Abstract: A vector particle (e.g., a retroviral vector particle) containing a chimeric envelope includes a receptor binding region that binds to a receptor of a target cell. The receptor of the target cell is other than the amphotropic cell receptor. The receptor binding region may be a receptor binding region of a human virus. A portion of the envelope gene may be deleted and the deleted portion is replaced with another receptor binding region or ligand. Such vector particles are targetable to a desired target cell or tissue, and may be administered directly to the desired target cell or tissue as part of a gene therapy procedure, or administered directly into the patient.

Abstract: The instant disclosure teaches transposons and methods of the instant invention for making Protein Fusions by rapid, random shuffling of protein domains to produce novel protein fusions. This system is generally applicable to production of multifunctional chimeric proteins in vivo and in vitro. The methods and constructs of the instant invention can be used to randomly create both carboxy- and amino-terminal protein fusions in vivo. The methods and contructs of the instant invention are useful in the development of a protein domain library, in the construction of multifunctional enzymes, and in the accelerated evolution of new enzymatic activities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant hepatitis viral vectors useful for the expression of functional heterologous gene products in liver cells. It is contemplated that these vectors will find use in anti-viral, anti-tumor and/or gene therapy, particularly for the correction of inherited single-gene defects. These novel recombinant vectors may be used to deliver genes to cells in vivo by a variety of means including infection and direct injection of vector DNA.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for expression of mammalian genes in culture. An amplifiable gene is introduced by homologous recombination in juxtaposition to a target gene, the resulting combination of amplifiable gene and target gene transferred to a convenient host and the target gene amplified by means of the amplifiable gene. The resulting expression host may then be grown in culture with enhanced expression of the target gene.

Abstract: A myeloma cell-line transformed with a vector including a gene coding for a eukariotic polypeptide and a non-immunolglobulin promoter such that expression occurs of the gene coding for the eukariotic polypeptide, directed by the non-immunoglobulin promoter. The promoter may be a viral promoter, such as an SV40 promoter, a Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat or a Moloney murine leukemia long terminal repeat, or a non-viral promoter such as the mouse metallothionein promoter. Rat and mouse host myeloma cell-lines such as the rat YB/2/3.0 Ag20 hybridoma, the mouse SP-20 Ag hybridoma and the mouse NSO hybridoma are employed. The production of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is exemplified.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method for improving productivity in the production of useful substances by animal cells. The present invention discloses a method for animal cell culture to produce a desired substance, comprising the steps of (1) culturing animal cells at a temperature at which the animal cells can grow; and (2) culturing the animal cells at a lower temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling insects on plants. This involves applying a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein in a non-infectious form to a plant or plant seed under conditions effective to control insects on the plant or plants produced from the plant seed. Alternatively, transgenic plants or transgenic plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to control insects.

Abstract: The invention provides ffh polypeptides and DNA (RNA) encoding ffh polypeptides and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques. Also provided are methods for utilizing ffh polypeptides to screen for antibacterial compounds.

Abstract: Isolated polynucleotide molecules and peptides encoded by these molecules can be used in the analysis of alloantigen phenotypes, as well as in diagnostic and therapeutic applications, relating to human platelet Pen polymorphism. By analyzing genomic DNA or amplified genomic DNA, or amplified cDNA derived from platelet mRNA, it is possible to type glycoprotein GPIIIa with regard to the Pen polymorphism, for example, in the context of diagnosing and treating clinical syndromes associated with GPIIIa-related immune responses.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conditional shuttle phasmid constructed by inserting a cosmid into a non-essential region of the TM4 mycobacteriophage that introduces DNA of interest into mycobacteria, especially M. tuberculosis complex organisms and other slow growing mycobacteria. The present invention provides a recombinant mycobacterium which expresses a DNA of interest incorporated into its chromosome by a TM4 conditional shuttle phasmid containing the DNA of interest. The present invention further provides a mycobacterial auxotrophic mutant and a method of generating auxotrophic mutants.

Abstract: The invention separates defined, active complexes by a characteristic from Defined, active complexes that share a particular physicochemical characteristic such as density, surface charge or particle size are separated from complexes formed by the association of a polynucleotide with a transfecting component that increases transfection activity, such as a lipid, cationic lipid, liposome, peptide, cationic peptide, dendrimer or polycation. In a preferred embodiment, polynucleotide-transfecting component complexes are ultracentrifuged to resolve one or more bands corresponding to complexes having a specific polynucleotide-transfecting component interaction. Polynucleotide complexes having a cationic liposome transfecting component resolve into two primary bands corresponding to complexes formed either under excess lipid conditions or under excess polynucleotide conditions.

Abstract: Nucleic acid sequences that are useful for detecting Legionella pneumophila are herein provided. These sequences can be used in hybridization assays or amplification based assays designed to detect the presence of Legionella pneumophila in a test sample. Additionally, the sequences can be provided as part of a kit.

Abstract: A chemically inducible gene promoter sequence, and particularly, but not exclusively, a chemically inducible gene promoter sequence based on cis regulatory elements from the maize glutathione S-transferase 27 (GST-27) gene. In a preferred embodiment, the promoter sequence is operatively linked or fused to a gene or series of genes whereby expression of the gene or series of genes may be controlled by application of an effective exogenous inducer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chimeric adenovirus coat protein, which differs from the wild-type coat protein by the introduction of a nonnative amino acid sequence. Such a chimeric adenovirus coat protein according to the invention is able to direct entry into cells of a vector comprising the coat protein that is more efficient than entry into cells of a vector that is identical except for comprising a wild-type adenovirus coat protein rather than the chimeric adenovirus coat protein. The chimeric coat protein preferably is a fiber, hexon, or penton protein. The present invention also provides an adenoviral vector that comprises the chimeric adenovirus coat protein, as well as methods of constructing and using such a vector.

Abstract: The present invention provides noncovalent complexes of cationic molecules and adenoviral vectors containing a transgene. The complexes of the invention exhibit increased efficiency of gene transfer to a target cell relative to adenoviral vectors alone. Methods of making and using the complexes are also provided. A method of delivering cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator to a CF patient utilizing a complex of cationic molecules and adenoviral vectors containing a transgene encoding a CFTR protein is provided.

Abstract: Stable clones of neural stem cells (NSCs) have been isolated from the human fetal telencephalon. In vitro, these self-renewing clones (affirmed by retroviral insertion site) can spontaneously give rise to all 3 fundamental neural cell types (neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes). Following transplantation into germinal zones of the developing newborn mouse brain, they, like their rodent counterparts, can participate in aspects of normal development, including migration along well-established migratory pathways to disseminated CNS regions, differentiation into multiple developmentally- and regionally-appropriate cell types in response to microenvironmental cues, and non-disruptive, non-tumorigenic interspersion with host progenitors and their progeny. Readily genetically engineered prior to transplantation, human NSCs are capable of expressing foreign transgenes in vivo in these disseminated locations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for modifying the production of a polypeptide, comprising: (a) introducing a nucleic acid construct into a cell, wherein the cell comprises a DNA sequence encoding a polypeptide, under conditions in which the nucleic acid construct integrates into the genome of the cell at a locus not within the DNA sequence encoding the polypeptide to produce a mutant cell, wherein the integration of the nucleic acid construct modifies the production of the polypeptide by the mutant cell relative to the cell when the mutant cell and the cell are cultured under the same conditions; and (b) identifying the mutant cell with the modified production of the polypeptide.

Abstract: Protective and therapeutic vaccines are disclosed. Vaccines for preventing or treating herpes simplex virus infection are disclosed. Methods for preventing herpes simplex virus infection and treating individuals who have been infected with herpes simplex virus and to compositions for and methods of making prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for herpes simplex virus are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for preparing a stool sample in order to screen for the presence of indicators of a disease, for example a subpopulation of cancerous or precancerous cells. The methods take advantage of the recognition that cellular debris from cancerous and precancerous cells is deposited onto only a longitudinal stripe of stool as the stool is forming in the colon. Accordingly, methods of the invention comprise obtaining a representative sample, such as a circumferential or cross-sectional sample of stool in order to ensure that any disease indicator, such as cellular debris that is shed by colonic cells, is obtained in the sample.

Abstract: Composition and methods are provided for producing recombinant AAV ("rAAV") in the absence of helper virus, such as adenovirus. The compositions provide the accessory functions necessary for supporting rAAV virion production in host cells. In certain embodiments, the accessory functions are provided by vectors comprising nucleotide sequences from an adenoviral E4 region which lack the putatively oncogenic E4 ORF 6 coding region. The present invention also includes host cells transfected by the claimed accessory function vectors, methods of using such vectors, and rAAV virions produced by such methods.