Methods and compositions are provided for expressing an endolysin in a bacterium or in a tobacco plant or plant part. Expression of the endolysin can reduce the total bacterial load on the plant and in tobacco products produced from the plant. Accordingly, the level of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in a cured tobacco product can be decreased when the tobacco leaves used in the product were harvested from a plant expressing endolysin or when bacteria modified to express endolysin is used to treat the tobacco. Thus, bacteria and tobacco plants and plant parts are provided that express an endolysin. Further provided are methods for decreasing the microbial load on a tobacco plant and in a tobacco product by applying a solution of bacteria modified to express an endolysin or by modifying a tobacco plant to express endolysins. Smokeless tobacco products including such modified tobacco plant parts are also provided.

Disclosed are novel lysin polypeptides active against Gram-negative bacteria, particularly P. aeruginosa, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and methods for their use to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections and more generally to inhibit the growth, or reduce the population, or kill Gram-negative bacteria, including without limitation disrupting biofilms formed by such bacteria. Certain of the disclosed lysins have been modified in amino acid sequence compared to that of lysins by replacement of certain charged amino acids with noncharged amino acids and/or by fusion at the N- or C-terminus with antibacterial peptide sequences with or without an intervening linker.

Disclosed herein are stability-enhanced formulations that comprise a therapeutic protein and a stability-improving amount of a stabilizing excipient, wherein the stabilized-enhanced formulation is characterized by an improved stability parameter in comparison to a control formulation otherwise identical to the stability-enhanced formulation but lacking the stabilizing excipient. Further disclosed herein are methods of improving stability of therapeutic formulations or improving parameters of protein-related processes.

Described herein is an egg yolk extract comprising freed/lysed yolk granules and/or yolk spheres. Also described is an egg yolk extract comprising the liquid contents of a shelled egg, wherein the liquid contents comprise yolk granules. Also described are an egg yolk extract comprising the liquid contents of yolk spheres; an egg yolk extract comprising the liquid contents of yolk granules; an egg yolk extract comprising ovalbumin and other anti-bactericidal proteins in egg white; and an egg yolk extract that supports cell proliferation at least equivalent to FBS when used at the same concentration in a cell culture medium. Related supplements, media, and methods are also described.

The invention relates to the field of medicine, specifically to the field of treatment of conditions associated with Staphylococcus infection. The invention relates to a novel endolysin polypeptide specifically targeting a bacterial Staphylococcus cell. The invention further relates to said endolysin polypeptide for medical use, preferably for treating an individual suffering from a condition associated with Staphylococcus infection.

Provided are compositions and methods for use in selectively killing certain types of bacteria which include: C. perfringens, C. sordelli and C. histolyticum. The compositions include lysin PlyCP025, as well as catalytically active fragments thereof, and variants thereof that retain killing activity. Methods for reducing one or more of C. perfringens, C. sordelli or C. histolyticum bacteria are provide and involve contacting such bacteria with a composition that contains PlyCP025 or an enzymatically active fragment or variant thereof, which can be provided as recombinant polypeptides. The composition and methods are useful for human and veterinary purposes. In certain examples, the compositions and methods are used to treat bacteria that infect avian animals. Pharmaceutical formulations containing the polypeptides are provided, as are methods of making the polypeptides using expression vectors. The expression vectors, and cells containing them are included. Also provides are one or more bacteria, such as a population of bacteria, that are in physical association with a recombinant polypeptide/lysin. Diagnostic approaches are also included are performed by contacting a sample obtained or derived from an animal, such as a mammal or an avian animal, with a recombinant polypeptide, and detecting binding of the polypeptide to bacteria in the sample if said bacteria that are bound to the polypeptide are present in the sample. The polypeptide may thus be detectably labeled to produce a detectable signal.

This document relates to conjugates of TNF inhibitors or derivatives thereof and functionalized (e.g., mono- or bi-functional) polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol and related polymers) as well as methods and materials for making and using such conjugates.

The present invention provides methods, compositions and articles of manufacture useful for the prophylactic and therapeutic amelioration and treatment of gram-positive bacteria, including Streptococcus and Staphylococcus, and related conditions. The invention provides compositions and methods incorporating and utilizing Streptococcus suis derived bacteriophage lysins, particularly PlySs2 and/or PlySs1 lytic enzymes and variants thereof, including truncations thereof. Methods for treatment of humans are provided.

Muramic acid measurements in acid hydrolysed digesta samples are used to measure the activity of peptidoglycan hydrolyzing enzyme, as illustrated by the use of a muramidase, as determined by the degree of peptidoglycan hydrolysis, in the gastrointestinal tract of animals fed supplements with the muramidase.

Provided herein are compositions with enhanced protein content, proteins with high solubility, protein combinations and methods for the preparation thereof.