Abstract: Described is a novel family of cell surface serpentine transmembrane antigens. Two of the proteins in this family are exclusively or predominantly expressed in the prostate, as well as in prostate cancer, and thus members of this family have been termed “STRAP” (Serpentine TRansmembrane Antigens of the Prostate). Four particular human STRAPs are described and characterized herein. The human STRAPs exhibit a high degree of structural conservation among them but show no significant structural homology to any known human proteins. The prototype member of the STRAP family, STRAP-1, appears to be a type IIIa membrane protein expressed predominantly in prostate cells in normal human tissues. Structurally, STRAP-1 is a 339 amino acid protein characterized by a molecular topology of six transmembrane domains and intracellular N- and C-termini, suggesting that it folds in a “serpentine” manner into three extracellular and two intracellular loops.

Abstract: The current invention concerns SMAD interacting protein(s) obtainable by a two-hybrid screening assay whereby SMAD1 C-domain fused to GAL4 DNA-binding domain as bait and a cDNA library from mouse embryo as prey are used. Some characteristics of a specific SMAD interacting protein (SIP1) of the family of zinc finger/homeodomain proteins including &dgr;-crystallin enhancer binding protein and/or Drosophila zfh-1 include an inability to interact with full size XSMAD1 in yeast, SIP1czf binds to E2 box sites, SIP1czf binds to the Brachyury protein binding site and interferes with Brachyury-mediated transcription activation in cells and also interacts with C-domain of SMAD 1, 2 and 5. The minimal length of the amino acid sequence necessary for binding with SMAD appears to be a 51 amino acid domain encompassing amino acids 166-216 of SEQ ID NO 2 having the amino acid sequence as depicted in the one letter code: QHLGVGMEAPLLGFPTMNSNLSEVQKVLQIVDNTVSRQKMDCKTEDISKLK (SEQ ID NO. 21).

Abstract: An isolated cell having the characteristics of the cell line designated FO-1 #12 is provided. The cell FO-1 #12 is characterized as being .beta..sub.2 -microglobulin-deficient, neomycin-resistant and HAT-sensitive. A cell hybrid formed by the fusion of an FO-1 #12 cell or other cell described herein and a mammalian cell is provided. The patient-derived cell can be a tumor cell or other cell, such as a white blood cell. The patient-derived tumor cell can be a melanoma cell, a prostatic carcinoma cell, a colon carcinoma cell, a lung carcinoma cell, a breast carcinoma cell, a pancreatic carcinoma cell, or others. A method of treating AIDS in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a cell hybrid provided herein, wherein the patient-derived white blood cell is derived from the patient being treated, is provided.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an instant agar medium which can be immediately used as a culture medium merely by heating a container packed with the agar medium just before the use for a short time, can be stored for a long period and little suffers from the deterioration of medium components. Specifically, a process for the preparation of an instant agar medium which can be dissolved by heating for a short time just before the use, characterized by dissolving under heating 10 to 80 wt. % of a prescribed amount of agar to be used in an agar medium in part of a prescribed amount of water to be used therein, cooling the obtained solution, separately dispersing or dissolving the rest of agar and the other culture medium components in the rest of water, mixing the cooled solution with the separately prepared dispersion or solution, adjusting the viscosity of the obtained fluid to 40 to 4,000 mPa·s, packing the resulting fluid into a container, hermetically sealing the container, and sterilizing it.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method to reduce, substantially reduce, inactivate or eliminate adventitious agents and/or toxins in a sample, particuarly in nutritive media, media supplements, media subgroups and buffer formulations. Specifically, the present invention provides powdered nutritive media, media supplements and media subgroups produced by the methods of the invention, particuarly cell culture media supplements (including powdered sera such as powdered fetal bovine serum (FBS)). The invention further provides powdered buffer formulations produced by the methods of the invention. The invention also provides kits and methods for cultivation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, particularly bacterial cells, yeast cells, plant cells and animal cells (including human cells) using these nutritive media, media supplements, media subgroups and buffer formulations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of detecting, in a sample, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and/or cells undergoing reprogramming to produce induced pluripotent stem cells. These methods include providing a sample potentially containing such cells and providing a rosamine derivative compound of the formula (I): where the rosamine derivative compound selectively produces fluorescent signals for embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and/or cells undergoing reprogramming to produce induced pluripotent stem cells. These methods also include the steps of contacting the sample with the rosamine derivative compound and detecting the presence of the embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and/or cells undergoing reprogramming to produce induced pluripotent stem cells based on fluorescent signals emitted by the sample following said contacting.

Abstract: The invention provides the genomic sequence of GSSP-2, GSSP-2 cDNAs and GSSP-2 polypeptides. Further the invention provides polynucleotides including biallelic markers derived from the GSSP-2 gene and from genomic regions flanking the gene. This invention also provides polynucleotides and methods suitable for genotyping a nucleic acid molecule containing sample for one or more biallelic markers of the invention. Further, the invention provides methods to detect a statistical correlation between a biallelic marker allele and a phenotype and/or between a biallelic marker haplotype and a phenotype. The invention also concerns methods and compositions for killing neoplastic cells or inhibiting neoplastic cell growth. In particular, the present invention concerns cell proliferation arresting/inhibiting and apoptosis/necrosis inducing compositions and methods for the treatment of tumors. The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides.

Abstract: Described here is an automated robotic device that isolates circulating tumor cells (CTCs) or other biological structures with extremely high purity. The device uses powerful magnetic rods covered in removable plastic sleeves. These rods sweep through blood samples, capturing, e.g., cancer cells labeled with antibodies linked to magnetically responsive particles such as superparamagnetic beads. Upon completion of the capturing protocol, the magnetic rods undergo several rounds of washing, thereby removing all contaminating blood cells. The captured target cells are released into a final capture solution by removing the magnetic rods from the sleeves. Additionally, cells captured by this device show no reduced viability when cultured after capture. Cells are captured in a state suitable for genetic analysis. Also disclosed are methods for single cell analysis. Being robotic allows the device to be operated with high throughput.

Abstract: Ku deficient cells and transgenic animals are described that comprise at least one allele of the XRCC5 gene that has been mutated by targeted disruption. Fibroblasts derived from XRCC5 mutant embryos and mice were found to prematurely age. These cells displayed decreased growth, slow entry into S phase, altered colony size distribution that favored small colonies, short life span and morphology characteristic of terminal differentiation. Mutant cells were also hypersensitive to .gamma.-radiation. The tissue culture data was at least partly reproduced in vivo because mutant mice grew slower than control littermates. The XRCC5 mutation, designated xrcc5.sup.M1, was a deletion of nucleotides 701-964 that shifted the reading frame. xrcc5.sup.M1 is expected to be null because the deleted allele produced no detectable transcript and because lymphocyte development and V(D)J recombination was severely disrupted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an arginine deiminase mutant with partial lysine-deficient and preparation and application thereof. The arginine deiminase mutant of the present invention has enzymatic activity of degrading arginine into citruline; compared with the arginine deiminase with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, the amino acid sequence comprises one or more of K9N, T, K59Q, K66R, A, K93E, A, Q, K111R, A, K119Q, L, M, K121Q, I, K122E, L, K126E, S, R, K178I, E, D, K196I, R, K209G, T, D, K243E, V, R, K249D, Q, K263N, Q, K279Y, T, K293R, H, E, K325V, I, K380T, R, E, and K406E, D, S substitutions. Compared with PEG modified natural derived arginine deiminase, the PEG modified arginine deiminase mutant of the present invention retain better bioactivity; and because the quantity of lysine in arginine deiminase is reduced, the PEG modified products are more uniform and can be applied to clinical treatment of hepatoma, melanoma and the like.

Abstract: This invention provides isolated nucleic acids encoding mammalian SNORF25 receptors, purified mammalian SNORF25 receptors, vectors comprising nucleic acid encoding mammalian SNORF25 receptors, cells comprising such vectors, antibodies directed to mammalian SNORF25 receptors, nucleic acid probes useful for detecting nucleic acid encoding mammalian SNORF25 receptors, antisense oligonucleotides complementary to unique sequences of nucleic acid encoding mammalian SNORF25 receptors, transgenic, nonhuman animals which express DNA encoding normal or mutant mammalian SNORF25 receptors, methods of isolating mammalian SNORF25 receptors, methods of treating an abnormality that is linked to the activity of the mammalian SNORF25 receptors, as well as methods of determining binding of compounds to mammalian SNORF25 receptors, methods of identifying agonists and antagonists of SNORF25 receptors, and agonists and antagonists so identified.

Abstract: Stimulating tissue resident pluripotent stem cells in a manner that the respective subject (e.g., human) acts as its own sterile bioreactor for in vivo stem cell proliferation thus eliminating the need to isolate, cultivate, maintain, proliferate and release stem cells ex vivo. The stimulation mobilizes excess pluripotent stem cells into the peripheral vasculature where the pluripotent stem cells can either migrate to damaged tissues and/or be harvested by simple venipuncture, thus eliminating potential morbidity and mortality elicited from harvesting tissue from solid tissue sites. The pluripotent stem cells are separated from the blood by gravity sedimentation, after which the pluripotent stem cells can easily be aspirated from the white blood cells and red blood cells. Billions of pluripotent stem cells can be generated in this fashion for infusion/injection into the body, via the vasculature, and into the organ(s) in need of tissue repair and regeneration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated fusion protein comprising at least three NS polypeptides originating from a hepatitis C virus which are configured in said fusion protein in an order which is distinct of the order in which they appear in the native configuration. The present invention also relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding such a fusion protein and a vector comprising such a nucleic acid molecule. The present invention also provides infectious viral particles and host cells comprising such a nucleic acid molecule or such a vector. The present invention also relates to a method for recombinantly producing such a fusion protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method to increase growth or differentiation in vitro in a cell or tissue culture comprising culturing said cell(s) or tissue and applying pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) to said cell or tissue. In said method the cells or tissue are derived from a plant or an animal (including human) and preferably the cells are undifferentiated cells. Also part of the invention is a method as described herein wherein the cells or tissue are derived from a plant and in which differentiation implies the outgrowth of roots and/or shoots or of somatic embryos. The invention further comprises the use of PRF for increasing the growth or differentiation in in vitro cell or tissue culture. The invention also comprises a cell or tissue culture treated according to a method according to the invention. Preferably such a cell or tissue culture is derived from a plant. Then, in yet another embodiment, the invention is directed to a plant grown from such a cell or tissue culture.

Abstract: A patient replica is created from a layered culture medium where solid culture medium is formed so that a discontinuity exists between the layers. An infusion port is provided in registration with the discontinuity so that a fresh unadulterated sample of patient blood can be infused into the discontinuity to form a thin layer of blood between the layers of culture medium. The thin layer obviates the requirement for any anticoagulant allowing blood-borne pathogens to be readily cultured without using broth. Further antibiotics or other drug samples may be placed on the surface of the culture medium above the blood layer so that the antibiotic can diffuse through the culture medium and reveal the sensitivities of the cultured pathogens. Other samples of pathogens or tissues can be placed on the surface of the culture medium so that effects of drugs or growth factors present in the patient blood can be observed thereby allowing the entrapped blood layer to act as a biological replica of the patient.

Abstract: This invention provides isolated nucleic acids encoding chimeric G proteins, vectors comprising nucleic acids encoding chimeric G proteins, cells comprising such vectors, processes of determining agonists and antagonists of mammalian G protein-coupled receptors utilizing chimeric G proteins, processes of determining compounds which bind to mammalian G protein-coupled receptors utilizing chimeric G proteins, processes for making a composition of matter which specifically binds to a mammalian G protein-coupled receptor utilizing chimeric G proteins, processes for preparing a composition which comprises admixing a carrier and a pharmaceutically effective amount of a chemical compound identified by a process of the invention utilizing chimeric G proteins, processes of identifying a ligand for a mammalian G protein-coupled receptor utilizing chimeric G proteins, and processes of screening a plurality of independent clones to identify and isolate a clone encoding a mammalian G protein-coupled receptor utilizing chi

Abstract: The present invention relates to apoptotic bodies derived from human tumor cells or cell lines recovered from patient's tumor biopsy and induced to apoptotis, said apoptotic bodies having the following characteristics: they maintain plasma membrane integrity, they are vesicles above about 0,1 &mgr;m, they contain intact mitochondria and cleaved nuclear DNA originating from the tumor cells, they present unmasked tumor antigens on their membranes, they present specific tumor and MHC antigens from the patient. The invention also provides new monocytes derived cells, which can be used as anti-tumor vaccines after integration of apoptotic bodies. Apoptotic bodies are phagocytosed and processed by monocyte derived antigen presenting cells and potentiate the effective tumor antigenic presentation to the immune system.

Abstract: This invention provides plant arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) and their genes. AGPs were isolated from Nicotiana alata, Nicotiana plumbaginafolia, and Pyrus communis. Amino acid sequences of isolated AGP peptide fragments are presented. Isolated AGP fragments were used to synthesize oligonucleotide probes to prepare oligonucleotide primers for PCR or prepare RNA probes to screen cDNA libraries of N. alata, N. plumbaginafolia, and P. communis. cDNA clones encoding amino acid sequences of isolated AGP fragments were isolated. The invention presents for the first time an intact AGP amino acid sequence derived from a corresponding AGP gene. The instant invention further provides methods useful in obtaining AGP genes encoding an AGP peptide comprising a specific isolated hydroxyproline-rich (OAST-rich) sequence or a specific isolated hydroxyproline-poor sequence.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for conferring insecticidal activity to host cells are provided. Compositions comprising a coding sequence for a delta-endotoxin polypeptide are provided. The coding sequences can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in host cells. Compositions also comprise transformed host cells. In particular, isolated delta-endotoxin nucleic acid molecules are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed, and antibodies specifically binding to those amino acid sequences. In particular, the present invention provides for isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:4, 5, 6, 13, or 14, or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 2, 3, 11, or 12, as well as variants and fragments thereof.

Abstract: This invention provides an isolated DNA molecule which is at least 30 nucleotides in length and which uniquely defines a herpesvirus associated with Kaposi's sarcoma. This invention provides an isolated herpesvirus associated with Kaposi's sarcoma. This invention provides an isolated peptide encoded by the isolated DNA molecule. Further, this invention provides an isolated DNA virus wherein the viral DNA is about 270 kb in size; wherein the DNA encodes a thymidine kinase; and wherein the viral DNA is capable of selectively hybridizing to a nucleic acid probe selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID NOs: 10-12. This invention provides an antibody specific to the peptide. Antisense and triplex oligonucleotide molecules are also provided. This invention provides a transgenic nonhuman mammal and a cell line containing at least a portion of the isolated DNA molecule.