Abstract: An inactive xylanase molecule for the recovery of xylanase activity in plant-derived material containing active xylanase enzyme(s) and xylanase inhibitors. The inactive xylanase molecule of binds to xylanase inhibitors in the plant-derived material, thereby allowing accurate measurement of xylanase enzyme activity of the enzyme contained in the plant-derived material. The invention further includes amino acid molecules depicted by SEQ ID NOS. 4 through 112, wherein the catalytically active sites of each of the amino acids have been modified resulting in inactive xylanase molecules. A method of production of the inactive xylanase molecules includes expression of the inactive xylanase molecule in microbial or eukaryal (e.g.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting nucleic acid modification enzyme activity by monitoring the change in fluorescence polarization upon the change in mass of a fluorescently labeled oligo. A nucleic acid substrate comprises a template having a nucleic acid sequence annealed to a labeled oligo, wherein there is a nick or break located between the adjacent ends of the template and the labeled oligo. A nucleic acid modification enzyme is added to the substrate to form a reaction mixture. A stop reagent may or may not be used to further process the reaction mixture. A test compound is added to the reaction mixture, preferably prior to addition of the nucleic acid modification enzyme, whereby the resulting fluorescence polarization signal is compared to a standard signal to determine if the test compound inhibits nucleic acid modification enzyme activity.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting nucleic acid modification enzyme activity by monitoring the change in fluorescence polarization upon the change in mass of a fluorescently labeled oligo. A nucleic acid substrate comprises a template having a nucleic acid sequence annealed to a labeled oligo, wherein there is a nick or break located between the adjacent ends of the template and the labeled oligo. A nucleic acid modification enzyme is added to the substrate to form a reaction mixture. A stop reagent may or may not be used to further process the reaction mixture. A test compound is added to the reaction mixture, preferably prior to addition of the nucleic acid modification enzyme, whereby the resulting fluorescence polarization signal is compared to a standard signal to determine if the test compound inhibits nucleic acid modification enzyme activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides plant ENR-A, CBL, UROD, PBGD, and CPPO genes. Also disclosed are the recombinant production of ENR-A, CBL, UROD, PBGD, and CPPO enzymes in heterologous hosts, screening chemicals for herbicidal activity using these recombinantly produced enzymes, and the use of thereby identified herbicidal chemicals to suppress the growth of undesired vegetation. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for the development of herbicide tolerance in plants, plant tissues, plant seeds, and plant cells using ENR-A, CBL, UROD, PBGD, and CPPO genes of the invention.