Abstract: A slide holder assembly and method for use in high content screening of a comet assay. The slide holder assembly has an inside surface and is configured to receive a slide holding a plurality of biological cells on a top surface thereof. When the slide is secured within the slide holder assembly, the inside surface of the slide holder assembly and the top surface of the slide combine to form a cavity having an open top end. The cavity is watertight and configured to hold a liquid therein. A method of performing a comet assay using a slide disposed within a slide holder assembly. The method includes performing encapsulation, lysis, electrophoresis, staining, and imaging of cells on the slide while the slide remains secured within the slide holder assembly.

Abstract: Heterologous extra-cellular expression of recombinant proteins in soluble functional form is desirable because of the ease associated with purification of the secreted proteins and avoidance of the need for cell extraction and protein refolding procedures. The present invention provides DNA sequences of the naturally-occurring phthalyl amidase gene isolated from Xanthobacter agilis that control transcription, translation, and extra-cellular secretion of proteins in Streptomyces lividans. These DNA sequences can be used in a method for extra-cellular expression of a wide variety of proteins in soluble functional form.

Abstract: Phthalyl amidase is an enzyme previously unknown in the art that catalyzes removal of the phthalyl moiety from phthalyl-containing amides. The current invention provides DNA compounds encoding the phthalyl amidase enzyme and methods for expressing such compounds. The present invention also provides recombinant DNA vectors encoding phthalyl amidase and host cells transformed with these DNA vectors.

Abstract: The present invention provides isolated DNA compounds and recombinant DNA cloning and expression vectors that encode PNB esterase from Bacillus subtilis. The invention also provides host cells transformed with these vectors and a method for production of the PNB esterase by recombinant DNA techniques.

Abstract: Phthalyl amidase is an enzyme previously unknown in the art that catalyzes removal of the phthalyl moiety from phthalyl-containing amides. The current invention provides DNA compounds encoding the phthalyl amidase enzyme and methods for expressing such compounds. The present invention also provides recombinant DNA vectors encoding phthalyl amidase and host cells transformed with these DNA vectors.