Abstract: The present invention provides engineered purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) enzymes, polypeptides having PNP activity, and polynucleotides encoding these enzymes, as well as vectors and host cells comprising these polynucleotides and polypeptides. Methods for producing PNP enzymes are also provided. The present invention further provides compositions comprising the PNP enzymes and methods of using the engineered PNP enzymes. The present invention finds particular use in the production of pharmaceutical compounds.

Abstract: A garden trowel includes a handle, a blade, and a connection member interconnecting the handle and the blade. The handle has a length which accommodates the use of two hands. The blade includes a body portion and a stem portion. The body portion of the blade has a beveled edge. The stem portion of the blade is bent and is attached to the connection member. The bent stem portion of the blade effectively offsets the blade from the handle. The handle of the trowel is formed in an offset manner along a longitudinal axis. More particularly, the handle is rotationally offset in a range between about four and about six degrees with respect to a vertical plane intersecting the longitudinal axis (to the right for a right handed trowel and to the left for a left handed trowel). The handle includes an increasing, graduated size of the handle that extends from a forward end of the handle to a rear end of the handle. The forward end of the handle is connected to the blade via the connection member.