Abstract: The present invention relates to a gene expression cassette including a strong promoter derived from lactic acid bacteria, and a gene expression vector including the same. According to the present invention, a large amount of a human protein, the physiological activity of which has been verified, may be stably produced with high efficiency by introducing a useful foreign gene into an expression vector and transforming probiotics with the expression vector. Through the production of this protein, it is possible to provide a basis for developing functional probiotics and making products using them.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a composition including Lactobacillus plantarum TWK10 deposited at the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC) under accession number CGMCC 13008 for use in treating sarcopenia and for use in maintaining and/or increasing muscle mass and/or strength in an elderly subject.

Abstract: A method for alleviating arthritis includes administering to a subject in need thereof a postbiotic extract. The postbiotic extract is prepared by a process including the steps of providing a first material having a first isoelectric point ranging from pH 1 to pH 6 and a second material having a second isoelectric point ranging from pH 4 to pH 8, admixing the first material and a probiotic microorganism with water having a pH greater than the second isoelectric point, so as to forma mixture, adding the second material into the mixture and then adjusting a pH of the second material-added mixture to between the first and second isoelectric points so that a precipitate is formed, and subjecting the precipitate to a cell wall isolation treatment to obtain the postbiotic extract.

Abstract: A method for improving skin condition includes administering to a subject in need thereof a postbiotic extract. The postbiotic extract is prepared by a process including the steps of providing a first material having a first isoelectric point ranging from pH 1 to pH 6 and a second material having a second isoelectric point ranging from pH 4 to pH 8, admixing the first material and a probiotic microorganism with water having a pH greater than the second isoelectric point, so as to forma mixture, adding the second material into the mixture and then adjusting a pH of the second material-added mixture to between the first and second isoelectric points so that a precipitate is formed, and subjecting the precipitate to a cell wall isolation treatment to obtain the postbiotic extract.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microorganism which can act as a biomarker of alcoholic fatty liver disease, and relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating alcoholic fatty liver disease, a food composition for preventing or improving alcoholic fatty liver disease, or a probiotics composition for preventing or improving alcoholic fatty liver disease, comprising the strain as an active ingredient.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel food material effective for improving skin conditions. The present invention provides a composition for use in improving skin conditions, comprising a Lactococcus bacterium as an active ingredient. Examples of the Lactococcus bacterium include Lactococcus lactis. The skin conditions are skin conditions deteriorated by light exposure, such as an increase in skin redness and a decrease in skin moisture content.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses cathelicidin-expressing lactic acid bacteria, and belongs to the technical field of genetic engineering. The disclosure constructs Lactococcus. lactis and Lactobacillus. plantarum expressing a CRAMP protein by optimizing the nucleotide sequence of the CRAMP protein. The Lactobacillus constructed in the disclosure can be used to prepare a vaccine for regulation of intestinal flora disorder, and has advantages in regulation of intestinal flora and intestinal immune response and maintenance. An anaculture can be directly taken as an oral vaccine to stimulate mice and cause a strong cellular immune response. The recombinant L. lactis can be used as a new oral vaccine product with good industrial prospects, plays a positive role in reducing intestinal inflammation, and has important practical significance for promoting health development of the intestinal tract.

Abstract: A formulation comprising an ingestible carrier and an isolated strain of Bifidobacterium longum.

Abstract: The invention provides a conjugate of a Neisseria meningitidis serogroup X capsular polysaccharide and a carrier molecule. The conjugate is typically made by (a) oxidizing a primary hydroxyl group in the capsular polysaccharide, to give an oxidized polysaccharide with an aldehyde group; and (b) coupling the oxidized polysaccharide to a carrier molecule via the aldehyde group, thereby giving the conjugate. The conjugate may be part of an immunogenic composition. This composition may comprise one or more further antigens, particularly capsular polysaccharides from serogroups A, W135, C and Y and conjugated forms thereof. The composition may be in an aqueous formulation. The composition is useful as a vaccine, e.g. for raising an immune response in a mammal. The invention also provides processes for making the conjugate.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for immunizing a patient, comprising administering multiple conjugates meningococcal capsular saccharides, wherein each conjugate comprises a diphtheria toxoid (or derivative thereof) carrier protein, and the capsular saccharide, and wherein the patient has been pre-immunized with a diphtheria toxoid (or derivative thereof).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a composition comprising at least three peptides derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen Rv2626c, its use in the diagnostic of latently infected Mycobacterium tuberculosis (LTBI) subjects, corresponding methods of use and kits.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides methods and compositions for eliciting an immune response against Neisseria spp. bacteria in a subject, particularly against a Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B strain.

Abstract: The method of the invention allows confirmation of infections caused by Streptococcus agalactiae bacterial species. The method employs a specific reaction of immunoreactive proteins obtained from clinical isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae with antibodies present in the serum of patients.

Abstract: The present invention provides a meningococcal conjugate vaccine for groups A, C, Y and W135, which is a tetravalent conjugate vaccine comprising polysaccharide-protein conjugates obtained by respectively conjugating a capsular polysaccharide of Neisseria meningitides groups A, C, Y and W135 to a outer membrane vesicle protein selected from a group consisting of Neisseria meningitides group B serotypes 4 and 15 outer membrane vesicle proteins.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions including polypeptides having the characteristics of polypeptides expressed by a reference microbe such E. coli or Salmonella. Examples of Salmonella strains that can be used include, for instance, S. enterica serovar Newport, S. enterica serovar Enteritidis, S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, and S. enterica serovar Dublin. Also provided are compositions including polypeptides having a particular molecular weight and a mass fingerprint that includes polypeptide fragments having a particular set of masses, or polypeptides having an amino acid sequence with at least about 95% identity with an amino acid sequence, wherein the polypeptide has seroreactive activity. The present invention also provides methods of making and methods of using such compositions.

Abstract: An injectable immunogenic composition comprising capsular saccharides from at least two of serogroups A, C, W135 and Y of Neisseria meningitidis, wherein said capsular saccharides are conjugated to carrier protein(s) and/or are oligosaccharides, and wherein (i) the composition comprises <50 ?g meningococcal saccharide per dose, and/or (ii) the composition further comprises an antigen from one or more of (a) serogroup B N. meningitidis; (b) Haemophilus influenzae type B; and/or (c) Streptococcus pneumoniae. Saccharide antigens in the compositions are generally conjugated to a carrier.

Abstract: A Listeria bacterium is disclosed which comprises a first mutation in the multidrug resistance transporter M (MdrM) gene which causes a decrease in interferon-? production in macrophages as compared to wild-type Listeria bacterium and a second mutation in the multidrug resistance transporter T (MdrT) gene which causes a decrease in interferon-? production in macrophages as compared to the wild-type Listeria bacterium.

Abstract: Chimera proteins including: (i) at least one sequence of a DbpA protein of a Borrelia species selected from B. afzelii, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto and B. garinii, and (ii) at least one sequence of an OspC protein of a Borrelia species selected from B. afzelii, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto and B. garinii. Also, a method and a kit for the in vitro diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis using said proteins.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions including polypeptides having the characteristics of polypeptides expressed by a reference microbe such E. coli or Salmonella. Examples of Salmonella strains that can be used include, for instance, S. enterica serovar Newport, S. enterica serovar Enteritidis, S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, and S. enterica serovar Dublin. Also provided are compositions including polypeptides having a particular molecular weight and a mass fingerprint that includes polypeptide fragments having a particular set of masses, or polypeptides having an amino acid sequence with at least about 95% identity with an amino acid sequence, wherein the polypeptide has seroreactive activity. The present invention also provides methods of making and methods of using such compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preventing or treating virus and protozoa infection in a subject in need thereof comprising: orally administering to said subject an effective amount of a composition comprising a complex consisting of a starch binding protein (SBP)-tagged immunostimulatory protein and a SBP-binding matrix, wherein the immunostimulatory protein is from Ganoderma species. The present invention also relates to a method for inducing interferon-gamma production in a subject in need thereof comprising: orally administering to said subject an effective amount of a composition comprising a complex consisting of a starch binding protein (SBP)-tagged immunostimulatory protein and a SBP-binding matrix, wherein the immunostimulatory protein is from Ganoderma species.