Abstract: The invention concerns Eisenia foetida polypeptides and peptides, particularly recombinant polypeptides, which are useful in tumour therapy, microbial infection, inflammation or immunology. The invention also relates to a process for preparing the above-mentioned polypeptides and peptides. Furthermore the invention concerns nucleic acids coding for said polypeptides and peptides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a polypeptide domain to modulate the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of cancer cells. More specifically, the present invention relates to a domain of a Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI) to modulate tumor invasiveness and/or metastasis. It further relates to compounds, such as antibodies, that interact with said domain and repress the tumor invasiveness and/or the metastasis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel class of metacaspases. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of metacaspases, preferably plant metacaspases to process a protein at a cleavage site comprising an arginine or a lysine at the P1 position, and to the use of such metacaspases to modulate cell death.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of Yops as caspase inhibitors. More specifically, it relates to the use of YopE and YopT as inhibitors of caspase-1 activity. The inhibitor can be used to treat caspase-1-related pathologies, such as inflammatory diseases and to inhibit caspase-1-related and/or -mediated cell death.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant Lactobacillus strain, with limited growth and viability in the environment. More particularly, it relates to a recombinant Lactobacillus that can only survive in a medium, where well-defined medium compounds, preferably thymidine or thymine, are present. A preferred embodiment is a Lactobacillus that may only survive in a host organism, where the medium compounds are present, but cannot survive outside the host organism in absence of the medium compounds. Moreover, the Lactobacillus strain can be transformed with prophylactic and/or therapeutic molecules and can, as such, be used to treat diseases such as, but not limited to, inflammatory bowel diseases.

Abstract: Described is a method for isolating genes involved in aging and/or oxidative stress, by mutation or transformation of a yeast cell, subsequent screening of the mutant or transformed cells that are affected in aging and isolation of the affected gene or genes, and the use of these genes to modulate aging and aging-associated diseases in a eukaryotic cell and/or organism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of the major OprI lipoprotein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to elicit a Type-1 immune response towards a heterologous antigen. The invention relates specifically to the use of OprI—antigen fusion proteins to elicit the Type-1 response. More particularly, the present invention is directed to pharmaceutical formulations comprising OprI and/or OprI fusion proteins, optionally together with a suitable excipient, to stimulate the Th1 dependent, cellular immune response.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant Lactococcus strain, with environmentally limited growth and viability. More particularly, it relates to a recombinant Lactococcus that can only survive in a medium, where well-defined medium compounds are present. A preferred embodiment is a Lactococcus that may only survive in a host organism, where such medium compounds are present, but cannot survive outside the host organism in the absence of such medium compounds.

Abstract: The current invention concerns SMAD-interacting protein(s) obtainable by a two-hybrid screening assay whereby SMAD1 C-domain fused to GAL4 DNA-binding domain as “bait” and a cDNA library from mouse embryo as “prey” are used. Some characteristics of a specific SMAD-interacting protein (SIP1) of the family of zinc finger/homeodomain proteins including d-crystallin enhancer binding protein and/or Drosophila zfh-1 include an inability to interact with full-size XSMAD1 in yeast, SIP1CZF binds to E2 box sites, SIP1CZF binds to the Brachyury protein binding site and interferes with Brachyury-mediated transcription activation in cells and also interacts with the C-domain of SMAD 1, 2 and 5. The minimal length of the amino acid sequence necessary for binding with SMAD appears to be a 51 amino acid domain encompassing amino acids 166-216 of SEQ ID NO: 2 having the amino acid sequence as depicted in the one letter code: QHLGVGMEAPLLGFPTMNSNLSEVQKVLQIVDNTVSRQKMDCKTEDISKLK (SEQ ID NO: 21).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the in vitro preparation of starting materials for micropropagation and/or storage of germplasm, comprising the steps of contacting plant material with a microorganism that induces fasciation and/or one or more fasciation-inducing factors derived from the microorganism or derived from the infected and/or fasciated tissue; developing leafy galls or shoot outgrowths on the plant material; and isolating the leafy galls or shoot outgrowths as the starting materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel proteins interacting with the cytoplasmic domain of CD40, which are useful in the treatment of CD40 and/or NF-kB related diseases. Surprisingly, these proteins do not show significant homology with the TRAF-protein family and therefore offer the possibility to modulate the CD40 and/or NF-kB pathway independently from the TRAF-CD40 interaction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a class of molecules specified as novel multipurpose antibody derivatives. This class of molecules is created by heterodimerization of two constituting components. Heterodimerization is obtained by the specific heterotypic interaction of a chosen VH-CH1 combination of immunoglobulin domains, with a chosen VL-CL combination of immunoglobulin domains. The appropriate VH and VL domains in the VHCH1 and VLCL context, a binding specificity can be constitituted by the heterodimerization scaffold itself. One or both of the comprising VHCH1 and VLCL chains can thus be extended at either the N- or the C-terminus or both with other molecules, such as a toxin polypeptide, an enzyme, a hormone, a cytokine, a signaling molecule, or a single chain linked Fv fragment with the same or a different specificity.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of drug discovery, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer and neurological disorders. The invention provides among others access to and insight in protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions in a signal transduction or transcriptional pathway controlling cell growth or development throughout a wide range of cells and tissues of the body, and provides means, such as nucleic acid, protein, cells and experimental animals and methods to identify candidate drugs, for example for use in therapy of cancer or neurological disorders. As an example of an alpha-catenin-binding protein with function in intracellular signalling or gene regulation, the invention provides an isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid or a functional fragment, homologue or derivative thereof, corresponding to a zinc finger gene with a nucleic acid sequence as shown in FIG. 1 and encoding a zinc finger protein, or fragment thereof, capable of complexing with a neurally expressed catenin.

Abstract: Two isoforms, p110 and p58 of PITSLRE protein kinase, can be translated from the same p110 (a2-2) mRNA by an internal ribosome entry process. Accordingly, p110 and p58, two proteins with punitive functions, are translated from a single mRNA species by using two AUGs within the same reading frame. These two proteins share the 439 C-terminal amino acids that contain the kinase domain. The internal ribosomal entry site (“IRES”) in the polycistronic p110 mRNA is the first IRES completely localized in the coding region of a cellular mRNA. Moreover, it was unexpectedly found that the IRES element is cell cycle regulated. Translation of p58 occurs in the G2/M stage of the cycle.

Abstract: Caspases are cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinases, many of which play a central role in apoptosis. This invention relates to the identification of a new murine caspase and its human homologue. The new molecules are most related to human/murine caspase-2 and human caspase-9 and possesses all the typical amino acid residues of the caspases involved in catalysis, including the QACRG box, and contains no or only a very short prodomain. Northern blot analysis revealed that mRNA expression of the new caspase is predominant in skin.

Abstract: An administration strategy for the delivery at the intestinal mucosa of cytokines or cytokine antagonists, preferably of acid sensitive anti-inflammatory agents, for example, IL10 and/or soluble TNF receptor via the oral route. Preferably, inoculation occurs along with a suspension of recombinant Lactococcus lactis cells, which had been engineered to produce the respective proteins.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of secondary metabolite production in plants and plant cell cultures. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of transporters and more particularly ABC-transporters to enhance the production and/or secretion of secondary metabolites in plants and plant cell cultures.

Abstract: Methods for determining whether a tissue sample or an analogue and/or derivative thereof comprises a cell with a chromosome {11:18} translocation associated with malignancies such as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma's. The invention further provides insight into a novel mechanism of transformation of primary cells. The mechanism involving expression of a fusion proteinaceous molecule comprising at least apoptosis inhibitor 2 (API2) or a functional part, derivative and/or analogue thereof fused to at least one other proteinaceous molecule. The invention also provides a novel nucleic acid sequence and proteinaceous molecule expressed from the sequence termed MALT-lymphoma associated Translocation (MLT) protein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel inhibitors of the Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-&kgr;B) activating pathway useful in the treatment of NF-&kgr;B related diseases and/or in the improvement of anti-tumor treatments. These inhibitors interfere early in the TRAF induced signaling pathway and are therefore more specific than I&kgr;B.

Abstract: A recombinant neuraminidase obtainable by culturing in a suitable culture medium host cells which are transformed with a neuraminidase expression vector or infected with a virus which is transformed with a neuraminidase expression vector, wherein the expression vector comprises at least a part of the coding region of a neuraminidase gene of an influenze virus minus the region which codes for the membrane anchor, or a modified version thereof, preceded in phase by a signal sequence; and isolating the expression product neuraminidase from the culture medium. The invention further relates to a vaccine in which the recombinant neuraminidase is applied.