Recent Patents on Biotechnology - Volume 3, Issue 1, 2009

Cell cycle progression and cell division are driven by the sequential activation of a group of serine-threonine kinases called cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). Multiple Cdks control the cell cycle in mammals and have been long considered essential for normal proliferation, development and homeostasis. The importance of the Cdk-cyclin complexes in cell proliferation is underscored by the fact that deregulation of the Cdk ac Read More

Termites (Dictyoptera, Isoptera) comprise a complex assemblage of diverse species, roughly divided into socalled lower and higher termites. Lower termites harbor a dense and diverse population of prokaryotes and flagellated protists (single-cell eukaryotes) in their gut. Higher termites comprise only one apical family (Termitidae) but more than three-quarters of all termite species. While they also harbor a dense and div Read More

Since the approval of antibodies as therapeutic agents more than 20 years ago, a large about of research conducted by pharmaceutical companies and other institutes has been focused on the development of therapeutic antibodies. Antibody-based drugs have higher specificity and are more effective than chemical reagents in depletion of target cells, particularly diseased cells such as tumor cells, viral-infected cells, and other Read More

Since its discovery as a microbial insecticide, Bacillus thuringiensis has been widely used to control insect pests important in agriculture, forestry, and medicine. The wide variety of formulations based on spore-crystal complexes intended for ingestion by target insects, are the result of many years of research. The development of a great variety of matrices for support of the spore-crystal complex enables many improvement Read More

The widespread resistance to antibiotics among pathogenic bacteria has made development of alternatives to antibiotics a pressing public concern. Extensive studies have established bacteriophages (phages) and phage-encoded lytic enzymes (virolysins) as two of the most promising families of alternative antibacterials for the treatment and prophylaxis of bacterial infections. They have shown great potential in veterinary and hu Read More

Baculoviruses are lethal pathogens of insects, predominantly of the order Lepidoptera. These viruses have a biphasic life cycle, which greatly facilitates their use for biotechnological applications. They were exploited initially as biocontrol agents, and then engineered as protein expression vectors. The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is now widely used for recombinant protein production. More recently they ha Read More

The development of a good biocompatible matrix for immobilization of cells is very crucial for improving the performance of functional biohybrids. The synthesis of solid inorganic materials from alkoxide, aqueous and polyolmodified silanes routes, as well as the incorporation of organic polymers, are further areas being developed to improve the viability of encapsulated cells. This emerging field of material science has g Read More

In recent years, functional foods and nutraceuticals has attracted much attention, particularly for their impact on human health and prevention of certain diseases. Consequently, the production and properties of bioactive peptides has received an increasing scientific interest over the past few years. Considering that most functional peptides are present in complex matrices containing a large number of hydrolyzed protein fracti Read More

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