An apparatus and system for contacting a mobile elongate solid phase, e.g. a ribbon with a flowing fluid phase, and a method for using the same in, for example solid phase synthesis. A particular apparatus comprises (i) a conduit which is of circular or non-circular transverse cross section and which defines a lumen to contain both the flowing fluid phase and the mobile elongate solid phase; (ii) fluid phase ports in communication with the lumen to allow the fluid phase to enter the lumen, flow through it and exit it; and (iii) solid phase ports in communication with the lumen to allow the mobile solid phase to enter the lumen, move through it and exit it, the apparatus being adapted to prevent fluid egress from its interior through the solid phase ports.

Described herein are in situ synthesized arrays and methods of making them, wherein array signal sensitivity and robustness is enhanced by carrying out conditioning steps and/or generating linkers during synthesis. An array comprises a surface with a collection of features, wherein the features comprise molecules or polymers attached to the surface. In certain embodiments of the invention, carrying out conditioning steps during array synthesis can yield arrays with improved signal. In other embodiments, linkers are synthesized on the array surface prior to synthesis of functional molecules, wherein increasing linker length can correspond to an improvement in the signal generated by the array.

The present invention is drawn to, among other things, compositions of matter and methods for producing an aminoacyl-tRNA analogue comprising an adaptor tRNA and modified amino acid for ribosome-directed translation in vitro.

The invention relates autonomous VH domains (aVH) with cysteines in positions 52a and 71 or in positions 33 and 52 in order to stabilize the autonomous VH domains. Said cysteines are capable of forming a disulfide bond and/or form a disulfide bond under suitable conditions. The invention further relates to aVH libraries.

The present invention provides methods for generating functional derivatives of effector polypeptides (e.g., hormones and receptor ligands) embedded in a different protein scaffold (e.g., antibody scaffolds). The methods involve modifying the effector polypeptide with a combinatorial library of terminal linker sequences, inserting the modified sequences into the host scaffold, and then selecting functional derivatives from the library of modified polypeptide sequences embedded in the host scaffold. As exemplifications, the invention also provides specific functional derivatives of leptin, scFSH and scRelaxin embedded in an antibody scaffold, as well as therapeutic applications of such functional fusion molecules.

The present invention provides improved automated systems and methods for synthesis of biopolymers including DNA and RNA. The automated systems and methods represent a number of improvements over existing systems for multiplex synthesis of biopolymers in a combinatorial fashion.

The present invention provides a new methodology combining MD simulations and database-guided high-throughput screening to rationally design pore forming membrane-active peptides. The present inventive methodology is able to allow tuning of a range of structural and functional properties such as pore size and selectively targeting membranes with specific lipid compositions. The present inventive methods will ultimately allow de novo design of membrane-active peptides for a wide range of biomedical applications, including for example, antimicrobial agents.

Described herein are methods and compositions relating to nanodiscs, e.g., phospholipid bilayers with a proteinaceous belt or border. Further provided herein are loopable membrane scaffold proteins, e.g., for forming nanodiscs.

The present application is directed to a porous support for parallel organic synthesis comprising: a solvophilic area for spotting an organic solvent comprising a reagent for synthesizing an organic compound. and a solvophobic area that repels the organic solvent. Methods of synthesizing the support and compounds thereon are also provided.

The present invention is relevant to proteins and novel methods of protein evolution. The present invention further relates to methods of identifying and mapping mutant polypeptides formed from, or based upon, a template polypeptide.