Microencapsulated Chitosan-Based Nanocapsules: A New Platform for Pulmonary Gene Delivery.

In this work, we propose chitosan (CS)-based nanocapsules (NCs) for pulmonary gene delivery. Hyaluronic acid (HA) was incorporated in the NCs composition (HA/CS NCs) aiming to promote gene transfection in the lung epithelium. NCs were loaded with a model plasmid (pCMV-βGal) to easily evaluate their transfection capacity.

Bacillus safensis subsp. osmophilus subsp. nov., isolated from condensed milk, and description of Bacillus safensis subsp. safensis subsp. nov.

A bacterial strain, designated BC09, was isolated from a contaminated sample of condensed milk. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences placed strain BC09 into the genus Bacillus with its closest relatives being Bacillus safensis and Bacillus australimaris with 100 and 99.9 % similarity, respectively.

Expression, activation and processing of a novel plant milk-clotting aspartic protease in Pichia pastoris.

Galium verum, also known as Lady's Bedstraw or Cheese Rennet, is an herbaceous perennial plant traditionally used in cheese-making. We used RACE PCR to isolate novel enzymes from Galium verum with the ability to clot milk. This approach generated two cDNA sequences (named preprogaline A and B) encoding proteins displaying the typical plant aspartic protease primary structure.

Considerations on bacterial nucleoids.

The classic genome organization of the bacterial chromosome is normally envisaged with all its genetic markers linked, thus forming a closed genetic circle of duplex stranded DNA (dsDNA) and several proteins in what it is called as "the bacterial nucleoid." This structure may be more or less corrugated depending on the physiological state of the bacterium (i.e.

Recent patents on microbial proteases for the dairy industry.

This paper reviews the general characteristics of exo and endopeptidases of microbial origin currently used in the milk industry. It also includes recent patents developed either to potentiate the enzymatic activity or to improve the resulting milk derivatives. The main application of these proteases is in the cheese-making industry.

cDNA cloning of a novel gene codifying for the enzyme lycopene β-cyclase from Ficus carica and its expression in Escherichia coli.

Lycopene beta-cyclase (β-LCY) is the key enzyme that modifies the linear lycopene molecule into cyclic β-carotene, an indispensable carotenoid of the photosynthetic apparatus and an important source of vitamin A in human and animal nutrition. Owing to its antioxidant activity, it is commercially used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, as well as an additive in foodstuffs. Therefore, β-carotene has a large share of the carotenoidic market.

Genetic stabilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae oenological strains by using benomyl.

Wild-type oenological strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are usually aneuploid and heterozygotes; thus, when they are used as starters in must fermentation the resulting wine characteristics may vary from year to year. Treatment of a wild-type S. cerevisiae oenological strain with benomyl (methyl-l-butylcarbamoyl-2-benzimidazole carbamate), an antifungal agent shown to cause chromosome loss in yeasts, resulted in a stable starter strain in which the parental oenological traits were unchanged.