Abstract: Provided is a novel technique for reducing damage and death of microbial cells through a method for producing highly viable dried microbial cells, the method being characterized by subjecting dried microbial cells to an alternating temperature treatment.

Abstract: It is an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide (i) transformants, whose proliferation depends on phosphite, of various species of organism and (ii) a method for detecting the presence of a reduced phosphorous compound with use of such a transformant. Use is made of a transformant which is defective in functions of a gene encoding a phosphate transporter protein and a gene encoding a phosphate ester transporter protein and into which a gene encoding a hypophosphite transporter protein is introduced, a signal peptide of a hypophosphite binding protein being substituted with a signal peptide derived from a host or a species of organism closely related to the host.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mutant strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum with efficient expression of exogenous proteins, which can solve the technical problem of low protein expression quantity of using Corynebacterium glutamicum as an exogenous protein expression host. The mutant strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum is deposited in the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC), and the deposit number is CGMCC No. 20138. The mutant strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum in the present invention, verified by the expression of exogenous proteins, shows a significantly enhanced expression of both intracellular and secreted proteins when compared with its initial strain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a compound for use in detecting “reader” and “eraser” proteins of lysine lipoylation. The present invention provides an affinity-based probe, referred to herein as “KPlip”, capable of interrogating the lipoylated peptide/protein interactions under native cellular environments. The chemical probe allows for the identification of potential regulators of lysine lipoylation, thus uncovering new biology related to lipoylation. There is also provided a method of using the compound to identifying proteins that interact with lipoylated proteins.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for measuring activated partial thromboplastin time, the method comprising: mixing: a blood sample; a first reagent comprising an ellagic acid compound and a compound represented by Formula (I); and a second regent comprising a calcium ion; and measuring activated partial thromboplastin time using the mixture prepared in the mixing step, wherein the compound represented by Formula (I) is shown below wherein X is a hydrogen atom, —(C?O)—Y, or —(C?O)—OZ, Y is a hydroxyl group, a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having a carbon number of 1 or more and 6 or less, or a phenyl group, and Z is an alkali metal.

Abstract: Disclosed are a recombinant microorganism for producing a hydrophobic material, which is subjected to cell-membrane engineering in order to be imparted with at least one characteristic among an increase in a cell-membrane area, an increase in formation and secretion of an outer membrane vesicle, and an increase in formation of an inner membrane vesicle, and a cell-membrane engineering method for preparation thereof, whereby an insoluble hydrophobic material can be produced with high efficiency, the recombinant microorganism for high-efficiency production of carotenoids or violacein analogues is useful for producing natural pigments, antioxidants, antibiotics, cosmetic additives, anticancer agents, food additives, or nutritional supplements, and the natural pigment production technology developed herein achieves a great increase in production ability.

Abstract: The present invention provides engineered methionine gamma lyase polypeptides and compositions thereof. The engineered methionine gamma lyase polypeptides have been optimized to provide improved thermostability, protease stability, and stability under a range of pH conditions, including acidic (pH<7) conditions. The present invention also relates to the use of the compositions comprising the engineered methionine gamma lyase polypeptides for therapeutic purposes.

Abstract: A use of a cell wall or a cell wall skeleton of Rhodococcus ruber in preparing a drug for treating a thermal injury. The thermal injury comprises a burn, a scald and a chemical burn. Applying the Rhodococcus ruber product to a subject has a good therapeutic effect on a thermal injury and has no side effects.

Abstract: A pegylated, circularly permuted construct of the CapD enzyme (a gamma glutamyl transferase enzyme acting as a hydrolase specific to poly-?-D-glutamic acid) is used to treat anthrax and other bacterial infections, including but not limited to infection with strains that are resistant to available antibiotics.

Abstract: Synthetic compositions comprising a plant element and at least one fungal endophyte are described. The fungal endophyte is capable of improving plant tolerance to biotic stress as compared to a reference plant element not further comprising the endophyte. Examples of biotic stress include the biotic stress caused by a nematode, an aphid, a fleahopper, a lygus bug, a stink bug, a soy looper, a cabbage looper, or a fungus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fusion protein having a targeting sequence, exosporium protein, or exosporium protein fragment that targets the fusion protein to the exosporium of a recombinant Bacillus cereus family member and an enzyme having serine protease activity, wherein the enzyme having serine protease activity is from Bacillus firmus or is a variant of such enzyme. The present invention also provides a recombinant Bacillus cereus family member that expresses such fusion protein and exosporium fragments derived from such recombinant Bacillus cereus family member. Methods of using such recombinant Bacillus cereus family members or exosporium fragments derived therefrom for nematode control are also provided.

Abstract: A pegylated, circularly permuted construct of the CapD enzyme (a gamma glutamyl transferase enzyme acting as a hydrolase specific to poly-?-D-glutamic acid) is used to treat anthrax and other bacterial infections, including but not limited to infection with strains that are resistant to available antibiotics.