Described are nicotine-degrading enzyme variants that exhibit increased nicotine-degrading activity and/or decreased immunogenicity relative to the wild-type NicA2 enzyme, compositions comprising the variants, and methods using them.

Disclosed is a method for diagnosing a mood disorder or susceptibility to a mood disorder, including depressive disorders and bipolar disorder, from a biological sample taken from a subject. The method includes detecting markers of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) in the biological sample; determining MAO-A concentration from the markers; and correlating the MAO-A concentration in the biological sample to a control group which does not have a mood disorder in order to diagnose or determine susceptibility to the mood disorder in the subject. Also disclosed is a method of detecting peripheral markers of MAO-A for the diagnosis of a mood disorder or susceptibility to a mood disorder. Also provided are polypeptide markers.

Methods of preventing or retarding or reversing or abolishing the onset of Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases are discussed.

Materials and Methods related to gene targeting (e.g., gene targeting with transcription activator-like effector nucleases; “TALENS”) are provided.

Provided are methods and compositions for the detection, prevention and treatment of primary and metastatic neoplastic diseases, including, but not limited to, human carcinomas, in particular head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In particular, an antibody and antigen-binding fragment as well as variants thereof are provided that bind to an epitope of LOXL4 in the cytoplasm and/or on the cell surface of tumor cells, which are useful in the diagnosis and especially the treatment of a tumor which expresses LOXL4.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical, cosmetic or dermo-cosmetic composition that comprises DAO, for use in the prevention or treatment of diseases or pathological conditions associated with high levels of histamine in blood which involve an increase in pain, preferably fibromyalgia, characterised in that the application of the composition is topical.

The gene encoding N-methylputrescine oxidase (MPO) and constructs comprising such DNA are provided, including methods of regulating MPO expression independently or with other alkaloid biosynthesis genes to modulate alkaloid production in plants and host cells. MPO genes or fragments thereof are useful for reducing pyrrolidine or tropane alkaloid production in plants, for increasing pyrrolidine or tropane alkaloid production in plants, and for producing an MPO enzyme in host cells.

The present invention provides engineered phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) polypeptides and compositions thereof, as well as polynucleotides encoding the engineered phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) polypeptides. Methods for producing PAL enzymes are also provided. In some embodiments, the engineered PAL polypeptides are optimized to provide enhanced catalytic activities that are useful under industrial process conditions for the production of pharmaceutical compounds.

The present disclosure provides an analyte sensor for use in detecting aspartate and/or asparagine. In certain embodiments, an aspartate-responsive active site of a presently disclosed analyte sensor includes an aspartate oxidase disposed upon a surface of a working electrode. In certain embodiments, an asparagine-responsive active site of a presently disclosed analyte sensor includes an enzyme system comprising an aspartate oxidase and an asparaginase disposed upon a surface of a working electrode. The present disclosure further provides methods for detecting aspartate and/or asparagine using the disclosed analyte sensors.

The present disclosure discloses a genetically engineered strain, belonging to the technical field of bioengineering. L-amino acid oxidase genes, α-keto acid decarboxylase genes, alcohol dehydrogenase genes, and enzyme genes capable of reducing NAD(P) to NAD(P)H are introduced into the genetically engineered strain of the present disclosure. The present disclosure further discloses a construction method and application of a recombinant Escherichia coli genetically engineered strain. When being applied to the biosynthesis of phenylethanoids, the method of the present disclosure has the characteristics of simple operation, low cost, and high synthesis efficiency and optical purity of the product, and has good industrialization prospects.