Genome sequences of the biotechnologically important Bacillus megaterium strains QM B1551 and DSM319.

Bacillus megaterium is deep-rooted in the Bacillus phylogeny, making it an evolutionarily key species and of particular importance in understanding genome evolution, dynamics, and plasticity in the bacilli. B. megaterium is a commercially available, nonpathogenic host for the biotechnological production of several substances, including vitamin B(12), penicillin acylase, and amylases.

Bioorthogonal metabolic glycoengineering of human larynx carcinoma (HEp-2) cells targeting sialic acid.

Sialic acids are located at the termini of mammalian cell-surface glycostructures, which participate in essential interaction processes including adhesion of pathogens prior to infection and immunogenicity. Here we present the synthesis and bioorthogonal metabolic incorporation of the sialic acid analogue N-(1-oxohex-5-ynyl)neuraminic acid (Neu5Hex) into the cell-surface glycocalyx of a human larynx carcinoma cell line (HEp-2) and its fluorescence labelling by click chemistry.