Abstract: The present invention provides the multifunctional biological and biochemical sensor technology based on ZnO nanostructures. The ZnO nanotips serve as strong DNA or protein molecule binding sites to enhance the immobilization. Patterned ZnO nanotips are used to provide conductivity-based biosensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are also used as the gate for field-effect transistor (FET) type sensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are integrated with SAW or BAW based biosensors. These ZnO nanotip based devices operate in multimodal operation combining electrical, acoustic and optical sensing mechanisms. The multifunctional biosensors can be arrayed and combined into one biochip, which will enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of biological and biochemical detection due to strong immobilization and multimodal operation capability. Such biological and biochemical sensor technology are useful in detection of RNA-DNA, DNA-DNA, protein-protein, protein-DNA and protein-small molecules interaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides the multifunctional biological and biochemical sensor technology based on ZnO nanostructures. The ZnO nanotips serve as strong DNA or protein molecule binding sites to enhance the immobilization. Patterned ZnO nanotips are used to provide conductivity-based biosensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are also used as the gate for field-effect transistor (FET) type sensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are integrated with SAW or BAW based biosensors. These ZnO nanotip based devices operate in multimodal operation combining electrical, acoustic and optical sensing mechanisms. The multifunctional biosensors can be arrayed and combined into one biochip, which will enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of biological and biochemical detection due to strong immobilization and multimodal operation capability. Such biological and biochemical sensor technology are useful in detection of RNA-DNA, DNA-DNA, protein-protein, protein-DNA and protein-small molecules interaction.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting the translation of bacterial mRNA is disclosed. The method comprises overexpressing in a bacterium an mRNA which contains a sequence which is complementary to the anti-downstream box region of the 16S rRNA. RNA and DNA constructs for the overexpression of the mRNA of the invention are disclosed. Further, there are disclosed isolated DNA constructs that direct the prolonged expression of a heterologous gene in a cold-shocked bacterium at reduced temperature. The construct can comprise a promoter region of a cold-shocked inducible gene. The replication vehicle comprising such DNA constructs and a method for overexpressing a heterologous gene in a bacterium transformed with such a replication vehicle are also disclosed.

Abstract: A fourth cold shock protein of the Escherichia coli CspA family is disclosed, as are the regulatory elements of the 5′ UTR of the corresponding gene. The cspI gene is located at 35.2 min on the E. coli chromosome map, and CspI shows 70, 70, and 79% identity of CspA, CspB, and CspG, respectively. The 5′-untranslated region of the cspI mRNA consists of 145 bases and causes a negative effect on cspI expression at 37° C. The cspI mRNA was very unstable at 37° C. but was stabilized upon cold shock. The 5′ UTR of cspI can enhance the translation of cold shock inducible genes under conditions that elicit a cold shock response in bacteria.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel gene, IAP, which encodes a soluble protein that is involved in the initiation of an inflammatory cytokine response and which may interact with the anti-inflammatory IL-13. The protein of the present invention may be involved as a central mediator in ischemia, reperfusion, asthma and other inflammation-induced pathological conditions. The invention relates to methods for using isolated polypeptides and polynucleotides, for detecting the early onset of chronic asthma, psoriasis, stroke, ischemia, reperfusion, leishmaniasis, helminthiasis, hypoxia, or other causes of renal, liver or heart failure in a mammal, where increased cytokine activity is known to play a role.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gene, dep, which confers resistance to the antibacterial activity of 4,5-dihydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one (DHCP). The invention further relates to the putative protein encoded by dep, which is a hydrophobic, transmembrane efflux protein specific for DHCP. The invention further relates to plasmids containing the dep gene, and to bacterial cells expressing dep. Furthermore, the invention provides applications for use in conferring resistance to antibacterial activity in organisms. The dep gene can be used to identify compounds which inhibit the efflux activity responsible for the resistance to DHCP or to compounds which are functionally equivalent to DHCP.

Abstract: This invention provides biologically active protein folding intermediates and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a prokaryotic reverse transcriptase enzyme. The enzyme is capable of synthesizing a hybrid DNA-RNA molecule called msDNA with the genes which synthesize the DNA and RNA portions of the molecule.

Abstract: A family of stimuli-induced in particular stress or cold-shock induced genes and proteins are disclosed which have conserved amino acid domains. Nucleic acid sequences of the genes and the promoters are also described. Various utilities of the promoters and of the proteins are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides N-terminal truncated transmembrane sensor histidine kinases that retain their ability to be autophosphorylated and/or their related histidine kinase activity. The N-terminal truncated transmembrane sensor histidine kinases are useful for obtaining detailed three-dimensional structural data of the catalytic portion of the protein. The three-dimensional structural data is included as part of the invention. In addition, the present invention provides methodology for related structure based rational drug design using the three-dimensional data. Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the N-terminal truncated transmembrane sensor histidine kinases are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides N-terminal truncated transmembrane sensor histidine kinases that retain their ability to be autophophorylated and/or their related histidine kinase activity. The N-terminal truncated transmembrane sensor histidine kinases are useful for obtaining detailed three-dimensional structural data of the catalytic portion of the protein. The three-dimensional structural data is included as part of the invention. In addition, the present invention provides methodology for related structure based rational drug design using the three-dimensional data. Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the N-terminal truncated transmembrane sensor histidine kinases are also provided.

Abstract: A method of synthesis of new and useful single-stranded DNAs which have a stem-loop configuration (ss-slDNA). The method is an in vivo or an in vitro synthesis. Replicating vehicles which produce these ss-slDNAs. The ss-slDNAs are described. Uses for these slDNAs are disclosed. They can be used for introducing random mutations, they lend themselves for replication by a variant of the PCR method. They can also be used for regulating gene function. Other uses are disclosed.

Abstract: A multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA) synthesizing system in E. coli is disclosed. The use of the msDNA system to synthesize cDNA in vivo is disclosed. Construction of synthetic msDNA is also disclosed. Also processes for gene amplification and for producing a stable RNA are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting the translation of bacterial mRNA is disclosed, which method comprises overexpressing in a bacterium an mRNA which contains a sequence which is complementary to the anti-downstream box region of the 16S rRNA. RNA and DNA constructs for the overexpression of the mRNA of the invention are disclosed.

Abstract: A transgenic animal, the genome of which comprises a transgene for superoxide dismutase (SOD), erythrocyte-glutathione peroxidase (GPE), or plasma-glutathione peroxidase (GPP), is disclosed. A double transgenic animal comprising the transgenes for both SOD and GPE is also disclosed. Methods for making the transgenic animals are disclosed. Both the SOD gene and the two GP genes code for proteins which control the level of reactive oxidative species (ROS) which accumulate in cells as a result of metabolism. Cell lines from both SOD and GP transgenic animals and methods for use of the transgenic animals as models are also disclosed.

Abstract: Eucaryotic cells like mammal and plant cells transfected with genes, called retrons, which code for stable single-stranded hybrid molecules (msDNA) containing RNA and DNA portions are disclosed. The retrons producing said linked RNA and DNA portions of the msDNAs also contain a gene encoding a reverse transcriptase (RT), which is necessary for the synthesis of the msDNAs. The msDNAs may contain foreign nucleic acid fragments which may be antisense fragments. These msDNA antisense vectors are useful for targeting genes of target proteins.

Abstract: The inhibition of proteins synthesis by an antisense RNA-tRNA complex which is capable of inhibiting translation is described. Under certain conditions, growth of organisms is inhibited by inhibition of non-specific translation by an antisense RNA construct to a tRNA target. In vitro, cell-free inhibition of viral protein translation is described. Transformed microorganisms are disclosed. The invention has applicability in the control of cell growth, such as viruses, bacteria, infected cells, or tumor cells. The invention is useful in animal and plant fields.

Abstract: Novel hybrid molecules comprising an RNA and a DNA portion are disclosed. A method for synthesizing the molecule is disclosed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a biochemically active polypeptide from a biochemically inactive polypeptide. The polypeptide is normally but need not be expressed in a precursor form containing a pro-sequence. The inactive polypeptide is reacted with a tailor-made activating peptide. The activating peptide can be synthetic or made by recombinant DNA procedure. The activating peptide is a peptide which contains one or more functional domains which are necessary for folding the inactive polypeptide into a biochemically active conformation. The activating peptide may but need not contain a sequence of amino acids which is identical to the sequence of the natural occurring pro-sequence of the polypeptide. Also, a method is disclosed which permits to identify the one or more functional domains in the pro-sequence of a polypeptide which contribute(s) to the folding of the inactive polypeptide into a biochemically active conformation.

Abstract: A family of stimuli-induced in particular stress or cold-shock induced genes and proteins are disclosed which have conserved amino acid domains. Nucleic acid sequences of the genes and the promoters are also described. Various utilities of the promoters and of the proteins are disclosed.