Abstract: Provided are methods and means to obtain improved gene silencing of target nucleic acids whereby at least two inhibitory RNA molecules are provided which are targeted to the same nucleic acid, but which are processed into short interfering RNA molecules through different processing pathways. Also provided are methods and means to obtain improved gene silencing of target nucleic acids whereby at least two inhibitory RNA molecules are provided which are targeted to different nucleic acids, but which are processed into short interfering RNA molecules through different processing pathways.

Abstract: Methods and means for efficiently downregulating the expression of a target gene of interest in cell from an organism that is an animal, fungus, and protest. The invention provides chimeric nucleic acid molecules for downregulating target genes. The invention also provides modified cells and organisms comprising the chimeric nucleic acid molecules and compositions comprising the chimeric molecules.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided to modulate gene silencing in eukaryotes through the alteration of the functional level of particular DICER or DICER like proteins. Also provided are methods and means to modulate post-transcriptional gene silencing in eukaryotes through the alteration of the functional level of proteins involved in transcriptional silencing of the silencing RNA encoding genes.

Abstract: Methods and means for efficiently downregulating the expression of any gene of interest in eukaryotic cells and organisms are provided. To this end, the invention provides modified antisense and sense RNA molecules, chimeric genes encoding such modified antisense or sense RNA molecules and eukaryotic organisms such as plants, animals or fungi, yeast or molds, comprising the modified antisense and/or sense RNA molecules or the encoding chimeric genes.

Abstract: The invention pertains to anti-CD30 antibodies that lack fucosyl and xylosyl residues. The antibodies of the invention exhibit increased antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity, including the ability to lyse CD30-expressing cell lines that are not lysed by the fucosylated and xylosylated form of the antibodies. The invention also provides host cells that express the anti-CD30 antibodies that lack fucosyl and xylosyl residues, wherein the host cells are deficient for a fucosyltransferase and a xylosyltransferase. Methods of using the antibodies to inhibit the growth of CD30 cells, such as tumor cells, are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and means for efficiently downregulating the expression of any gene of interest in eukaryotic cells and organisms are provided. To this end, the invention provides modified antisense and sense RNA molecules, chimeric genes encoding such modified antisense or sense RNA molecules and eukaryotic organisms such as plants, animals or fungi, yeast or molds, comprising the modified antisense and/or sense RNA molecules or the encoding chimeric genes.

Abstract: Glycan-optimized monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind CD20 antigen and which have improved effector function are provided. The anti-CD20 antibodies of the invention have a glycosylation pattern that results in an antibody composition having predominately the G0 glycoform, and thus comprise N-glycans that lack fucose (i.e., afucosylated) and galactose residues attached thereto. In some embodiments, these anti-CD20 antibodies comprise the light chain and heavy chain sequences of the rituximab anti-CD20 antibody, and thus represent afucosylated rituximab. Methods for producing these glycan-optimized anti-CD20 antibodies are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided for reducing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid of interest in eucaryotic cells, particularly in plant cells, by introducing chimeric genes encoding sense and antisense RNA molecules directed towards the target nucleic acid, which are capable of forming a double stranded RNA region by base-pairing between the regions with sense and antisense nucleotide sequence or by introducing the RNA molecules themselves. Preferably, the RNA molecules comprises simultaneously both sense and antisense nucleotide sequence.

Abstract: Methods for altering the N-glycosylation pattern of proteins in higher plants are provided. The methods comprise introducing into the plant a recombinant construct that provides for the inhibition of expression of ?1,3-fucosyltransferase (FucT) and ?1,2-xylosyltransferase (XylT) in a plant. Use of these constructs to inhibit or suppress expression of both of these enzymes, and isoforms thereof, advantageously provides for the production of endogenous and heterologous proteins having a “humanized” N-glycosylation pattern without impacting plant growth and development. Stably transformed higher plants having this protein N-glycosylation pattern are provided. Glycoprotein compositions, including monoclonal antibody compositions, having substantially homogeneous glycosylation profiles, and which are substantially homogeneous for the G0 glycoform, are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and means for efficiently downregulating the expression of a target gene of interest in cell from an organism that is an animal, fungus and protist. The invention provides chimeric nucleic acid molecules for downregulating target genes. The invention also provides modified cells and organisms comprising the chimeric nucleic acid molecules and compositions comprising the chimeric molecules.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided for reducing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid of interest in eucaryotic cells, particularly in plant cells, by introducing chimeric genes encoding sense and antisense RNA molecules directed towards the target nucleic acid, which are capable of forming a double stranded RNA region by base-pairing between the regions with sense and antisense nucleotide sequence or by introducing the RNA molecules themselves. Preferably, the RNA molecules comprises simultaneously both sense and antisense nucleotide sequence.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided for reducing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid of interest in eukaryotic cells, particularly in plant cells, by providing aberrant, preferably unpolyadenylated, target-specific RNA to the nucleus of the host cell. Preferably, the unpolyadenylated target-specific RNA is provided by transcription of a chimeric gene comprising a promoter, a DNA region encoding the target-specific RNA, a self-splicing ribozyme and a DNA region involved in 3? end formation and polyadenylation.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided for reducing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid of interest in eukaryotic cells, particularly in plant cells, by providing aberrant, preferably unpolyadenylated, target-specific RNA to the nucleus of the host cell. Preferably, the unpolyadenylated target-specific RNA is provided by transcription of a chimeric gene comprising a promoter, a DNA region encoding the target-specific RNA, a self-splicing ribozyme and a DNA region involved in 3? end formation and polyadenylation.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided for reducing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid of interest in eucaryotic cells, particularly in plant cells, by introducing chimeric genes encoding sense and antisense RNA molecules directed towards the target nucleic acid, which are capable of forming a double stranded RNA region by base-pairing between the regions with sense and antisense nucleotide sequence or by introducing the RNA molecules themselves. Preferably, the RNA molecules comprises simultaneously both sense and antisense nucleotide sequence.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided for reducing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid of interest in eukaryotic cells, particularly in plant cells, by providing aberrant, preferably unpolyadenylated, target-specific RNA to the nucleus of the host cell. Preferably, the unpolyadenylated target-specifc RNA is provided by transcription of a chimeric gene comprising a promoter, a DNA region encoding the target-specific RNA, a self-splicing ribozyme and a DNA region involved in 3? end formation and polyadenylation.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided to increase the efficiency of gene silencing when using dsRNA sequences which have a stem length shorter than about 200 base pairs by providing chimeric genes encoding such dsRNA sequences with a promoter recognized by DNA dependent RNA polymerase III comprising all cis-acting promoter elements which interact with DNA dependent RNA polymerase III.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided for reducing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid of interest in eucaryotic cells, particularly in plant cells, by introducing chimeric genes encoding sense and antisense RNA molecules directed towards the target nucleic acid, which are capable of forming a double stranded RNA region by base-pairing between the regions with sense and antisense nucleotide sequence or by introducing the RNA molecules themselves. Preferably, the RNA molecules comprises simultaneously both sense and antisense nucleotide sequence.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for producing transgenic cereal plants resistant to Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus, particularly in the presence of co-infecting Cereal Yellow Dwarf Virus, by stably integrating into the cells of the transgenic plant a chimeric gene comprising a DNA region operably linked to plant expressible promoter in such a way that the RNA molecule may be transcribed from the DNA region, the RNA molecule comprising both sense and antisense RNA capable of pairing and forming a double stranded RNA molecule or hairpin RNA.

Abstract: Methods and means for efficiently downregulating the expression of any gene of interest in eukaryotic cells and organisms are provided. To this end, the invention provides modified antisense and sense RNA molecules, chimeric genes encoding such modified antisense or sense RNA molecules and eukaryotic organisms such as plants, animals or fungi, yeast or molds, comprising the modified antisense and/or sense RNA molecules or the encoding chimeric genes.

Abstract: Methods and means are provided for reducing the phenotypic expression of a nucleic acid of interest in eukaryotic cells, particularly in plant cells, by providing aberrant, preferably unpolyadenylated, target-specific RNA to the nucleus of the host cell. Preferably, the unpolyadenylated target-specific RNA is provided by transcription of a chimeric gene comprising a promoter, a DNA region encoding the target-specific RNA, a self-splicing ribozyme and a DNA region involved in 3′ end formation and polyadenylation.