Abstract: The present invention provides methods for studying pathogenesis of mammalian viruses. In particular, the present invention provides a nonhuman animal model system for studying disease mechanisms wherein the nonhuman animal model is infected with an animal virus. In a preferred embodiment the animal model is C. elegans and the animal virus is vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for studying pathogenesis of mammalian viruses. In particular, the present invention provides a nonhuman animal model system for studying disease mechanisms wherein the nonhuman animal model is infected with an animal virus. In a preferred embodiment the animal model is C. elegans and the animal virus is vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for studying pathogenesis of mammalian viruses. In particular, the present invention provides a nonhuman animal model system for studying disease mechanism wherein the nonhuman animal model is infected with an animal virus. In a preferred embodiment, the animal model is C. elegans and the animal virus is vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for studying pathogenesis of mammalian viruses. In particular, the present invention provides a nonhuman animal model system for studying disease mechanism wherein the nonhuman animal model is infected with an animal virus. In a preferred embodiment, the animal model is C. elegans and the animal virus is vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for expression of at least one heterologous gene in a host cell comprising transforming a host cell with at least one nucleic acid construct comprising a complete &agr; subunit of an RNA polymerase or a portion thereof of a hybrid nucleic acid containing a portion of the &agr; subunit of an RNA polymerase obtained from the same genus as the heterologous gene, and transforming the host cell, with at least one heterologous gene; and culturing the transformed host cell. The present invention further is directed to nucleic acid molecules used in the present method, vectors containing these nucleic acid molecules, and host cells containing the nucleic acid molecules. The nucleic acid encoding the &agr; subunit of an Agrobacterium RNA polymerase and the corresponding amino acid sequence and portions thereof is disclosed.

Abstract: Non-lyophilized vaccine compositions which contain a poliovirus and, as stabilizer, a compound containing at least two amino or imine groups. The stabilizers include polyimines such as the amino acid lysine or ethylenediamine and polyimines such as poly(ethylenimine).

Abstract: A method for encapsulating biologically-labile materials such as proteins, liposomes, bacteria and eucaryotic cells within a synthetic polymeric capsule, and the product thereof, are disclosed. The method is based on the use of a water-soluble polymer with charged side chains that are crosslinked with multivalent ions of the opposite charge to form a gel encapsulating biological material, that is optionally further stabilized by interactions with multivalent polyions of the same charge as those used to form the gel. In the preferred embodiment, hydrolytically stable polyphosphazenes are formed of monomers having carboxylic acid side groups that are crosslinked by divalent or trivalent cations such as Ca.sup.2+ or Al.sup.3+, then stabilized with a polycation such as poly-L-lysine. A variety of different compositions can be formed from the crosslinked polymer.

Abstract: A method for encapsulating biologically-labile materials such as proteins, liposomes, bacteria and eucaryotic cells within a synthetic polymeric capsule, and the product thereof, are disclosed. The method is based on the use of a water-soluble polymer with charged side chains that are crosslinked with multivalent ions of the opposite charge to form a gel encapsulating biological material, that is optionally further stabilized by interactions with multivalent polyions of the same charge as those used to form the gel. In the preferred embodiment, hydrolytically stable polyphosphazenes are formed of monomers having carboxylic acid side groups that are crosslinked by divalent or trivalent cations such as Ca.sup.2+ or Al.sup.3+, then stabilized with a polycation such as poly-L-lysine. A variety of different compositions can be formed from the crosslinked polymer.