A novel luciferase with a small molecular weight is provided. A polypeptide with luciferase activity comprising an amino acid sequence (A) or (B) is provided: (A) an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 with deletion of amino acid residues at positions 1 to 69 and 204 to 221; or (B) an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 with deletion of amino acid residues at positions 1 to 69 and deletion or substitution of at least one of amino acid residues 146 to 156.

The present disclosure provides a monitoring device comprising a test composition, a test element comprising a test portion to which the test composition is releasably adhered, a detection reagent, and a container comprising a first end with an opening and a second end opposite the first end. The test composition comprises a predetermined quantity of tracer analyte. The container is configured to receive the test portion and configured to be operationally coupled to an analytical instrument. The tracer analyte and the detection reagent each are capable of participating in one or more chemical reaction that results in the formation of a detectable product. A method of using the monitoring device to assess the efficacy of a washing process is also provided.

The present disclosure is directed to RNA-regulated fusion proteins comprising a protein of interest and an RNA-regulated destabilization domain. Also disclosed are RNA aptamers that bind specifically to a RNA-regulated destabilization domain. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the RNA-regulated fusion proteins and RNA aptamers and methods of use thereof are also disclosed.

An in vitro process for the production of closed linear deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) comprises (a) contacting a DNA template comprising at least one protelomerase target sequence with at least one DNA polymerase in the presence of one or more primers under conditions promoting amplification of the template; and (b) contacting amplified DNA produced in (a) with at least one protelomerase under conditions promoting production of closed linear DNA. A kit provides components necessary in the process.

A novel luciferase with a small molecular weight is provided. A polypeptide with luciferase activity comprising an amino acid sequence (A) or (B) is provided:

(A) an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 with deletion of amino acid residues at positions 1 to 69 and 204 to 221; or

(B) an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 with deletion of amino acid residues at positions 1 to 69 and deletion or substitution of at least one of amino acid residues 146 to 156.

Provided herein are isolated polynucleotide encoding modified click beetle luciferase polypeptides that have enhanced luminescence and longer wavelength near-infrared signals. The disclosure also relates to near-infrared bioluminescence systems that include said modified click beetle luciferase polypeptides and novel luciferin derivatives, as well as methods of using said modified click beetle luciferase polypeptides and bioluminescence systems.

Provided herein are isolated polynucleotide encoding modified click beetle luciferase polypeptides that have enhanced luminescence and longer wavelength near-infrared signals. The disclosure also relates to near-infrared bioluminescence systems that include said modified click beetle luciferase polypeptides and novel luciferin derivatives, as well as methods of using said modified click beetle luciferase polypeptides and bioluminescence systems.

Compounds are provided having the following structure:

##STR00001##

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, tautomer or stereoisomer thereof, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, G.sup.1, G.sup.2 and G.sup.3 are as defined herein. Use of the compounds as a component of lipid nanoparticle formulations for delivery of a therapeutic agent, compositions comprising the compounds and methods for their use and preparation are also provided.

The present invention provides a method of designing an optimized gene which comprises altering a nucleotide sequence of a target protein gene, so that only preferential codons with high frequency of use in human cells are selected and a GC content of not less than 60% is achieved. A gene design method which involves the feature “only preferential codons with high frequency of use are selected and a GC content of not less than 60% is achieved” can be established as a general rule for preparing proteins with high expression level, in order to obtain chemically synthesized genes for proteins capable of high-level expression in eukaryotes.

In one embodiment, an object of the present invention is to provide a firefly luciferase having improved thermostability. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a luciferase mutant having improved thermostability that is a mutant of firefly luciferase comprising an amino acid sequence in which the amino acid residue at the position corresponding to position 393 of SEQ ID NO 1 is substituted, a polynucleotide encoding the luciferase mutant, and a production method of the luciferase mutant.