Abstract: The present invention provides a method of detecting antibodies in a sample from a subject, wherein the antibodies bind to epitopes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens, comprising contacting the sample with two or more isolated polypeptides or antigenic fragments or variants thereof, wherein the polypeptides comprise polypeptides selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15; and detecting formation of antibody-peptide complexes comprising said isolated polypeptides or antigenic fragments or variants thereof, wherein formation of said complexes is indicative of the presence of the antibodies to epitopes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens in said sample.

Abstract: Among the inventions disclosed herein are: nucleic acid expression systems for bacteria having an intracytoplasmic membrane system, including, for example, methanotrophic bacteria; recombinant nucleic acid constructs comprising a pmo promoter operably linked to an expressible nucleic acid; cloning vectors suitable for making recombinant nucleic acid constructs and methods for the production of proteins such as membrane proteins.

Abstract: Among the inventions disclosed herein are: nucleic acid expression systems for bacteria having an intracytoplasmic membrane system, including, for example, methanotrophic bacteria; recombinant nucleic acid constructs comprising a pmo promoter operably linked to an expressible nucleic acid; cloning vectors suitable for making recombinant nucleic acid constructs and methods for the production of proteins such as membrane proteins.

Abstract: An adsorption-desorption process for separation of a component from a feed mixture of components wherein at least two components of the feed mixture are adsorbed by an adsorbent material during the adsorption step of the adsorption-desorption process and the adsorbent material has a greater affinity for a first one of said adsorbed components than for a second one of the adsorbed components, the process comprising charging the feed mixture to an inlet end of a bed of the adsorbent material, passing the feed mixture through the bed under such conditions that the adsorbent material adsorbs said first and second components of the feed mixture, withdrawing an effluent from an outlet end of the bed, the effluent consisting essentially of feed mixture decreased in content of the materials adsorbed by the bed, after the adsorbent material is substantially saturated, desorbing the first and second components from the adsorbent material in at least two steps at substantially the same pressure but at different temperat