Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention and to methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of linking nucleic acids without the use of restriction enzymes or any joining enzyme such as ligase. More specifically, the present invention provides methods for cloning or rearranging a double-stranded target DNA which is a PCR product into a double-stranded vector DNA which is a PCR product, said DNAs being amplified using primers that contain at least one ribonucleotide, preferably at or near the respective 3? ends of the primers, such that RNA-specific cleavage, preferably by RNAse A, will allow release of the primers to create long matching 3?-sticky ends.

Abstract: The invention relates to stannous halide stabilized and/or enhanced alkaline solutions to be used in combination with colorimetric, luminescent and fluorescent assays. The buffered solutions stabilize hydrogen peroxide at a pH greater than 7.0 and preferably greater than 9.0. By stabilizing and/or enhancing hydrogen peroxide in the buffer system, the compositions used in such assays may have a higher shelf-life and provide enhanced detection of the subject analyte.

Abstract: A method for detecting the occurrence of nucleic acid syntheses using an enzyme through the use of a generated insoluble substance as an indicator.

Abstract: Methods for determining the KIT genotype of pigs are provided. These methods are useful in determining coat colour genotype, breed determination and for screening pigs to determine those likely to produce larger litters, and/or those less likely to produce large litters. Kits for use in such methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention describes oligonucleotides targeted to HPV Type 16 and/or Type 18 nucleic acid sequences which are particularly useful to aid in detecting HPV type 16 and or 18. The oligonucleotides can aid in detecting HPV Type 16 and/or Type 18 in different ways such as by acting as hybridization assay probes, helper probes, and/or amplification primers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a kit for separating and purifying nucleic acids or a variety of biological materials and a system for automatically performing the operations of separating and purifying a variety of biological materials using the kit. The kit of the present invention comprises a container with a plurality of chambers formed in a row for containing buffers and solid materials suitable for separating the nucleic acids or biological materials from the biological samples, and a carriage including a fiat portion with a hole formed therethrough and a projection having an inside passage of which one end is closed and the other end is open and having a predetermined length such that the projection can be dipped into the buffers. A mounting means is formed on the flat portion of the carriage such that the carriage can be detachably mounted to a transport means for transferring the carriage to the respective chambers.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to elucidate the cause of severe cardiomyopathy in subline (T) not manifesting the macroscopic cardiac hypertrophy, which has been separated from a hamster (B) with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and clarify the pathogenic cause of dilated cardiomyopathy, thereby establishing a method of detecting and identifying dilated cardiomyopathy and a method of preventing and treating the same. The present invention relates to a desmin gene having a point mutation at the site corresponding to the 571-position of the base sequence in the cDNA translation region of Syrian hamster; a polypeptide thereof; and an oligonucleotide consisting of 5 to 250 bases including the point mutation site or an oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary thereto.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule which is a) a nucleic acid molecule comprising SEQ ID No. 3, or b) a nucleic acid molecule which exhibits at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleic acid molecule of SEQ ID No. 3, and the claimed nucleic acid molecule encodes luciferase. It also relates to an expression vector and to a transformed host cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and diagnostic kit for directly detecting the presence of a specific species of mold/fungi in a sample, particularly a species which is toxic to humans or animals including pets and livestock. The method involves releasing any fungal DNA from the sample and subjecting it to PCR amplification without the need for purifying the DNA.

Abstract: The invention provides a new primer composition for detecting the presence of Shigella sonnei and a method of using the same. The primer composition and method have high specificity and sensitivity on the detection of Shigella sonnei. The invention also provides a method for extracting the nucleic acids of microorganisms in a solution sample.

Abstract: A nucleic acid detector and a method of using the detector are disclosed for detecting the presence of target nucleic acid sequences within a sample. The nucleic acid detector comprises a substrate-bound, hairpin-shaped nucleic acid captor in conjunction with a labeled universal nucleic acid detector probe. The captor has a segment that is complementary to at least a portion of the target nucleic acid and is denatured and hybridized to the target under test conditions. Hybridization of the captor to the target maintains the captor in an open conformation which exposes an end portion of the captor to the universal detector probe. The detector probe is able to hybridize with the exposed end portion of the captor if the captor has hybridized with a target. The labeled detector probe is detectable by external detection methods. Detector probes having identical universal detector probe sequences may be used to identify the presence of multiple targets having various target sequences within a sample.

Abstract: Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays, systems, methods and kits for the age determination of an individual from bloodstains or samples of unknown origin. The methodology is based on gene expression profiling analysis in which novel human newborn fetal specific genes are identified by detecting the presence of appropriate messenger RNA species.

Abstract: A method for species-specific identification of a Mycobacterium species is provided. Also disclosed is a method for identifying the species of Mycobacterium present in a sample. A device is disclosed for the detection of Mycobacterium. Mycobacterium-specific oligonucleotides are also disclosed, as are kits.

Abstract: A Raman integrated sensor system for the detection of targets including biotargets includes at least one sampling platform, at least one receptor probe disposed on the sampling platform, and an integrated circuit detector system communicably connected to the receptor. The sampling platform is preferably a Raman active surface-enhanced scattering (SERS) platform, wherein the Raman sensor is a SERS sensor. The receptors can include at least one protein receptor and at least one nucleic acid receptor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for inferring a plant organ, in which a certain gene is to be expressed, using a part of a base sequence, a method for searching for a gene which is to be expressed at a desired site, and a composition, kit, system and program for carrying out these methods. The present invention also relates to a method for inferring a plant organ, in which a plant gene is to be expressed, based on information about the presence or absence of a base sequence which is highly similar to a transposable element in the vicinity of a protein coding region of a plant gene.

Abstract: The present invention provides a human source gene targeting sequence a gene vector and gene expression strategies. The invention includes the following: (1) Using a DNA sequence without important physiological function-related genes in the short arms of human group D, G chromosomes, or a DNA sequence sharing 50% or over 50% identity to the sequence selected from human D, G group chromosomes, as a targeting sequence for gene targeting and (2) Construction of a gene vector containing the targeting sequence. the nucleolus organizing region in D, G group chromosomes that is described above is used as the target site, the gene of interest is integrated into the short arms where the gene expresses actively in D,G group chromosomes of human cells. The present invention provides a novel gene targeting sequence by which the gene vector construction and gene expression strategies are realized. The gene expression strategies can be used for human gene therapy and for manufacturing protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to kits and methods for assessing skin health for a human and the human's susceptibility to skin disorders. The methods involve assessing occurrence in the human's genome of one or more polymorphisms (e.g., single nucleotide polymorphisms) that occur in one or more genes associated disclosed herein and that are associated with a disorder in humans. Preferred assessment and scoring methods are disclosed, as are kits for performing the methods.