The present invention relates to bacterial preparations comprising ice nucleation proteins. Such bacterial preparations can in particular be used for the production of snow or rain, for hail suppression or for fog dispersal.

Methods for using the human interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4) as a biomarker for determining patent populations for treatment, predicting disease treatment efficacy, and predicting disease treatment prognosis in a variety of cancers, in particular glioblastoma and recurrent glioblastoma.

The present invention relates to a polypeptides which are covalently bound to molecular scaffolds such that two or more peptide loops are subtended between attachment points to the scaffold. In particular, the bicyclic peptides of the invention are conjugated to a carrier peptide in order to greatly enhance the bacterial cell killing activity. More particularly, the invention describes peptides which are high affinity binders of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), such as PBP3 and PBP3a. The invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions comprising said conjugates and to the use of said conjugates in suppressing or treating a disease or disorder mediated by bacterial infection or for providing prophylaxis to a subject at risk of infection.

This disclosure relates to nanoparticles coated with fusion proteins comprising a domain that binds a cancer marker and a domain comprising a toxic polypeptide. In certain embodiments, the targeted cancer marker is urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), EGFR, HER2, and/or other member of the ErbB family of receptors. In certain embodiments, the molecule that binds a cancer marker is an amino terminal fragment of uPA or variant capable of binding uPAR and/or IGF1 or variant capable of binding IGF1R. In certain embodiments, the toxic polypeptide is a bacterial exotoxin.

Bacterial strains are provided having at least one enhanced mechanism to sequester, bind, precipitate, chemically oxidize or reduce copper ions or other toxic divalent transition metals. The bacteria may also have optional copper resistance mechanisms. The bacteria reduce the amount of available copper to tissues, which may be cancerous tissues, and reduce tumor growth, angiogenesis and/or metastasis, or tissues subject to excess copper due to host defects in copper metabolism. The bacteria are useful for treatment of neoplastic diseases including solid tumors and lymphomas, as well as Wilson's Disease, Menke's Disease, and possible Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

A bioconjugate of an E. coli glucosylated O4 antigen polysaccharide covalently linked to a carrier protein and compositions thereof are provided. Also provided are recombinant host cells for producing the bioconjugate, and methods of producing the bioconjugate using the recombinant host cells. The recombinant host cells contain a nucleic acid encoding a glucosyl transferase capable of modifying the E. coli O4 antigen with glucose branching to produce the glucosylated O4 antigen polysaccharide. Bioconjugates of an E. coli glucosylated O4 antigen polysaccharide described herein can be used alone or in combination with one or more additional E. coli O-antigen polysaccharides to induce antibodies against an E. coli glucosylated antigen, and to vaccinate a subject against extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC).

A bioconjugate of an E. coli glucosylated O4 antigen polysaccharide covalently linked to a carrier protein and compositions thereof are provided. Also provided are recombinant host cells for producing the bioconjugate, and methods of producing the bioconjugate using the recombinant host cells. The recombinant host cells contain a nucleic acid encoding a glucosyl transferase capable of modifying the E. coli O4 antigen with glucose branching to produce the glucosylated O4 antigen polysaccharide. Bioconjugates of an E. coli glucosylated O4 antigen polysaccharide described herein can be used alone or in combination with one or more additional E. coli O-antigen polysaccharides to induce antibodies against an E. coli glucosylated antigen, and to vaccinate a subject against extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC).

Provided is a polypeptide combination, a targeting component thereof comprising a shielding peptide, a cleavable part, an antigen-binding part and a first intein fragment, the shielding peptide and the antigen-binding part being connected by means of the cleavable part, and the antigen-binding part being directly or indirectly connected to the first intein fragment; a toxin component thereof comprises a second intein fragment and a toxin, and the second intein fragment is directly or indirectly connected to the toxin; the targeting component and the toxin component form an immunoconjugate by means of the interactive action between the first intein fragment and the second intein fragment; in the immunoconjugate, the shielding peptide and the antigen-binding part are connected by means of the cleavable part, and the antigen-binding part is connected to the toxin. Also provided are a preparation method and a pharmaceutical use for the polypeptide combination.

The present invention provides for a Pseudomonas cell is able to grow in a medium with xylose or galactose as a sole carbon source with a growth rate of equal to or higher than 0.10 h.sup.−1. The present invention provides for methods and compositions relating to an engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 utilizing a non-native carbon source, such as galactose or xylose or both.

The present disclosure relates to isolated non-naturally occurring delivery constructs comprising a bacterial toxin-derived delivery construct coupled to a biologically active therapeutic cargo; wherein the delivery construct is capable of delivering the biologically active cargo via transcytosis transport across an epithelial cell; and wherein the delivery construct does not comprise a bacterial toxin-derived translocation domain or a bacterial toxin-derived catalytic (cytotoxic) domain.