Abstract: A polynucleotide encoding a biosensor polypeptide comprising a modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase and a linker linking the C-terminal portion of the thermostable luciferase to the N-terminal portion of the thermostable luciferase. The modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase is modified relative to a parental circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase. The linker contains a sensor region capable of interacting with a target molecule in a cell. The modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase has an enhanced response after interaction of the biosensor with the target molecule relative to the parental circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase in the presence of the target molecule. Alternatively, the modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase has an enhanced response after interaction of the biosensor with the target molecule relative to the modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase in the absence of the target molecule.

Abstract: A medical device includes a base material having an immobilized enzyme and dextran sulfate. The dextran sulfate has a molecular weight that is less than 40 kilo dalton (kDa). The medical device is formed from at least a base material. An enzyme is immobilized on the base material. The enzyme is stabilized with a dextran sulfate having a molecular weight of less than 40 (kDa).

Abstract: Genetically engineered microbial, e.g., Prototheca, cells provide microbial oil useful as a food additive and a source of renewable fuels and industrial chemicals.

Abstract: An intracellular selection system allows screening for peptide bioactivity and stability. Randomized recombinant peptides are screened for bioactivity in a tightly regulated expression system, preferably derived from the wild-type lac operon. Bioactive peptides thus identified are inherently protease- and peptidase-resistant. Also provided are bioactive peptides stabilized by a stabilizing group at the N-terminus, the C-terminus, or both. The stabilizing group can be a small stable protein, such as the Rop protein, glutathione sulfotransferase, thioredoxin, maltose binding protein, or glutathione reductase, an ?-helical moiety, or one or more proline residues.

Abstract: There is provided a fusion protein suitable for secretion of more than one polypeptide(s) of interest (POI) comprising a signal peptide, a POI, a passenger domain comprising a beta stem domain from an autotransporter protein, and a translocator domain from an autotransporter protein, wherein the beta stem-forming sequence of the passenger domain is essentially intact and the POI(s) is/are fused to the beta stem domain.

Abstract: This invention provides novel carbonic anhydrase (CAIX) nucleic acid and peptide sequences, as well as related methods and compositions, including anti-cancer immunogenic agent(s) (e.g. vaccines and chimeric molecules) that elicit an immune response specifically directed against cancer cells expressing a CAIX antigenic marker. The novel CAIX variant and related compositions are useful in a wide variety of treatment modalities including, but not limited to protein vaccination, DNA vaccination, adoptive immunotherapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to treat a grafts, implant, scaffold, and constructs, including allografts, xenografts, autografts, and prosthetics comprising collagen, with an inhibitor of collagen cross-links and/or advanced glycation endproducts (AGE), in order to alleviate the mechanical weakness induced by the cross-links. The invention also provides for kits for use in the operating theater during autograft, allograft or xenograft procedures, or for preparing allograft, xenografts or prosthetics that have not been already treated prior to packaging. The kit comprises a first agent or agents that inhibit collagen cross-links and/or advanced glycation endproducts, instructions for use, optionally a wash or rinse agent, and a device for containing the graft and first agent.

Abstract: Certain embodiments are directed to methods of treating a pathophysiological state or symptoms thereof resulting from aldose reductase-mediated signaling in a cytotoxic pathway using an aldose reductase specific inhibitor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mannanase produced from Celluosimicrobium sp. strain HY-13 and more particularly to a highly active novel mannanase produced from Cellulosimicrobium sp. strain HY-13 as separated from an invertebrate. The mannanase produced from the said Cellulosimicrobium sp. strain HY-13 can be used in the decomposition of a mannan found in hemicellulose contained in grains and plants and in enhancing the utility value of a hydrolysate, which uses the decomposed mannan, for the transformation of biomass or as an animal feed material.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of gelatin and a cross-linking agent to provide a medical glue which forms a cross-linked gelatin gel in an area of application of the human or animal body. According to the invention, (i) the gelatin and the cross-linking agent are mixed with each other to form the cross-linking medical glue which is then administered to the area of application; or (ii) the gelatin and the cross-linking agent are made available in separate form and are administered, simultaneously or one after the other, to the area of application while forming the cross-linking medical glue.

Abstract: A polynucleotide encoding a biosensor polypeptide comprising a modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase and a linker linking the C-terminal portion of the thermostable luciferase to the N-terminal portion of the thermostable luciferase. The modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase is modified relative to a parental circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase. The linker contains a sensor region capable of interacting with a target molecule in a cell. The modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase has an enhanced response after interaction of the biosensor with the target molecule relative to the parental circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase in the presence of the target molecule. Alternatively, the modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase has an enhanced response after interaction of the biosensor with the target molecule relative to the modified circularly-permuted thermostable luciferase in the absence of the target molecule.

Abstract: Methods for identifying modified proteases with modified substrate specificity or other properties are provided. The methods screen candidate and modified proteases by contacting them with a substrate, such as a serpin, an alpha macroglobulins or a p35 family protein or modified serpins and modified p35 family members or modified alpha macroglobulins, that, upon cleavage of the substrate, traps the protease by forming a stable complex. Also provided are modified proteases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cleaning compositions comprising variants of an alpha-amylase and methods of treating surfaces such as textiles with aqueous liquor comprising such compositions, especially at low temperatures.

Abstract: An I-CreI variant, wherein one of the two I-CreI monomers has at least two substitutions, one in each of the two functional subdomains of the LAGLIDADG core domain situated respectively from positions 28 to 40 and 44 to 77 of I-CreI, said variant being able to cleave a DNA target sequence from the glutamine synthetase gene. Use of said variant and derived products for improving expression system for the production of recombinant protein.

Abstract: Described are recombinant microorganisms characterized by having phosphoketolase activity, having a diminished or inactivated Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway (EMPP) by inactivation of the gene(s) encoding phosphofructokinase or by reducing phosphofructokinase activity as compared to a non-modified microorganism and having a diminished or inactivated oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) by inactivation of the gene(s) encoding glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or by reducing glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity as compared to a non-modified microorganism. These microorganisms can be used for the production of useful metabolites such as acetone, isobutene or propene.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a protein having a dockerin, which is suited to production in yeasts and other eukaryotic microorganism in which sugar chain modification is predicted, and which provides excellent cohesin-dockerin binding ability, along with a use thereof. The present invention uses, as a protein for constructing a protein complex using a scaffolding protein having a type I cohesin from Clostridium thermocellum, a protein having a dockerin having at least one dockerin-specific sequence which is a dockerin-specific sequence associated with cohesin binding in type I dockerins from C. thermocellum, and which either has no intrinsic predicted N-type sugar chain modification site or has aspartic acid substituted for the asparagine of an intrinsic predicted N-type sugar chain modification site.

Abstract: Subtilase variants having an improved wash performance on egg stains. These subtilases are useful exhibiting excellent or improved wash performance on egg stains when used in e.g. cleaning or detergent compositions, such as laundry detergent compositions and dish wash compositions, including automatic dish wash compositions.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of agents that bind the complement protein C5 in the treatment of diseases associated with inappropriate complement activation, and in particular in the treatment of myasthenia gravis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a variant lipolytic enzyme comprising expressing in a host organism a nucleotide sequence which has at least 90% identity with a nucleotide sequence encoding a fungal lipolytic enzyme and comprises at least one modification at a position which corresponds in the encoded amino acid sequence to a) the introduction of at least one glycosylation site in the amino acid sequence compared with the original fungal lipolytic enzyme; b) the introduction of at least one amino acid at a surface position and at a location in an external loop distal to the active site of the enzyme which is more hydrophilic; or c) a substitution or insertion at one or more of positions disclosed herein or a deletion at one or more positions disclosed herein. The invention also relates to polypeptide produced by the method and to novel nucleic acids.

Abstract: Methods are provided measuring L-lysine using a variant enzyme, an L-lysine measurement kit, and an enzyme sensor. Variant L-amino acid oxidase having a predetermined amino acid mutation, and having oxidase activity that is highly substrate-specific for L-lysine; a method for measuring L-lysine using this variant enzyme; an L-lysine measurement kit; and an enzyme sensor are also provided.