. The present invention further includes a method of preparing a patient-specific medicament for the therapeutic treatment of hepatitis B.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) comprising at least one promoter sequence, which is derived from a wild-type promoter of a methyltrophic yeast, whose transcription efficiency is modulated in comparison to the efficiency of the wild-type promoter by inserting or modifying a DNA binding site. The invention also relates to host cells, expression vectors, kits and methods for producing proteins while using the inventive DNA, as well as to different uses of the same and to a method for producing expression vectors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule, comprising a nucleic acid which codes for a polypeptide with chorismate mutase activity and derivatives thereof, whereby the derivatives have at least 10% of the chorismate mutase activity of the chorismate mutase, according to the identification number of the SEQ ID NO:2. The invention further relates to vectors containing nucleic acid molecules, to host cells comprising nucleic acid molecules and their use in methods for producing polypetides with chorismate mutase activity. The invention also relates to the polypeptides with chorismate mutase activity and antibodies which specifically recognize the same. In addition, the invention relates to methods for producing auxotrophic yeast strains using the nucleic acid molecules and to the preparation of the yeast strains.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid molecules comprising a heat-inducible promoter and to expression vectors and host cells containing at least one nucleic acid molecule according to the invention. The present invention further relates to kits and methods for producing one or more proteins using the nucleic acid molecules according to the invention and to various uses of the same. The object of the invention is to provide a promoter the heat-inducible characteristic of which is as selective as possible, in particular a promoter which is active in yeasts and which is suitable for protein expression at high temperatures.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid molecules comprising a heat-inducible promoter and to expression vectors and host cells containing at least one nucleic acid molecule according to the invention. The present invention further relates to kits and methods for producing one or more proteins using the nucleic acid molecules according to the invention, and to various uses of the same. The object of the invention is to provide a promoter the heat-inducible characteristic of which is as selective as possible, in particular a promoter which is active in yeasts and which is suitable for protein expression at high temperatures.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for synthesising one protein or several proteins in a host cell of the yeast genus Arxula and a nucleic acid molecule including a suitable promoter for this purpose. Moreover, this invention relates to an expression vector, a host cell and a kit as well as the use of these. Object of the invention is to make available a method for synthesising a protein in a yeast of the genus Arxula, with which higher protein quantities can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing recombinant proteins, in particular recombinant secretory proteins, to a method for identifying nucleic acid molecules the expression products of which permit improved secretion of a recombinant secretory protein, to the use of molecules thus identified for enhancing secretion of heterologous proteins, and to corresponding kit systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of carrying out blood tests. The invention is based on the finding that clinico-chemical blood parameters can be determined using not only blood serum but also blood plasma. Therefore, freshly taken blood samples, which are mixed with at least one thrombin inhibitor, can be used for determining both clinico-chemical parameters and hematological parameters. The clinico-chemical parameters can thus be determined using blood plasma, a separation of coagulable components being not required any more.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recovering recombinant HBsAg, wherein recombinant methylotrophic yeast cells which are capable of expressing HBsAg are disrupted using a high pressure homogenizer, and HBsAg is recovered from the cell debris obtained. The inventive method is characterized by a high product yield per g of cell dry weight and thus constitutes a considerable improvement over the former methods for recovering HBsAg.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for preparing 5-ketogluconate, which comprises the steps of:(a) genetically modifying a microorganism capable of microbiologically producing 5-ketogluconate to increase gluconate NADP.sup.+ -5-oxidoreductase gene expression of said microorganism;(b) culturing said microorganism in a medium to produce 5-ketogluconate; and(c) recovering 5-ketogluconate from said medium.

Abstract: A process for the recombinant production of proteins in the yeast Hansenula comprises transforming Hansenula with an expression cassette which comprises the following structural elements encoded:L-A-P-GENwhereL is a leader sequence,A is an adaptor producing an alpha-helix structure,P is a processing signal andGEN is a structural gene for the required protein.

Abstract: A process for the recombinant production of proteins in yeast comprises transforming the yeast with an expression cassette which comprises the following structural elements encoded:L-A-P-GENwhereL is a leader sequence of an animal peptide neurohormone,A is an adaptor producing an alpha-helix structure,P is a processing signal andGEN is a structural gene for the required protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to DNA-molecules comprising DNA-sequences encoding control regions and the structural gene for a protein having formate dehydrogenase (FMDH) activity. Said DNA-molecules may be combined with DNA-sequences encoding foreign genes so as to bring these genes under the stringent control of the regulation of the FMDH regulatory sequences and/or may be combined to DNA-sequences coding for secretory signals. The invention further relates to recombinant vectors containing said DNA-molecules and micro-organisms containing said vectors or DNA-molecules. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for producing a useful substance by producing this substance by culturing said micro-organisms and recovering the substance.