The present invention belongs to the field of plant biotechnology engineering, and particularly relates to a method for improving flavonoid phenylpropanoid compounds in a Saussurea involucrata cell culture. In a medium used in the method, a phosphorus concentration is 0.5-3 mmol/L, a NO.sub.3.sup.− ion concentration is 20-35 mmol/L, a NH.sub.4.sup.+ ion concentration is 0-30 mmol/L, a Ca.sup.2+ ion concentration is 0.5-3 mmol/L, a Mg.sup.2+ ion concentration is 0.2-1.5 mmol/L, and a boron ion concentration is 0.02-0.1 mmol/L; an inducer or precursor or bypass metabolism inhibitor may be added to the medium. Finally, the content of total flavonoids and the contents of rutin, chlorogenic acid, syringin and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid in the Saussurea involucrata cell culture are significantly improved.

A venom-based peptide and an application thereof, which relate to the technical field of biomolecules. The amino acid sequence of the peptide is represented by formula 1: X1-X2-X3-X4-X5-X6-X7-X8-X9-X10-X11-X12-X13-X14-X15-X16-X17-X18; X1, X5, X6, X9 and X11 are each selected from any one among A, V, L, I, M, F, W and P; X2, X3, X10, X15, X17 and X18 are each selected from any one among G, C, S, T, Y, N and Q; X7 is selected from D or E; X4, X8 and X16 are each selected from any one among K, R and H; and X12, X13 and X14 are each selected from any one among K, R, H, D and E. The peptide has the function of promoting self-renewal of human embryonic stem cells.

A method for controlling microbial growth in an ethanol fermentation system is disclosed wherein the method comprises: (a) adding a biocide including a peroxy acid (e.g., peracetic acid) into a fermentable medium, wherein the biocide is essentially free of chelating agents; and (b) fermenting the fermentable medium with yeast to produce a fermented medium including ethanol. The method may further comprise: (c) distilling the fermented medium to separate at least a portion of the ethanol from solids in the fermented medium; and (d) producing a distillers grain product from the solids. By using a biocide essentially free of chelating agents, the method does not introduce undesirable chelating compounds into the co-product non-fermentable solids of ethanol production that are processed into distillers grain products.

Provided is a recombinant yeast expressing germacrene A synthetase or a fusion protein thereof, wherein the fusion protein is germacrene A synthetase and farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase. The recombinant yeast improves the yield of germacrene A, and is suitable for the industrialized production of β-elemene and/or germacrene A.

The present invention relates to a method of isolating a mesenchymal stem cell population from the amniotic membrane of the umbilical cord, the method comprising cultivating umbilical cord tissue in a culture medium comprising DMEM (Dulbecco's modified eagle medium), F12 (Ham's F12 Medium), M171 (Medium 171) and FBS (Fetal Bovine Serum). The invention also relates to a mesenchymal stem population isolated from the amniotic membrane of the umbilical cord, wherein at least about 90% or more cells of the stem cell population express each of the following markers: CD73, CD90 and CD105 and lack expression of the following markers: CD34, CD45 and HLA-DR. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition of this mesenchymal stem population.

Provided are thiol-acrylate hydrogels and tunable cell culture materials including thiol-acrylate hydrogels, and methods of making thereof. Also provided are systems for forming three-dimensional cell culture scaffolds including the materials, and methods of culturing cells, including cancer cells, using thiol-acrylate hydrogels and tunable cell culture materials. The materials herein can be used in microfluidic droplet-generating devices.

Provided herein are methods of producing natural killer cells using a two-step expansion and differentiation method. Also provided herein are methods of suppressing tumor cell proliferation, of treating individuals having cancer or a viral infection, comprising administering the NK cells produced by the method to an individual having the cancer or viral infection.

Provided is a recombinant yeast expressing germacrene A synthetase or a fusion protein thereof, wherein the fusion protein is germacrene A synthetase and farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase. The recombinant yeast improves the yield of germacrene A, and is suitable for the industrialized production of β-elemene and/or germacrene A.

Described herein are methods, compositions, and kits for forming engineered in vitro biomimetic, three-dimensional, tubular organoid structures by directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells within tubular channels formed in a hydrogel.

A method for producing an objective protein using animal cells as an expression host is provided. The objective protein is produced by culturing animal cells having an objective protein-producing ability under conditions where the phosphoric acid concentration and/or the potassium concentration in the culture medium is increased.