The disclosed compositions, methods, and systems are useful in treating and preventing various cancers associated with buildup of mitochondrial cholesterol. In many embodiments, the disclosed compositions, methods, and systems may improve the efficacy and cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic compounds, for example increasing cellular sensitivity to chemotherapy and/or reducing or preventing resistance. In many embodiments, the cancer may be early or late stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Disclosed herein is an agent that modulates a cis interaction between Repulsive Guidance Molecule A (RGMa) and Neogenin or lipid rafts. Modulation by the agent may include blocking the cis interaction between RGMa and Neogenin and/or disrupting lipid rafts. In turn, this promotes neuronal cell survival and axon growth and/or regeneration. Also disclosed herein is a method of treating a disease in a subject in need thereof. The method may include administering the agent to the subject. Further disclosed herein is a method of identifying an agent that modulates the cis interaction between RGMa and Neogenin.

A method of testing a liquid sample for the presence of an analyte, the method comprising the steps of: forming a mixture by contacting the sample with a composition comprising an oxidase for formation of hydrogen peroxide from the analyte, a fluorescent indicator precursor capable of forming a fluorescent indicator in the presence of an oxygen radical and an iron compound wherein the iron compound is dissolved in the mixture; irradiating the mixture; and measuring fluorescence from the fluorescent indicator. The method may be carried out using a device in which the mixture in a channel or chamber (101) of a microfluidic device is irradiated by light from light source (103) and emission from the fluorescent indicator is detected by photodetector (105).

Disclosed herein are methods for decreasing plant generation time and increasing certain characteristics of plants including starch accumulation, root biomass, leaf biomass, stem biomass, and seed biomass. The description also includes methods for growing plants with less light increasing and/or shifting the latitude range of a plant so that the plant can be grown at higher latitudes. The improved plants can be used as food, or feedstock for making chemicals such as biofuels.

An electrochemical test for total cholesterol includes a test strip for an electrochemical testing testing of a blood analyte which includes a first receiving port, the first receiving port for receiving a blood sample, the first receiving port at a first end of the test strip. The test strip further includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes proximate to the first receiving port. The test strip further includes a first contact and a second contact, the first and second contacts at a second end of the test strip, the first and second contacts interconnected with the first and second electrodes, respectively. The test strip further includes cholesterol oxidase, located proximate to the first and the second electrode. The test strip further includes a mediator, located proximate to the first and the second electrode, wherein the cholesterol oxidase and the mediator interact with the blood sample and the first and second electrode to generate a measurable electrical event.

The object is to provide a novel enzyme exhibiting cholesterol dehydrogenase activity. Provided is a mutant enzyme having an amino acid sequence of a microorganism-derived cholesterol oxidase, which is composed of: (1) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 113 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (2) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 362 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (3) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 402 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (4) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 412 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (5) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 468 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and others.

Microbes expressing cholesterol oxidoreductase (COR) proteins, methods of engineering the microbes expressing COR proteins, compositions and methods of using the microbes are provided.

The present invention provides a method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase, a method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase, and a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase. A method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase and a method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase which comprises allowing the cholesterol oxidase to coexist with an -keto acid in an aqueous medium, and, a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase which comprises the cholesterol oxidase being allowed to coexist with an -keto acid in an aqueous medium. The method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase, the method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase, and a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase according to the present invention are useful for clinical diagnosis such as metabolic syndrome.

The invention relates to a method for metabolic engineering of Actinomycetes. The method is based on traditional mutagenesis combined with reporter-guided single cell technologies. The method may be used for various purposes, such as for producing or increasing yields of endogenous target proteins or secondary metabolites, for replacing medium optimization in the production of target proteins or secondary metabolites, and for activating silent target genes or silent biosynthetic gene cluster. Also provided are metabolically engineered Actinomycetes strains obtainable by the method.

A reagent composition for use as a first reagent composition in a method of quantifying a small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C) in a sample, the method including causing the first reagent composition to react to the sample, and after the causing the first reagent composition to react to the sample, causing a second reagent composition for quantifying the sdLDL-C to react, thereby quantifying cholesterol in a remaining lipoprotein, the reagent composition includes a nonionic surfactant and has cholesterol esterase activity, cholesterol oxidase activity, and sphingomyelinase activity, and a contact angle between the reagent composition and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) base material is equal to or more than 63.0 and equal to or less than 67.0.