Abstract: A process for obtaining metal-free corrinoids consisting of inoculating a culture media free of added compounds of metals of the VIIIth group of the Periodic Table with a parent strain of Rhodopseudomonas, cultivating under illumination, repeating the steps of inoculating and cultivating employing said culture media and said illumination employing a part of the sequential culture from the preceding stage as an inoculum in each subsequent state, for a series of several pre-production culture stages, inoculating said culture media with the preceding sequential culture for the last time, cultivating under illumination, separating the microorganism from the culture media of the production culture stage and isolating metal-free corrinoids from the culture media of the production culture stage.

Abstract: A method for purifying a DNA fragment of specific desired nucleotide sequence containing a restriction site, from a population of DNA molecules homogeneous in length by endonuclease cleavage and fractionation.

Abstract: A process for constitutively producing murine IL-2 from hybridoma cells generated by fusing nitrogen stimulated malignant murine cells with drug sensitive murine thymoma driver cells. A fusing agent is used to fuse the two parent cells together. After fusion, the hybrid cells are cultured in vitro in a supplemented, serum containing tissue culture medium to thereby constitutively produce IL-2. The medium also includes a group of suppressing compounds which will prevent unfused driver cells from replicating, and feeder cells used to nurture the growth of competent hybrid cells.

Abstract: In a method for producing a fermentation product which comprises inoculating a mold in a substrate and cultivating it, the improvement which comprises adding(A) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of chlorous acid, hypochlorous acid, sulfurous acid, hyposulfurous acid, hydrogensulfurous acid, pyrosulfurous acid, salts of these acids, hydrogen peroxide, bleaching powder, chloramine-B, chloramine-T, halazone and acrylamideat any time ranging from a step of preparing the substrate to the step of cultivation.

Abstract: Novel methods and compositions are provided for preparing vectors for the introduction of DNA into plant cells for transcription and expression of the DNA. Particularly, cauliflower mosaic virus DNA is inserted into a bacterial cloning vehicle to provide a recombinant plasmid for cloning in a microorganism. The resulting cloned plasmid is genetically manipulated to introduce exogenous or heterologous DNA. Conveniently, linkers can be inserted which provide for a unique restriction site for insertion of exogenous or heterologous DNA. At each stage the modified plasmid may be cloned to provide for relatively large amounts of material for modification and isolation. Besides insertions, deletions may be made, removing non-essential portions of the virus. After completion of the viral modifications, the CaMV is excised from the hybrid plasmid by restriction enzyme cleavage and may be used for systemic infection of plants.

Abstract: The production of vectors composed of portions of retrovirus, particularly of Moloney sarcoma virus DNA including the "LTR" sequence which can activate genes and additional viral sequences which can "rescue" these genes into a replicating virus particle.

Abstract: A process for producing murine IL-2 from malignant neoplastic cells which are incapable of IL-2 production by mitogen stimulation alone includes culturing murine leukemia or lymphoma cells in vitro in a protein-containing medium supplemented with various additives. A T cell mitogen and IL-1 are added to the culture medium as co-stimulants inducing the production of a supernate which contains IL-2. After a period of time, the supernate is collected and then assayed for IL-2 activity. Also in the present invention, IL-1 is utilized as a co-stimulant together with a suboptimum concentration of a T cell mitogen to induce IL-2 production in cell lines capable of generating IL-2 by mitogen stimulation alone. The use of IL-1 in these instances reduces the quantity of mitogen required to produce maximum levels of IL-2.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for increasing the hybridization of cells in vitro and for increasing the production and secretion of substances, formed by such cell hybrids by adding endothelial cells and/or the supernatant of endothelial cells to a hybrid culture. In particular the invention is concerned with a method for increasing the production of monoclonal antibodies in vitro by means of a hybridoma technique by adding endothelial cells and/or the supernatant of endothelial cells to a hybridoma culture. Usually human endothelial cells and/or the supernatant of human endothelial cells are used. Finally the invention relates to endothelial cells and/or the supernatant of endothelial cells for use for increasing the hybridization of cells in vitro and for increasing the production and secretion of substances, formed by such cell hybrids, and for increasing the production of monoclonal antibodies in vitro.

Abstract: A method of packaging or encapsidating genetic material for use in gene transfer or cloning. An organism having a function or capability desired to be transferred or cloned is first selected. The DNA of this organism is extracted is cleaved to separate the exogenous genes controlling the function desired to be transferred or cloned. This exogenous gene is inserted in the linear DNA of a virus whose linear DNA has protein 5' termini, the virus DNA being extracted and cleaved so as to retain the genes specifying DNA replication. The resulting hybrid DNA is introduced into a cell-free in vitro medium along with a source of virus proheads and accessory viral structural and packaging proteins to assemble a hybrid virus encapsidating the hybrid DNA. This hybrid virus is similar in infectivity to the original or wild-type virus except that now either a segment of its DNA has been replaced by the desired exogeneous genes or the desired exogenous genes have been added to the viral DNA.

Abstract: Novel chemical compounds, recombinant plasmids pUC1026 and pUC1027, which are obtained by covalent linkage of the E. coli plasmid pBR322 to the Streptomyces espinosus plasmid pUC6. These plasmids are produced by a novel process which can be used to stabilize unstable potential plasmid vectors. These plasmids are useful as cloning vehicles in recombinant DNA work. For example, using DNA methodology, a desired gene, for example, the insulin gene, can be inserted into the plasmids and the resulting plasmids can then be transformed into a suitable host microbe which, upon culturing, produces the desired insulin. The stabilization process disclosed herein can be used to make other stable plasmids.

Abstract: A process for preparing IL-2 from human malignant cells includes culturing human leukemia or lymphoma cells in vitro in a serum containing medium supplemented with various additives. The culture is stimulated by an optimum concentration of a T cell mitogen to produce a supernate which contains IL-2. After a period of time, the supernate is collected and processed to purify the IL-2. Phorbol myristate acetate may be added to the culture medium to boost production of IL-2.

Abstract: Androstane steroids are produced by microbiological conversion of a sterol substrate with a microorganism belonging to the genus Mycobacterium wherein the medium used contains at least 0.1% by weight of egg yoke as a dry weight.

Abstract: A method is provided for isolating and identifying a recombinant clone having a DNA segment therein coding for at least one desired heterologous polypeptide, at least a short amino acid sequence of which is known, by effecting cDNA synthesis on a mixture of mRNAs containing the mRNA coding for the desired polypeptide, isolating the resultant cDNA mixture, inserting the resultant cDNA into recombinant cloning vehicles, transforming hosts with the vehicles, separating the transformants and isolating and identifying a recombinant clone containing a DNA segment which is homologous over at least a portion thereof to at least one oligonucleotide probe specific for the DNA segment; wherein the probe is an extension of the nucleotide sequence of an oligonucleotide primer having a nucleotide sequence complementary to a region of the target mRNA coding for a portion of the known amino acid sequence, and is complementary to a longer region of the target mRNA coding for a longer portion of the known amino acid sequence.

Abstract: Novel chemical compound plasmid pUC1061 obtained by deletion of .about.2.0 kilobases of DNA from the Streptomyces espinosus plasmid pUC6. This plasmid is useful as a cloning vehicle in recombinant DNA work. For example, using DNA methodology, a desired gene, for example, the glucose isomerase gene, can be inserted into the plasmid and the resulting plasmid can then be transformed into a suitable host microbe which, upon culturing, produces the desired glucose isomerase.

Abstract: A substance having antibiotic activity, designated as cytophagin, which is stable in the form of colorless powder and which has an elemental analysis of H: 6.94%, C: 47.22% and N: 13.21%, a molecular weight of 1,000 to 1500. This substance is believed to be composed of 11 amino acids and exhibits a strong activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Cytophagin is produced by fermentation using a microorganism belonging to the genus Cytophaga and capable of producing cytophagin. A preferred strain is Cytophaga BMF 694-N3 (FERM P-4846;NRRL B-12109). Cytophagin is of potential interest as medicament or veterinary agent because of its antibiotic activity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method for controlling the level and distribution of alkaloids produced by Claviceps purpurea variant strains capable of producing primarily ergocornine, .alpha.-ergocryptine and .beta.-ergocryptine under saprophytic conditions. According to the invention a compound of the biosynthesis path of isoleucine or a compound which promotes the formation of isoleucine by biochemical control is added to the fermentation broth. In other respects fermentation is performed under conditions known per se.By the method of the invention the ratio of .alpha.- and .beta.-ergocryptine formed in the fermentation broth can be adjusted to the optimum value.

Abstract: Novel antibiotics of the following structure ##STR1## wherein R represents a moiety selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, --COCH.sub.2 NH.sub.2, --COCH.sub.2 NHCONH.sub.2 and --COCH.sub.2 NHCHO;process for preparation thereof; and biologically pure culture for use therein.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a novel process for the production of the known antibiotic nosiheptide using a new strain of Streptomyces glaucogriseus and mutants thereof.

Abstract: Radioiodination of aminoacyl-transfer RNAs with either .sup.125 I or .sup.131 I resulted in the preferential addition of radioiodine to bound tyrosine. The radioiodinated tyrosyl-tRNA was 10-fold purified by chromatography and was found to consist essentially of monoiodo- and diiodo-tRNA in approximately equal isotopic proportions. The radioiodinated tyrosine was readily incorporated into proteins synthesized in broken cell reactions.The specific activity of the iodine-labeled proteins can be modulated up to the highest theoretical value (radioiodine in each tyrosine) yielding products that are valuable for use in immunoassay procedures in research and in the determination of proteins of clinical importance. In addition to the mature proteins (processed by natural post-synthetic reactions) the product proteins can comprise prohormone-type molecules which represent the precursor of normal circulating forms of hormones. The .sup.

Abstract: A procedure for separating and recovering marsh gas from bog mud. The marsh gas is separated from the mud by conducting the mud into a separating space carrying a pressure lower than the pressure prevailing in the bog, and from which said space the gas separating from the mud is conducted to a place of storage or of use.