Abstract: The invention provides a system of heavy metal sequestration by bacteria. The bacteria expresses the ppk, mt, and/or ?-galactosidase (lacZ) genes and can tolerate at least 25 ?M mercury, 1,000 ?M zinc, 250 ?M cadmium, and 3,000 ?M Pb. The system allows for facile determination of the presence of heavy metal contaminants in a liquid and the facile collection of the bacteria that has sequestered large amounts of heavy metal. Further provided is a system of gene expression in bacteria that comprises phage and plastid gene expression elements and delivers a particularly high level of protein expression and heavy metal resistance.

Abstract: Novel promoters which are derived from P. pastoris pastoris which are inducible or repressible under specific growth conditions are provided. These promoters are useful for regulating the expression of a desired structural gene, e.g., a mammalian polypeptide. Particularly preferred is the use of these novel promoters to regulate gene expression in polyploidal yeast such as diploidal P. pastoris produced by mating or spheroplast fusion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a diagnostic kit for diagnosing the presence of Parkinson's disease in a human subject. The method includes the steps of: (1) extracting RNA molecules from a blood sample of the human subject to define a test sample; (2) measuring the amount of each RNA molecule having Sequence ID Nos. 1-14 in the test sample; (3) comparing the amount of each of the RNA molecules having Sequence ID Nos. 1-14 to the amount of RNA molecules having Sequence ID Nos. 1-14 present in a control sample to determine how many of the RNA molecules of Sequence ID Nos. 1-14 are present in a significant amount in the test sample greater or less than in the control sample to define a number of biomarkers; and (4) diagnosing the presence of Parkinson's disease in the human subject if the number of biomarkers is equal to or greater than five.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for delivering immune modulatory molecules to result in a therapeutic effect are disclosed. The compositions and methods use stably integrating lentiviral delivery systems. The methods are useful for therapeutically and prophylactically treating cancer such as leukemia.

Abstract: Disclosed are vectors, kits and methods useful in the construction of recombinant cells and DNAs via enhanced efficiency homologous recombination. The vectors are targeting vectors that contain a gene-of-interest spliced between two ends that are homologous to a genome target site. The ends of the vector may be protected from exonuclease attack by deploying a cap, such as a hair pin structure. The vector is linked to a nuclear localization signal sequence, and preferably, a bait peptide that binds to RAD51, to facilitate homologous recombination. The vector may be deployed in myriad genetic transformation applications, such as site-directed mutagenesis, gene therapy, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides HIV-derived lentivectors which are safe, highly efficient, and very potent for expressing transgenes for human gene therapy, especially, in human hematopoietic progenitor cells as well as in all other blood cell derivatives. The lentiviral vectors comprise promoters active to promote expression specific to cell types or tissues. Further, promoters are providing that are amenable to control by activators, enhancers, or repressors. These vectors are in a self-inactivating configuration for biosaftey. Additional promoters are also described. The vectors can also comprise additional transcription enhancing elements such as the wood chuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, without any decrease in the specificity or control exerted by the promoters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mutant strain of Aspergillus sojae with an enhanced protease activity and a preparation method of a natural taste enhancer using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to the mutant strain of Aspergillus sojae with an enhanced protease activity is obtained by selecting a strain with high protease activity and treating it with N-methyl-N?-Nitroso-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) and inducing a mutation through irradiating, and a preparation method of a natural taste enhancer using protein hydrolysate obtained by hydrolyzing the protein sources with their cultures.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic starting materials are provided herein. Embodiments provide yeast cells of the genus H. polymorpha with one or more modifications, including, for example, an inactive acid trehalase gene, overexpression of xylulokinase, and/or overexpression of heat-shock protein 104.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses isolated gene regulatory elements and gene transcription terminators that are differentially expressed in a native fungus exhibiting a first morphology relative to the native fungus exhibiting a second morphology. The invention also encompasses a method of utilizing a fungus for protein or chemical production. A transformed fungus is produced by transforming a fungus with a recombinant polynucleotide molecule. The recombinant polynucleotide molecule contains an isolated polynucleotide sequence linked operably to another molecule comprising a coding region of a gene of interest. The gene regulatory element and gene transcription terminator may temporally and spatially regulate expression of particular genes for optimum production of compounds of interest in a transgenic fungus.

Abstract: Engineered strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 50 weight percent of eicosapentaenoic acid in the total oil fraction are described. These strains over-express heterologous ?9 elongases, ?8 desaturases, ?5 desaturases, ?17 desaturases, ?12 desaturases and C16/18 elongases, and optionally over-express diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferases. Gene knockouts are also described, as are methods for producing EPA within host cells, and products comprising EPA from the optimized Yarrowia lipolytica strains.

Abstract: The invention relates to an in vitro cell based expression system for overexpressing heterologous pump proteins associated with drug resistance into the membrane of the host cell for drug screening applications.

Abstract: Provided herein are a recombinant vector and microorganism including the isolated SNR84 gene, and a method of increasing volumetric productivity of biofuel from a galactose-containing carbon source using the isolated SNR84 gene, the recombinant vector or the recombinant microorganism. Also disclosed herein is a method of screening yeast for genes associated with increased galactose catabolism when the genes are overexpressed.

Abstract: A recombinant filamentous fungal cell (e.g. Aspergillus) having one or more inactivated chromosomal genes is provided. The chromosomal genes in some embodiments correspond to derA, derB, htmA, mnn9, mnn10, ochA, dpp4, dpp5, pepAa, pepAb, pepAc, pepAd, pepF and combinations thereof. The recombinant fungal cells may include further inactivated chromosomal genes which correspond to pepA, pepB, pepC and pepD. The recombinant filamentous fungal cells may include a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a protein of interest. Also provided are methods of producing a protein of interest in said recombinant filamentous fungal cell.

Abstract: A nanofiber is formed by combining one or more natural or synthetic polymeric materials and one or more than one cross-linking agents having at least two latent reactive activatable groups. The latent reactive activatable nanofiber may be used to modify the surface of a substrate by activating at least one of the latent reactive activatable groups to bond the nanofiber to the surface by the formation of a covalent bond between the surface of the substrate and the latent reactive activatable group. Some of the remaining latent reactive activatable group(s) are left accessible on the surface of the substrate, and may be used for further surface modification of the substrate. Biologically active materials may be immobilized on the nanofiber modified surface by reacting with the latent reactive groups that are accessible on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vector comprising an origin of replication for episomal maintenance in a metazoan cell, a gene for episomal maintenance in the metazoan cell, and a telomeric polynucleotide sequence. The vector can be used for episomal expression of RNA and polypeptides in metazoan cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems for producing engineered oleaginous yeast or fungi that express carotenoids.

Abstract: This invention is directed to methods for recombinant polypeptide production and, in particular, methods and products for the production of recombinant polypeptides in ciliates.

Abstract: Lentiviral vectors modified at the 5? LTR or both the 5? and 3? LTR are useful in the production of recombinant lentivirus vectors (See the Figure). Such vectors can be produced in the absence of a functional tat gene. Multiple transformation of the host cell with the vector carrying the transgene enhances virus production. The vectors can contain inducible or conditional promoters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of producing a polypeptide, comprising: (a) cultivating a mutant of a parent Fusarium venenatum strain in a medium for the production of the polypeptide, wherein the mutant strain comprises a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide and one or more (several) genes selected from the group consisting of pyrG, amyA, and alpA, wherein the one or more (several) genes are modified rendering the mutant strain deficient in the production of one or more (several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of orotidine-5?-monophosphate decarboxylase, alpha-amylase, and alkaline protease, respectively, compared to the parent Fusarium venenatum strain when cultivated under identical conditions; and (b) recovering the polypeptide from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to enzyme-deficient mutants of Fusarium venenatum strains and methods for producing such mutants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the improved production of recombinant parvoviral virions in insect cells. In particular, the invention relates to an improved process for the production of recombinant parvoviral virions in insect cells, wherein the full/empty parvoviral virion ratio is increased. The invention also relates to the production of parvoviral vectors that may be used in gene therapy and to improvements in expression of the viral Rep proteins that increase the productivity of parvoviral vectors.