Novel complexes of peptides from human collagen type II and types of MHC class II associated with rheumatoid arthritis are provided. There is also provided novel therapies and methods for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

An engineered microorganism(s) with novel pathways for the conversion of short-chain hydrocarbons to fuels and chemicals (e.g. carboxylic acids, alcohols, hydrocarbons, and their alpha-, beta-, and omega-functionalized derivatives) is described. Key to this approach is the use of hydrocarbon activation enzymes able to overcome the high stability and low reactivity of hydrocarbon compounds through the cleavage of an inert CH bond. Oxygen-dependent or oxygen-independent activation enzymes can be exploited for this purpose, which when combined with appropriate pathways for the conversion of activated hydrocarbons to key metabolic intermediates, enables the generation of product precursors that can subsequently be converted to desired compounds through established pathways. These novel engineered microorganism(s) provide a route for the production of fuels and chemicals from short chain hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane.

The present invention relates to modified citrullinated enolase peptides that can be used as targets for cancer immunotherapy. These peptides can be used as vaccines or as targets for monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy. Such vaccines cur mAbs may be used in the treatment of cancer.

Novel complexes of peptides from human collagen type II and types of MHC class II associated with rheumatoid arthritis are provided. There is also provided novel therapies and methods for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

A pharmaceutical composition comprises (a) a peptide of between 8 and 20 amino acids comprising at least 8 consecutive amino acids residues with a sequence present in SEQ ID NO 22 or a complex of said peptide and a human recombinant MHC class II protein and (b) an immunologic adjuvant.

The present invention provides novel allergens isolated from grass carp Ctenopharyngodon Idella, recombinant or modified polypeptides comprising such allergens, nucleic acids encoding the polypeptides as well as related compositions. Also provided are methods and kits for diagnosing fish allergy.

The invention provides a bioactive peptide including a partial amino acid sequence of Plasmodium falciparum enolase, and having a molecular structure compatible with a specification setting for a GMP-compliant production process. The peptide has a structure in which two peptides, each having an amino acid sequence of A01-Ala-Ser-Glu-Phe-Tyr-Asn-Ser-Glu-Asn-Lys-Thr-Tyr-Asp-Leu-Asp-Phe-Lys-Thr-Pro-Asn-Asn-Asp-A02 (SEQ ID NO: 1) or A03-Ala-Ser-Glu-Phe-Tyr-Asn-Ser-Glu-Asn-Lys-Thr-Tyr-Asp-Leu-Asp-Phe-Lys-Thr-Pro-Asn-Asn-Asp-Lys-Ser-Leu-Val-Lys-Thr-A04 (SEQ ID NO: 2) are linked by amide bonds between the respective carboxy termini of the two peptides and two amino groups of Lys in a linker peptide represented by Lys-A05-Cys-A06 and arranged in the form of a two-forked branch, wherein each of A01 to A06 represents an amino acid residue in a number of an arbitrary number including 0. The peptide preferably has a dimerized structure in which two of the above described peptides are linked by an SS bond between the Cys residues in the linker peptide sequences included in the respective two peptides.

An engineered microorganism(s) with novel pathways for the conversion of short-chain hydrocarbons to fuels and chemicals (e.g. carboxylic acids, alcohols, hydrocarbons, and their alpha-, beta-, and omega-functionalized derivatives) is described. Key to this approach is the use of hydrocarbon activation enzymes able to overcome the high stability and low reactivity of hydrocarbon compounds through the cleavage of an inert CH bond. Oxygen-dependent or oxygen-independent activation enzymes can be exploited for this purpose, which when combined with appropriate pathways for the conversion of activated hydrocarbons to key metabolic intermediates, enables the generation of product precursors that can subsequently be converted to desired compounds through established pathways. These novel engineered microorganism(s) provide a route for the production of fuels and chemicals from short chain hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane.

The invention provides compositions comprising Eno1 for delivery to a muscle. Further, the invention provides a method for normalizing blood glucose in a subject with elevated blood glucose, comprising administering to the subject enolase 1 (Eno1), thereby normalizing blood glucose in the subject. The invention also provides methods of treating one or more conditions including impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes in a subject, comprising administering to the subject enolase 1 (Eno1), thereby treating the condition in the subject. In certain methods of the invention, the Eno1 is delivered to muscle.

The invention provides compositions comprising Eno1 for delivery to a muscle. Further, the invention provides a method for normalizing blood glucose in a subject with elevated blood glucose, comprising administering to the subject enolase 1 (Eno1), thereby normalizing blood glucose in the subject. The invention also provides methods of treating one or more conditions including impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes in a subject, comprising administering to the subject enolase 1 (Eno1), thereby treating the condition in the subject. In certain methods of the invention, the Eno1 is delivered to muscle.