Abstract: Described is T4 DNA packaging machine comprising: one or more DNA molecules packaged in a head of the T4 DNA packaging machine, one or more Hoc-fused proteins displayed on the head of the T4 DNA packaging machine, and one or more Soc-fused proteins displayed on the head of the T4 DNA packaging machine. Also described are methods of making and using such a T4 DNA packaging machine.

Abstract: A vector that allows for easy accomplishment of a variety of cloning, and use of the vector for measurement of the transcription-inducing activity of a promoter or production of a desired gene product in Corynebacterium.

Abstract: The present invention provides probes and methods of use thereof in the diagnosis and/or prognosis of certain types of cancers, particularly human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers. The probes are designed for hybridization with genomic material in a manner indicative of one or more aberrations in the genetic material present in the test sample. The identified aberrations are biomarkers of HPV-associated cancer. The methods of the invention comprise contacting a sample to one or more probes, allowing any genetic material in the sample to hybridize to the genomic regions provided in the probes, analyzing the hybridizations, and analyzing the hybridizations to identify detected aberrations as biomarkers indicative of HPV-associated cancer progression.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a biological substance, comprising: (a) cultivating a fungal host cell in a medium conducive for the production of the biological substance, wherein the fungal host cell comprises a first nucleic acid sequence encoding the biological substance operably linked to a second nucleic acid sequence comprising a promoter variant selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, and SEQ ID NO: 12; and a subsequence thereof; and hybrid and tandem promoters thereof; and (b) isolating the biological substance from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to the isolated promoter variants and to constructs, vectors, and fungal host cells comprising the promoter variants operably linked to nucleic acid sequences encoding biological substances.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the production of ?-3 and/or ?-6 fatty acids in oleaginous yeast. Thus, desaturases and elongases able to catalyze the conversion of linoleic acid (LA) to ?-linolenic acid (GLA); ?-linoleic acid (ALA) to stearidonic acid (STA); GLA to dihomo-?-linoleic acid (DGLA); STA to eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA); DGLA to arachidonic acid (ARA); ETA to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); DGLA to ETA; EPA to docosapentaenoic acid (DPA); and ARA to EPA have been introduced into the genome of Yarrowia for synthesis of ARA and EPA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new semi-stable packaging cell line and a method to produce lentiviral vectors (LV), using the semi-stable packaging cell line. New methods and packaging cell lines of the invention are generated using a baculo-AAV hybrid system for stable expression of structural and regulatory lentiviral proteins, such system comprising a baculoviral backbone containing an integration cassette flanked by AAV ITRs, in combination with a plasmid encoding rep protein. This system allows to obtain a stable integration of the structural and regulatory HIV-1 proteins gag/pol and rev. The system allows to obtain a cell line including the structural and regulatory HIV proteins gag/pol and rev, to be used for a semi-stable LV production.

Abstract: The methods and compositions described herein relate to the identification, isolation, and characterization of genes which encode proteins useful for the biosynthesis of transglycosylase inhibitors such as moes. The methods and compositions also relate to the production of such proteins, and their use in the synthesis of moes, the expression of moes, and the production of modified moes.

Abstract: Disclosed are cells and methods for treating or preventing tumor formation or infections with pathogens in a patient. The cells of the invention are antigen-presenting cells (e.g., dendritic cells or macrophage) that have been loaded with RNA derived from tumors or pathogens. By administering the RNA-loaded antigen-presenting cells to a patient, tumor formation or pathogen infections can be treated or prevented. Alternatively, the RNA-loaded cells can be used as stimulator cells in the ex vivo expansion of CTL. Such CTL can then be used in a variation of conventional adoptive immunotherapy techniques.

Abstract: Methods for detecting, diagnosing and monitoring thyroid cancer in a subject are described comprising measuring in a sample from the subject markers including Ep-ICD and EpEX. The invention also provides kits and compositions for carrying out the methods of the invention.

Abstract: Genetically modified strains of C. tropicalis, which will not revert to wild-type activity at the POX 4 and/or POX 5 locus, are disclosed. The strains are ?-oxidation blocked and have been transformed through homologous recombination with a construct which deletes a portion of the POX 4 and/or POX 5 gene. The modified strains may be used to increase yields of dicarboxylic acids produced in host cells of the strains. Methods for blocking the ?-oxidation pathway in a C. tropicalis host cell are also provided.

Abstract: Microorganism selected from Gluconobacter, Gluconacetobacter, Acetobacter or Ketogulonicigenium, wherein a gene encoding a polypeptide with the activity of a repressor of L-sorbosone dehydrogenase (SNDH) and L-sorbose dehydrogenase (SDH) is disrupted. The gene has a polynucleotide selected from polynucleotides encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of which is represented by SEQ ID NO:2, polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence according to SEQ ID NO:1, polynucleotides the complementary strand of which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide as defined above and which encodes a polypeptide with the activity of a repressor of SNDH and SDH. The microorganism produces at least 10% more Vitamin C and/or 2-KGA from L-sorbose compared to a microorganism wherein the repressor is intact.

Abstract: Nucleic acids encoding mutant elongation factor proteins (EF-Sep), phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase (SepRS), and phosphoseryl-tRNA (tRNASep) and methods of use in site specific incorporation of phosphoserine into a protein or polypeptide are described. Typically, SepRS preferentially aminoacylates tRNASep with O-phosphoserine and the tRNASep recognizes at least one codon such as a stop codon. Due to the negative charge of the phosphoserine, Sept-tRNASep does not bind elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu). However, mutant EF-Sep proteins are disclosed that bind Sep-tRNASep and protect Sep-tRNASep from deacylation. In a preferred embodiment the nucleic acids are on vectors and are expressed in cells such as bacterial cells, archeaebacterial cells, and eukaryotic cells. Proteins or polypeptides containing phosphoserine produced by the methods described herein can be used for a variety of applications such as research, antibody production, protein array manufacture and development of cell-based screens for new drug discovery.

Abstract: A method of screening for the presence and/or extent of a pathology in a subject, the pathology characterized by an abnormal chromosomal component in a cell of the subject, comprising the steps of: contacting a biological sample comprising cell nuclei from said subject with, one or more distinguishable labeled probes directed to at least one chromosomal sequence that characterizes the abnormality under conditions that promote hybridization of the one or more probes to the at least one sequence, automatically obtaining a representation of the one or more distinguishable labels hybridized to the chromosomal sequences, automatically analyzing the distribution and intensity of binding of the one or more labels in the representation to determine the presence and/or extent of an abnormal chromosomal component; and automatically reporting results of the analysis; wherein the steps are carried out without intervention by a human.

Abstract: A method of processing an RNA sample is provided. In certain embodiments, the method may comprise: a) obtaining a fragmented RNA sample comprising: i. RNA fragments of long RNA molecules; and ii. unfragmented short RNA; and b) contacting said fragmented RNA sample with a first adaptor in the presence of a RtcB ligase, thereby producing a ligated RNA sample comprising adaptor-ligated fragments of long RNA. A kit for performing the method is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide having promoter activity, a variant of the promoter of the gap gene coding for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; and to a microorganism which produces and/or secretes a fine chemical, the microorganism including the isolated polynucleotide having promoter activity, which enables various genes to be overexpressed in comparison with the particular starting strain; and to a process for preparing fine chemicals using the microorganism.

Abstract: An isolated nucleic acid comprising a promoter region having a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, which can maintain high expression under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and related compositions and methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field glycosylation engineering of proteins. More particular, the present invention is directed to the glycosylation engineering of proteins to provide proteins with improved therapeutic properties, e.g., antibodies, antibody fragments, or a fusion protein that includes a region equivalent to the Fc region of an immunoglobulin, with enhanced Fc-mediated cellular cytotoxicity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for expression screening of filamentous fungal transformants, comprising: (a) isolating single colony transformants of a DNA library introduced into E. coli; (b) preparing DNA from each of the single colony E. coli transformants; (c) introducing a sample of each of the DNA preparations of step (b) into separate suspensions of protoplasts of a filamentous fungus to obtain transformants thereof, wherein each transformant contains one or more copies of an individual polynucleotide from the DNA library; (d) growing the individual filamentous fungal transformants of step (c) on selective growth medium, thereby permitting growth of the filamentous fungal transformants, while suppressing growth of untransformed filamentous fungi; and (e) measuring activity or a property of each polypeptide encoded by the individual polynucleotides.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide having promoter activity, a variant of the promoter of the gap gene coding for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; and to a microorganism which produces and/or secretes a fine chemical, the microorganism including the isolated polynucleotide having promoter activity, which enables various genes to be overexpressed in comparison with the particular starting strain; and to a process for preparing fine chemicals using the microorganism.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first gene encodes a reporter protein. The first gene is disposed at the downstream of the gene promoter. A second gene is disposed at the downstream of the gene promoter and encodes a replication origin-binding protein. An internal ribosome entry site is disposed between the first gene and the second gene. The transcription termination signal sequence encodes a signal for terminating the transcription of the first gene and the second gene. A replication origin sequence is recognized by the replication origin-binding protein.