Abstract: The present invention provides pregnancy associated plasma protein A2 (PAPP-A2), its nucleotide and amino acid sequences, antisense molecules to the nucleotide sequences which encode PAPP-A2, expression vectors for the production of purified PAPP-A2, antibodies capable of binding specifically to PAPP-A2, hybridization probes or oligonucleotides for the detection of PAPP-A2-encoding nucleotide sequences, genetically engineered host cells for the expression of PAPP-A2, and methods for screening for pathologies in pregnant and non-pregnant patients. Methods for screening for altered focal proliferation states in pregnant and/or non-pregnant patients, which include detecting levels of PAPP-A2, are also described.

Abstract: The invention provides compounds and methods of their use in the detection of apoptosis and necrosis both in vitro and in vivo. Also provided are compounds and methods of their use in selective delivery of agents to cells undergoing apoptosis or necrosis. The compounds and methods are based on conjugates formed with a dehydrogenase such as lactate dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase. The compounds and methods are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions characterized by apoptosis, including cancer, cardiac disease, neurologic disease including stroke, and autoimmunity. The compounds and methods offer distinct advantages over corresponding compounds and methods based on Annexin V. Also provided are methods for screening for compounds that modulate, i.e., inhibit or promote, apoptosis.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an FAD-conjugated glucose dehydrogenase that is hard to be inhibited by the inhibitors such as 1,10-phenanthroline. The present invention relates to a modified glucose dehydrogenase (GLD), comprising an amino acid sequence of a wild-type FAD-conjugated glucose dehydrogenase (GLD) represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 having a substitution of at least one amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of amino acid residues at positions 298, 338, 340, 341, 343, 352, 354, 424, 426, 431 and 432, wherein the modified GLD has a reduced susceptibility to an inhibitor, as compared with the wild-type GLD, especially to said modified GLD, which has 40% or more of a relative activity when determined in a system wherein the inhibitor coexists at a final concentration of 1 mM based on an enzymatic activity when determined in a system wherein the inhibitor does not coexist.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to CBH I chimera fusion polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding the polypeptides, and host cells for producing the polypeptides.

Abstract: The present invention provides reagents and methods for biomaterial production from cyanobacteria.

Abstract: A group of bacterial dihydroxy-acid dehydratases having a [2Fe-2S] cluster was discovered. Bacterial [2Fe-2S] DHADs were expressed as heterologous proteins in bacteria and yeast cells, providing DHAD activity for conversion of 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate to ?-ketoisovalerate or 2,3-dihydroxymethylvalerate to ?-ketomethylvalerate. Isobutanol and other compounds may be synthesized in pathways that include bacterial [2Fe-2S] DHAD activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having xylanase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: The invention concerns a polypeptide which can be isolated from the Brassicaceae family and which has at least the activity of a hydroxynitrile lyase (HNL). The hydroxynitrile lyase of the invention is the first HNL from the Brassicaceae family. The plants (Arabidopsis) from which this enzyme or its gene is isolated is also described as non-cyanogenic. All HNL-containing plants described so far are cyanogenic plants and so it has until now been assumed that only cyanogenic plants contain hydroxynitrile lyases. Surprisingly, it transpires that a polypeptide (AtHNL) of the invention is (R)-selective. The amino acid sequence gives a theoretical molecular weight of 29.2 kDa for the AtHNL subunit. The calculated molecular mass of the protein of approximately 30 kDa can be confirmed by SDS gel electrophoresis.

Abstract: The invention relates to cells, nucleic acids, and enzymes, the use thereof for producing sophorolipids, and methods for producing sophorolipids.

Abstract: The invention relates to expression of a recombinant C1 ?-glucosidase. The invention also provides methods for producing a fermentable sugar from cellobiose by contacting celiobiose with a recombinant host cell comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding C1 ?-glucosidase, operably linked to heterologous promoter, under conditions in which ?-glucosidase is expressed and secreted by the cell and the cellobiose is enzymatically converted by said ?-glucosidase to glucose. Methods of the invention may be used for conversion of a biomass substrate to a fermentable sugar, and ultimately to ethanol or other biofuel.

Abstract: The invention provides histone deacetylase class II nucleic acids and polypeptides, methods and reagents for their use, and related compounds including small molecule libraries containing class II histone deacetylase inhibitors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing L-amino acids by fermenting recombinant microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family, characterized in that a) the desired L-amino acid-producing microorganisms, in which the yjcG-ORF, or nucleotide sequences or alleles encoding the gene product, is/are enhanced, in particular overexpressed, is cultured in a medium under conditions under which the desired L-amino acid is accumulated in the medium or in the cells, and b) the desired L-amino acid is isolated, with, where appropriate, constituents of the fermentation broth, and/or the biomass remaining in its/their entirety or in portions (from ?0 to 100%) in the isolated product or being removed completely.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel ?-galactosidases for the enzymatic removal of the immunodominant monosaccharides on blood products and tissues. Specifically this invention provides a novel family of ?3 glycosidases, used for the enzymatic removal of type B antigens from blood group B and AB reactive blood products, and the Galili antigen from non-human animal tissues, thereby converting these to non-immunogenic cells and tissues suitable for transplantation.

Abstract: The present invention provides genetically engineered strains of methylotrophic yeast including Pichia and especially Pichia pastoris capable of producing proteins with reduced or modified glycosylation. Methods of producing glycoproteins with reduced and/or modified glycosylation using such genetically engineered strains of Pichia are also provided. Vectors, which comprise coding sequences for ?-1,2-mannosidase I, glucosidase II, GlcNAc-tranferase I and mannosidase II or comprising OCH1 disrupting sequence, for transforming methylotrophic yeasts are contemplated by the present invention. Kit for providing the comtemplated vectors are also included in this invention.

Abstract: A Corynebacterium glutamicum transformant having the capability of producing isobutanol and the following genes (1) to (5): (1) a gene which encodes an enzyme having acetohydroxy acid synthase activity; (2) a gene which encodes an enzyme having acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase activity; (3) a gene which encodes an enzyme having dihydroxy acid dehydratase activity; (4) a gene which encodes an enzyme having 2-keto acid decarboxylase activity; and (5) a gene which encodes an enzyme having alcohol dehydrogenase activity, at least one of the genes being endogenous, and at least one of the genes being exogenous, efficiently produces isobutanol.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize a variety of chiral compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to R-hydroxynitrile lyases with improved substrate acceptance, increased activity and increased selectivity, obtainable by introducing random mutations with the aid of random mutagenesis and/or saturation mutagenesis techniques, identifying by means of screening or selection and, where appropriate, subsequently combining advantageous mutations, and to the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing lactic acid from plant biomass without requiring sterilization, and specifically relates to a method for producing lactic acid comprising culturing alkaliphilic lactic acid bacteria under non-sterile condition and at a pH of 9 to 11 in a medium containing a cellulose glycosylation solution and then further culturing the bacteria at a pH of 5 to 9.

Abstract: This invention relates to altered forms of members of the RNase A superfamily. An RNase A can be modified to be cytotoxic by altering its amino acid sequence so that it is not bound easily by the ribonuclease inhibitor while still retaining catalytic properties. While earlier work had identified some modifications to RNase A that would result in cytotoxicity, the use of the FADE algorithm for molecular interaction analysis has led to several other locations that were candidates for modification. Some of those modifications did result in RNase A variants with increase cytotoxicity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a genetic modification of moderately thermophilic Bacillus species that are facultative anaerobic and homolactic. The method includes introducing DNA cloned in a thermosensitive plasmid system containing a pSH71 replicon or a homologue thereof into cells of a moderately thermophilic Bacillus species that is facultative anaerobic and homolactic; culturing the cells on a selective medium at a permissive temperature to select transformed cells; culturing the transformed cells on a selective medium at a non-permissive temperature to select transformed cells capable of growing on the selective medium at the non-permissive temperature. The method can modify the Bacilli for R-lactic acid production, production of other organic acids than lactic acid, alcohol, enzymes, amino acids, and vitamins. The Bacillus species may be modified by replacing the S-lactate dehydrogenase gene by a DNA construct including a DNA sequence encoding R-lactate dehydrogenase.