In cell cultures of carrot (Daucus carota L.), somatic embryogenesis can be induced by transferring cells from a medium containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) to one devoid of 2,4-D. Previous analysis of transgenic carrot cells containing the 5' non-coding sequence of the Ri plasmid rolC and a structural gene for bacterial beta-glucuronidase (uidA) has shown that the chimeric gene is...

Methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) with molecular mass of 5 kDa activated with succinimidyl carbonate and cyanuric chloride, separately was covalently attached to human red blood cells (RBCs). Inhibition of agglutination by blood-type specific antisera (anti-D) was employed to evaluate the effect of the polymer coating. The remaining single cells after incubation with anti-D sera were cou...

Background and Aims: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) remains a potentially serious health problem world wide. All infected people, including asymptomatic ones, are potential sources for virus transmission. Virus envelope contains at least 13 glycoproteins, which glycoprotein D is the major target of immune responses. The aim of this study was development of a specific method that is a more...

gp43 is the main diagnostic antigen for paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). In vitro, gp43 expression in supernatant fluids of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis cultures can be unstable, and its regulation is poorly understood. We have been able to express soluble recombinant gp43 (gp43r) isoforms as N-mannosylated proteins secreted in the supernatants of Pichia pastoris cultures induced with methanol. T...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The serodiagnosis of infection with Salmonella typhi, using the Widal agglutination assay, relies on patients' antibodies to the O = 9,12 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigens, H = d flagellar antigens, and the Vi capsular antigens. A Vi agglutination titre of > 1/40 has traditionally been regarded as indicative of recent infection with S typhi. In this study, 91 sera were used to a...

OBJECTIVE To study the spread of antibodies to V3 loop peptides of two chimpanzee lentiviruses and the divergent HIV-1ANT-70 isolate (group O) in human sera from different geographic regions, and to compare this with reactions to peptides from known North American (subtype B) and Zaïrean (subtype D) strains. METHODS A total 2495 HIV-1-antibody-positive sera from nine countries were tested by ...

BACKGROUND Prospective studies indicate that tomato consumers are protected against prostate cancer. Lycopene has been hypothesized to be responsible for tomato health benefits. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to differentiate the effects of tomato matrix from those of lycopene by using lycopene-rich red tomatoes, lycopene-free yellow tomatoes, and purified lycopene. DESIGN Thirty healthy men (aged 5...

Glycosidases are generally glycoproteins from lysosomal origin that catalyze the hydrolysis of glycoproteins, glycolipids and glycosaminoglycans, as well as synthetic substrates. They accomplish a very important role (partially known) in physiological circumstances, and their dysfunction causes pathological processes, where they have been mainly studied in connection to the lysosomal storage di...