Methods are described for increasing levels of healthy vaginal bacteria by treating the vaginal mucosa with bacteriocins derived from Lactobacillus paragasseri, Lactobacillus gasseri, and other bacterial strains. The bacteriocins are surprisingly advantageous as being selectively active against Lactobacillus iners but relatively inactive against H.sub.2O.sub.2-producing Lactobacillus species. Because L. iners is involved in the onset and maintenance of vaginal dysbiosis, selective removal of this bacterium from the vaginal microbiome treats or prevents conditions associated with vaginal dysbiosis, such as bacterial vaginosis and its sequelae.

The invention relates to a peptidomimetic comprising or consisting of a D amino-acid sequence having at least 75% identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2, or variants or fragments thereof, in particular a peptidomimetic having the capability to interact at least with: neutrophils and/or neutrophil granules, and/or lactoferrin, and/or globet-cells and/or Muc2 proteins, and/or mucus and/or airway sputum. The peptidomimetic may have the capacity to adopt a multimeric, especially a trimeric, organization, and can be labelled, or associated with a reporter or a carrier entity, or associated with an active molecule. The invention also relates to a Solid-Phase Synthesis method for synthesizing a peptidomimetic of the invention, compositions comprising the same and use of the peptidomimetics as a medicamentor an inflammation marker or a neutrophilic inflammation marker. The invention also relates to the use of a peptidomimetic as a probe or marker for staining purposes, or to detect mucus production, or neutrophils, or to detect or monitor diseases or conditions, especially neutrophilic inflammation. The invention also relates to the use of a polypeptide comprising or consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3, or variants or fragments thereof, as probe or marker for staining lactoferrin, in particular neutrophil lactoferrin, or a probe or marker for investigating neutrophilic inflammation, especially in an imaging method.

Provided herein are embodiments directed to heme-responsive promoter sequences, heme-responsive repressor systems which may be used as probiotic bacteria and as bio-therapeutics, such probiotic bacteria and bio-therapeutics are described in methods of detecting bleeding in a mucosal environment, diagnosing in vivo bleeding in a mucosal environment, and treating in vivo bleeding in a mucosal environment.

Provided are a promoter polynucleotide, a signal polypeptide and a polynucleotide encoding the signal polypeptide, and use thereof. A vector and a host cell each including the promoter polynucleotide and the polynucleotide encoding the signal polypeptide may efficiently express and/or extracellularly secrete a foreign protein.

Provided are a promoter polynucleotide, a signal polypeptide and a polynucleotide encoding the signal polypeptide, and use thereof. A vector and a host cell each including the promoter polynucleotide and the polynucleotide encoding the signal polypeptide may efficiently express and/or extracellularly secrete a foreign protein.

The present disclosure is generally directed to an anucleated cell-based platforms for encapsulation and delivery of agricultural compounds. Disclosed herein are compositions for the stable and targeted delivery of agricultural compounds within achromosomal and/or anucleated cells. The present disclosure also provides methods of improving encapsulation and retention of agricultural compounds in achromosomal and/or anucleated cells.

The present disclosure is generally directed to an anucleated cell-based platforms for encapsulation and delivery of agricultural compounds. Disclosed herein are compositions for the stable and targeted delivery of agricultural compounds within achromosomal and/or anucleated cells. The present disclosure also provides methods of improving encapsulation and retention of agricultural compounds in achromosomal and/or anucleated cells.

The subject invention provides compositions and methods for inhibiting viral infections. Preferred embodiments of the invention provide pharmaceutical compositions, and the methods of using the same, comprising a strain of Lactobacillus fermentum bacterium, or bioactive extracts thereof.

The subject invention provides compositions and methods for inhibiting viral infections. Preferred embodiments of the invention provide pharmaceutical compositions, and the methods of using the same, comprising a strain of Lactobacillus fermentum bacterium, or bioactive extracts thereof.

The present invention relates to probiotic compositions. More specifically, the present invention relates to probiotic compositions that are useful in reducing inflammation and/or that exhibit increased colonization or persistence in the gastrointestinal tract of a mammal.