Abstract: The invention relates to novel polypeptides which have the biological activity of an NAD- or NADP-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase. The invention furthermore relates to nucleic acids encoding said polypeptides, to nonhuman hosts or host cells and to reaction systems which may be used for preparing desired products. The polypeptides of the invention are preferably used in the preparation, starting from aldehydes or ketones, of primary and enantiomerically pure secondary alcohols which may serve as intermediates for medicaments. Alternatively, the polypeptides of the invention may also be employed in the reverse reaction, i.e. the oxidation of alcohols with the formation of aldehydes or ketones.

Abstract: The present application relates to two novel alkaline proteases (SEQ ID NO. 4 and 7) which are similar to one another, whose DNA was obtained from soil samples, and which were C-terminally deleted. The present application also provides proteolytically active fragments thereof (SEQ ID NO. 5 and 8), all alkaline proteases similar at least to 90% to SEQ ID NO. 4 or to 87.5% to SEQ ID NO. 7, and those which can be summarized under a consensus sequence (SEQ ID NO. 9) derived from SEQ ID NO. 4 and 7. Furthermore, the present application relates to all nucleic acids which have a homology of at least 85% identity to the associated nucleic acids (SEQ ID NO. 3 and 6) or the fragments concerned. Furthermore, the present application relates to use for these proteases and especially describes their use in detergents and cleaners.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel polypeptides which have the biological activity of an NAD- or NADP-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase. The invention furthermore relates to nucleic acids encoding said polypeptides, to non-human hosts or host cells and to reaction systems which may be used for preparing desired products. The polypeptides of the invention are preferably used in the preparation, starting from aldehydes or ketones, of primary and enantiomerically pure secondary alcohol's which may serve as intermediates for medicaments. Alternatively, the polypeptides of the invention may also be employed in the reverse reaction, i.e. the oxidation of alcohol's with the formation of aldehydes or ketones.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new glycosyl hydrolases with an amyloltic activity and nucleic acids coding for said gylcosyl hydrolases, A PCR-based method for identifying and preparing new gylcosyl hydrolases from metagenome DNA and several possible technical uses for such glycosyl hydrolases with an amylolytic activity. Washing and cleaning products containing such enzymes, and methods and possible uses corresponding thereto are particularly interesting.

Abstract: The present application relates to two novel alkaline proteases (SEQ ID NO. 4 and 7) which are similar to one another, whose DNA was obtained from soil samples, and C-terminally deleted, likewise proteolytically active fragments thereof (SEQ ID NO. 5 and 8), all alkaline proteases similar at least to 90% to SEQ ID NO. 4 or to 87.5% to SEQ ID NO. 7, and those which can be summarized under a consensus sequence (SEQ ID NO. 9) derived from SEQ ID NO. 4 and 7. Furthermore it relates to all nucleic acids which have a homology of at least 85% identity to the associated nucleic acids (SEQ ID NO. 3 and 6) or the fragments concerned. Furthermore, it defines technical possibilities of use for these proteases and especially describes their use in detergents and cleaners.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel alkaline protease, the DNA thereof having been taken from a bottom sample, to all alkaline proteases that are at least 40% identical, and to all nucleic acids with an identity at least 50% homologous with the associated nucleic acids. The invention also relates to the fragment of said protease, comprising the amino acid positions 108 to 325, in addition to the gene fragment coding therefor, and to all alkaline proteases that are at least 60% identical, or nucleic acids that are at least 70% identical. Furthermore, the invention defines technical possibilities of use for said proteases and especially describes the use thereof in washing and cleaning products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the isolation and/or purification of nucleic acid molecules suitable to bind and/or inactivate inhibitors of the activity of reagents or enzymes used for DNA manipulation and to separate a plurality of nucleic acid molecules with respect to their size. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for the isolation of a nucleic acid molecule comprising applying a sample to the device of the invention wherein said nucleic acid molecule preferably represents a fraction of the metagenome of a given habitat. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the generation of at least one gene library comprising nucleic acid molecules isolated by the method of the invention and to a nucleic acid molecule isolated by the method of the invention.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tube with varying wall thickness includes the step of drawing a tube over a generally cylindrical mandrel having an outer diameter that fluctuates along the length of the mandrel between a first diameter and a second diameter. The tube is drawn over the mandrel to form a tube wall having a thickness that fluctuates along the length of the tube between a first wall thickness and a second wall thickness. After the tube is drawn over the mandrel, the mandrel is removed from the tube. The outer surface of the tube may be finished to form a substantially uniform outer diameter along the length of the tube.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new glycosyl hydrolases with an amyloltic activity and nucleic acids coding for said gylcosyl hydrolases, A PCR-based method for identifying and preparing new gylcosyl hydrolases from metagenome DNA and several possible technical uses for such glycosyl hydrolases with an amylolytic activity. Washing and cleaning products containing such enzymes, and methods and possible uses corresponding thereto are particularly interesting.

Abstract: Described herein are a novel group of &agr;-amylases belonging to a common sequence region as well as proteins with amylolytic function which are sufficiently similar to these &agr;-amylases. Also described are methods for production of such enzymes, as well as various possible uses for such amylolytic proteins, in particular in detergents and cleaning agents. Also described herein is a PCR-based method for identifying and producing novel &agr;-amylases from isolated nucleic acids, in particular from DNA isolated from collections of microorganisms, as well as particular primer oligonucleotides which may be used in the described method.