968results about "Fusion with spectroscopic/fluorescent detection" patented technology

The invention relates to methods and compositions utilizing Renilla green fluorescent proteins (rGFP), and Ptilosarcus green fluorescent proteins (pGFP). In particular, the invention relates to the use of Renilla GFP or Ptilosarcus GFP proteins as reporters for cell assays, particularly intracellular assays, including methods of screening libraries using rGFP or pGFP.

A method for screening compounds for their ability to interact with transmembrane proteins is provided. Also provided is a method for determining whether proteins such as transmembrane proteins are able to oligomerize.

The invention provides isolated polynucleotide molecules that comprise a DNA sequence encoding an infectious RNA sequence encoding a genetically-modified North American PRRS virus, wherein the polynucleotide molecule lacks at least one detectable antigenic epitope of North American PRRS virus. The invention also provides vaccines comprising genetically modified North American PRRS virus, RNA molecules, plasmids and viral vectors comprising the isolated polynucleotide molecules. Also provided are isolated polynucleotide molecules further comprising at least one nucleotide sequence that encodes a detectable heterologous antigenic epitope, and vaccines comprising North American PRRS virus, RNA molecules, plasmids and viral vectors comprising such isolated polynucleotide molecules.

Elucidating the function of proteins in mammalian cells is particularly challenging due to the inherent complexity of these systems. Methods to study protein function in living cells ideally perturb the activity of only the protein of interest but otherwise maintain the natural state of the host cell or organism. Ligand-dependent inteins offer single-protein specificity and other desirable features as an approach to control protein function in cells post-translationally. Some aspects of this invention provide second-generation ligand-dependent inteins that splice to substantially higher yields and with faster kinetics in the presence of the cell-permeable small molecule 4-HT, especially at 37° C., while exhibiting comparable or improved low levels of background splicing in the absence of 4-HT, as compared to the parental inteins. These improvements were observed in four protein contexts tested in mammalian cells at 37° C., as well as in yeast cells assayed at 30° C. or 37° C. The newly evolved inteins described herein are therefore promising tools as conditional modulators of protein structure and function in yeast and mammalian cells.