Abstract: The disclosure relates to genetically modified bacteria, genetically modified arthropods, and methods for controlling and/or reducing arthropod populations.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for detecting the presence of ubiquitination in a sample. The compositions include synthetic peptides containing a high affinity ubiquitin binding domain and an additional peptide sequence that can be coupled to materials such as resins and dyes.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to compositions of and methods for obtaining deubiquitinating enzyme polypeptides. The invention relates as well to polynucleotides encoding deubiquitinating enzyme polypeptides, the recombinant vectors carrying those sequences, the recombinant host cells including either the sequences or vectors, and recombinant deubiquitinating enzyme polypeptides. By way of example, the invention discloses the cloning and functional expression if at least three different deubiquitinating enzyme polypeptides. The invention includes as well, methods for using the isolated, recombinant enzyme polypeptides in assays designed to select and improve substances capable of interacting with deubiquitinating enzyme polypeptides for use in diagnostic, drug design and therapeutic applications.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method of metabolically destabilizing a protein or peptide of interest in vivo provided that the protein or peptide contains a second determinant of the N-end rule-based degradation signal and provided that another (targeting) protein or peptide can be identified that specifically interacts with the protein or peptide of interest. The methods of the invention comprise contacting the protein or peptide of interest with the targeting protein or peptide which contains a destabilizing amino-terminal amino acid according to the N-end rule of protein degradation but lacking a second determinant of the N-end rule-based degradation signal. Because nearly all proteins specifically interact with other proteins, this is a broadly applicable method for metabolically destabilizing a protein or peptide of interest in vivo.