The present invention is related to a retinoid-producing host cell, particularly oleaginous yeast, modified such that the percentage of retinyl acetate based on the total retinoids produced by such host cell is increased during fermentation using triglyceride oils, like for example vegetable oil, as carbon source, wherein the activity of certain endogenous hydrolases or transferases involved in undesired conversions of retinol or retinol acetate is reduced or abolished. Particularly, such modified host cell might be useful in a biotechnological process for production of vitamin A.

The present invention is related to a retinoid-producing host cell, particularly oleaginous yeast, modified such that the percentage of retinyl acetate based on the total retinoids produced by such host cell is increased during fermentation using triglyceride oils, like for example vegetable oil, as carbon source, wherein the activity of certain endogenous hydrolases or transferases involved in undesired conversions of retinol or retinol acetate is reduced or abolished. Particularly, such modified host cell might be useful in a biotechnological process for production of vitamin A.

Provided is a novel fluorescent probe.

A compound of the following general formula (I) or a salt thereof.

##STR00001##

Provided is a novel fluorescent probe.

A compound of the following general formula (I) or a salt thereof.

##STR00001##

Provided herein are nucleic acid-cleaving catalytic nucleic acid probes, biosensors and lateral flow biosensor devices and methods and kits of using the probes, biosensors and lateral flow biosensor devices for detecting an analyte present on or generated from a microorganism in a test sample, including Helicobacter pylori and methods for determining whether a subject has a Helicobacter pylori infection.

The present invention relates to the field of diagnostics and, more in particular, to MRI activatable contrast agents and compositions thereof for the detection of nuclease activity, wherein said nuclease activity is caused by microbial infection or by nuclease activity related to cancer, particularly colon cancer or pancreatic cancer. Activatable contrast agents for MRI have been developed, wherein the oligonucleotide is flanked by a paramagnetic and a superparamagnetic agent, and thus providing magnetic quenching. Moreover, the oligonucleotide has regions that confer resistance to mammalian endonucleases and sensitivity to microbial endonucleases. When the activatable contrast agent of the invention is in the presence of microbial nuclease activity or a tumour cell nuclease activity, the oligonucleotide is cleaved, agents are unquenched, and the signal derived from the activated contrast agent is detected by MRI.

The present invention relates to polypeptide fragments comprising an amino-terminal fragment of the PA subunit of a viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase or variants thereof possessing endonuclease activity, wherein said PA subunit is from a virus belonging to the Orthomyxoviridae family. This invention also relates to (i) crystals of the polypeptide fragments which are suitable for structure determination of said polypeptide fragments using X-ray crystallography and (ii) computational methods using the structural coordinates of said polypeptide to screen for and design compounds that modulate, preferably inhibit the endonucleolytically active site within the polypeptide fragment. In addition, this invention relates to methods identifying compounds that bind to the PA polypeptide fragments possessing endonuclease activity and preferably inhibit said endonucleolytic activity, preferably in a high throughput setting. This invention also relates to compounds and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the identified compounds for the treatment of disease conditions due to viral infections caused by viruses of the Orthomyxoviridae family.

The present invention relates to polypeptide fragments comprising an amino-terminal fragment of the PA subunit of a viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase or variants thereof possessing endonuclease activity, wherein said PA subunit is from a virus belonging to the Orthomyxoviridae family. This invention also relates to (i) crystals of the polypeptide fragments which are suitable for structure determination of said polypeptide fragments using X-ray crystallography and (ii) computational methods using the structural coordinates of said polypeptide to screen for and design compounds that modulate, preferably inhibit the endonucleolytically active site within the polypeptide fragment. In addition, this invention relates to methods identifying compounds that bind to the PA polypeptide fragments possessing endonuclease activity and preferably inhibit said endonucleolytic activity, preferably in a high throughput setting. This invention also relates to compounds and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the identified compounds for the treatment of disease conditions due to viral infections caused by viruses of the Orthomyxoviridae family.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for target detection based on collateral cleavage of a reporter by an enzyme. A biologically gated transistor may include a channel and a reporter moiety immobilized to the channel. The state of the reporter moiety may affect one or more output signals from the biologically gated transistor when excitation conditions are applied to the biologically gated transistor and a sample fluid is applied in contact with the channel. A sample fluid may include an enzyme configured to activate in response to a target nucleic acid to cleave the reporter moiety. Excitation circuitry may apply the excitation conditions, and measurement circuitry may measure output signals from the biologically gated transistor. An analysis module may determine a parameter relating to presence of the target nucleic acid, based on the one or more measurements.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for target detection based on collateral cleavage of a reporter by an enzyme. A biologically gated transistor may include a channel and a reporter moiety immobilized to the channel. The state of the reporter moiety may affect one or more output signals from the biologically gated transistor when excitation conditions are applied to the biologically gated transistor and a sample fluid is applied in contact with the channel. A sample fluid may include an enzyme configured to activate in response to a target nucleic acid to cleave the reporter moiety. Excitation circuitry may apply the excitation conditions, and measurement circuitry may measure output signals from the biologically gated transistor. An analysis module may determine a parameter relating to presence of the target nucleic acid, based on the one or more measurements.