Abstract: A plant promoter capable of inducing the expression specifically at the site and stage wherein the reconstitution of plant cell wall xyloglucan is necessary, namely, a plant promoter originating in a gene which encodes an endo-xyloglucan transferase or a gene which encodes a substance having a function equivalent thereto; and a method for modifying the function of a plant with the use of the plant promoter and a method for cloning the plant promoter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for labeling a synthetic or natural ribonucleic acid (RNA). It also relates to RNA fragments, which have been labeled by fragmenting the RNA to free a terminal phosphate of each fragment for further reaction, and labeling each fragment at the freed terminal phosphate which is located at the 3? end and/or the 5? end of each fragment of the RNA, and to the use of such RNA fragments, for example, in the field of medical diagnosis.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for determining the nucleotide sequence of target nucleic acids using hybridization to arrays of oligonucleotides. The invention further provides apparatus and methods for identifying the amino acid sequence of peptides that bind to biologically active macromolecules, by specifically binding biologically active macromolecules to arrays of peptides or peptide mimetics.

Abstract: A procedure for the release and isolation of nucleic acids from biological compartments of a sample always uses an instrument that can hold one or more sample processsing vessels, maintain the sample processing vessels at a constant temperature, shake the sample processing vessels and separate magnetic particles by means of magnetic force. This system greatly simplifies the isolation of nucleic acids.

Abstract: The invention provides polyamide-oligonucleotide derivatives of the formula: F[(DNA-Li)q(PNA-Li)r(DNA-Li)s(PNA)t]xF?. In the formula, q, r, s, and t are, independently of one another, zero or 1, where the total of two or more adjacent q, r, s, and t is greater than or equal to 2; and x is 1 to 20. In the formula, DNA is a nucleic acid such as DNA or RNA or a known derivative thereof. Li is a covalent linkage between DNA and PNA, where the covalent linkage comprises a bond or an organic radical with at least one atom from the series consisting of C, N, O, or S. PNA is a polyamide structure which contains at least one nucleotide base that is different from thymine. F and F? are end groups and/or are linked together by a covalent bond. The invention also provides physiologically tolerated salts of the above formula. The invention further provides a process for preparation of the polyamide-oligonucleotide derivatives of the invention as well as their use as pharmaceuticals, as gene probes, and as primers.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions, methods, and kits for covalently linking nucleic acid molecules. The methods include a strand invasion step, and the compositions and kits are useful for performing such methods. For example, a method of covalently linking double stranded (ds) nucleic acid molecules can include contacting a first ds nucleic acid molecule, which has a topoisomerase linked to a 3? terminus of one end and has a single stranded 5? overhang at the same end, with a second ds nucleic acid molecule having a blunt end, such that the 5? overhang can hybridize to a complementary sequence of the blunt end of the second nucleic acid molecule, and the topoisomerase can covalently link the ds nucleic acid molecules. The methods are simpler and more efficient than previous methods for covalently linking nucleic acid sequences, and the compositions and kits facilitate practicing the methods, including methods of directionally linking two or more ds nucleic acid molecules.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods, compositions, kits and apparatus to identify and detect the presence or absence of target analytes. The embodiments of the present invention have utility in medical diagnosis and analysis of various chemical compounds in specimens and samples, as well as the design of test kits and apparatus for implementing such methods.

Abstract: Conditionally-immortalized human mesencephalon cell lines are provided. Such cell lines, which may be clonal, may be used to generate neurons, including dopaminergic neurons. The cell lines and/or differentiated cells may be used for the development of therapeutic agents to prevent and treat a variety of neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease. The cell lines and/or differentiated cells may also be used in assays and for the general study of mesencephalon cell development and differentiation.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel nucleic acid sequences encoding three novel human phosphodiesterase (hPDE IV) isozymes. It also relates to polypeptides encoded by such sequences. This invention also relates to an assay method for detecting the presence of such novel isozymes in human cells, and to a method of identifying compounds or other substances that inhibit or modify the activity of such isozymes.

Abstract: An assay includes catalytic hybridization of targets and cleavable probes to form triplexes and quadruplexes based on Watson-Crick bonding rules. The probes contain scissile linkages that are cleaved by enzymes when hybridized to a target, yielding detectable probe fragments free of the target. The target is recycled to help catalyze the cleavage of additional intact probes to form additional detectable probe fragments, thus amplifying the signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining the status of an H. pylori infection by detecting a high-integrity H. pylori nucleic acid in a patient sample.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates monitoring the amplification of nucleic acid using chromophore-containing polynucleotides having at least two donor chromophores operatively linked to the polynucleotide by linker arms, such that the chromophores are positioned by linkage along the length of the polynucleotide at a donor-donor transfer distance, and at least one fluorescing acceptor chromophore operatively linked to the polynucleotide by a linker arm, such that the fluorescing acceptor chromophore is positioned by linkage at a donor-acceptor transfer distance from at least one of the donor chromophores, to form a photonic structure for collecting photonic energy and transferring the energy to an acceptor chromophore, and methods using the photonic structures.

Abstract: Methods useful for improving results obtained with enzyme-based polynucleotide amplification reactions. More particularly, the invented methods are useful for: (1) promoting amplification of template-specific products such that the amount of amplicon produced reflects the pre-amplification amount of analyte, even in reactions primed with low levels of analyte polynucleotide; (2) facilitating biological specimen processing such that the amount of amplicon produced in subsequent amplification reactions will be substantially independent of the efficiency of analyte polynucleotide isolation from the specimen; and (3) controlling the amount of analyte amplicon produced in the amplification reaction.

Abstract: A method for isolating and purifying nucleic acids with an improved recovery yield is provided. A mixed solution containing the nucleic acids, salts, and an organic solvent is contacted with an adsorption support to cause the nucleic acids to be adsorbed on the support. Then, the nucleic acids are desorbed from the support using an elution buffer. At least one compound containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms as selected from the group consisting of aliphatic ether, aliphatic ester, and aliphatic ketone is used as the organic solvent. The method improves the yield of nucleic acids collection, is easy to implement and less susceptible to contamination.

Abstract: The present invention relates to prognostic methods which are useful in medicine, particularly cancer chemotherapy. The object of the invention to provide a method for assessing Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) expression levels in tissues and prognosticate the probable resistance of a patient's tumor to treatment with 5-FU based therapies by examination of the amount of DPD mRNA in a patient's tumor cells and comparing it to a predetermined threshold expression level. More specifically, the invention provides to oligonucleotide primer pairs DPD3A and DPD3B and methods comprising their use for detecting levels of Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) mRNA.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for rapid molecular profiling of tissue or other cellular specimens by placing a donor specimen in an assigned location in a recipient array, providing copies of the array, and performing a different biological analysis of each copy. The results of the different biological analyses are compared to determine if there are correlations between the results of the different biological analyses at each assigned location. In some embodiments, the specimens may be tissue specimens from different tumors, which are subjected to multiple parallel molecular (including genetic and immunological) analyses. The results of the parallel analyses are then used to detect common molecular characteristics of the genetic disorder type, which can subsequently be used in the diagnosis or treatment of the disease.

Abstract: Methods for screening for agonists and antagonists of GPI-anchored independent intracellular signaling resulting in [Ca2+]i elevation, ERK1, ERK2 and CREB phosphorylation, and Src family kinase activation are described, as well as methods for treatment involving administration of agonists/antagonists of such signaling.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diagnostic test method for detecting a tendency to rifampin resistance caused by mutations in a rpoB gene of M. tuberculosis, comprising the steps of (i) extracting genomic DNA from a biological sample containing M. tuberculosis cells; (ii) amplifying from the extracted genomic DNA the rpoB gene coding sequence or at least one distinct fragment thereof containing nucleotides encoding at least one test amino acid of the group consisting of amino acid numbers 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 522, 526, 529, 531, 533 to produce fluorescently labeled amplification product; (iii) contacting said fluorescently labeled amplification product with a first control array of oligonucleotide probes having DNA sequences specific to the wildtype M. tuberculosis rpoB gene coding sequence, including the nucleotides encoding the at least one test amino acid, and with a second test array of oligonucleotide probes having DNA sequences specific to the M.

Abstract: Fusions of the transcription factor E2F and the retinoblastoma protein RB are provided, along with methods of treatment of hyperproliferative diseases.

Abstract: A biochip deposition system and method. The system comprises a deposit mechanism for depositing organic material in spots on a substrate; and a viewing system for detecting the spots on the substrate during a deposit operation and before the spots have dried, for determining if the spots have been correctly deposited, and if not, for generating a suitable output signal. The viewing system includes an illumination device for illuminating deposited spots at a relatively low angle relative to the substrate.