39 results about "Multicellular animals" patented technology

Methods and compositions for introducing a nucleic acid into the genome of at least one cell of a multicellular organism are provided. In the subject methods, a Sleeping Beauty transposon that includes the nucleic acid is administered to the multicellular organism along with a source of a Sleeping Beauty transposase activity. Administration of the transposon and transposase results in integration of the transposon, as well as the nucleic acid present therein, into the genome of at least one cell of the multicellular organism The subject methods find use in a variety of different applications, including the in vivo transfer of genes for use in, among other applications, gene therapy applications.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for quantitative three-dimensional mapping of refractive index in living or non-living cells, tissues, or organisms using a phase-shifting laser interferometric microscope with variable illumination angle. A preferred embodiment provides tomographic imaging of cells and multicellular organisms, and time-dependent changes in cell structure and the quantitative characterization of specimen-induced aberrations in high-resolution microscopy with multiple applications in tissue light scattering.

Current technologies allow the generation of artificial DNA molecules and / or the ability to alter the DNA sequences of existing DNA molecules. With a careful coding scheme and arrangement, it is possible to encode important information as an artificial DNA strand and store it in a living host safely and permanently. This inventive technology can be used to identify origins and protect R&D investments. It can also be used in environmental research to track generations of organisms and observe the ecological impact of pollutants. Today, there are microorganisms that can survive under extreme conditions. As well, it is advantageous to consider multicellular organisms as hosts for stored information. These living organisms can provide as memory housing and protection for stored data or information. The present invention provides well for data storage in a living organism wherein at least one DNA sequence is encoded to represent data and incorporated into a living organism.

A method of generating a change in a cellular process of a target cell is disclosed. The method comprises contacting the target cell with a solid buffer, so as to alter an intracellular pH value in at least a portion of the cell, thereby generating the change in a cellular process of a target cell of a multicellular organism. The method may be used to kill either eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. Pharmaceutical compositions and devices are also enclosed.

The invention is related to a method and a DNA construct for controlling transgene segregation in a sexually reproducing multicellular organism (SRMO), especially in such SRMOs which are susceptible of interbreeding with their cultured or wild-type relatives. The method and construct allows the farmer to reuse the transgenic crop without risk for escape of the transgene into the environment. The DNA construct is a recoverable block of function (RBF) system comprising at least one blocking construct (BC), and at least one means for recovering the blocked functions. The BC has a capacity of blocking at least one molecular or physiological function essential for the development and / or reproductive cycle of the SRMO. The BC is closely linked to the transgene of intereset (TGI). The blocked function is recoverable by an external treatment or intervention, which is optionally combined with one or more recovering constructs (RC). Different types of RBFs, including single, full, delayed, double, multiple and reversed delayed RBF are disclosed.

The present invention is directed culture vessel suitable for cultivation of cells and / or tissues comprising at least one reversibly clo sable aperture in the vessel wall, and at least one surface-increasing substrate within the vessel, said substrate being made of a single mold. The invention further provides a system comprising at least two vessels being interconnected via at least one aperturein their vessel wall, and a cultivation process using such a vessel or system, in which at least one type of cells, tissue, tissue-like cell cultures, organs, organ- like cell cultures, or multicellular organisms are cultivated in the presence of at least one fluid or solid medium necessary for growing and / or cultivating the aforesaid culture.

The invention provides a computer readable medium or media, having: (a) a first data structure relating a plurality of reactants to a plurality of reactions from a first cell, each of said reactions comprising a reactant identified as a substrate of the reaction, a reactant identified as a product of the reaction and a stoichiometric coefficient relating said substrate and said product; (b) a second data structure relating a plurality of reactants to a plurality of reactions from a second cell, each of said reactions comprising a reactant identified as a substrate of the reaction, a reactant identified as a product of the reaction and a stoichiometric coefficient relating said substrate and said product; (c) a third data structure relating a plurality of intra-system reactants to a plurality of intra-system reactions between said first and second cells, each of said intra-system reactions comprising a reactant identified as a substrate of the reaction, a reactant identified as a product of the reaction and a stoichiometric coefficient relating said substrate and said product; (d) a constraint set for said plurality of reactions for said first, second and third data structures, and (e) commands for determining at least one flux distribution that minimizes or maximizes an objective function when said constraint set is applied to said first and second data structures, wherein said at least one flux distribution is predictive of a physiological function of said first and second cells. The first, second and third data structures also can include a plurality of data structures. Additionally provided is a method for predicting a physiological function of a multicellular organism. The method includes: (a) providing a first data structure relating a plurality of reactants to a plurality of reactions from a first cell, each of said reactions comprising a reactant identified as a substrate of the reaction, a reactant identified as a product of the reaction and a stoichiometric coefficient relating said substrate and said product; (b) providing a second data structure relating a plurality of reactants to a plurality of reactions from a second cell, each of said reactions comprising a reactant identified as a substrate of the reaction, a reactant identified as a product of the reaction and a stoichiometric coefficient relating said substrate and said product; (c) providing a third data structure relating a plurality of intra-system reactants to a plurality of intra-system reactions between said first and second cells, each of said intra-system reactions comprising a reactant identified as a substrate of the reaction, a reactant identified as a product of the reaction and a stoichiometric coefficient relating said substrate and said product; (d) providing a constraint set for said plurality of reactions for said first, second and third data structures; (e) providing an objective function, and (f) determining at least one flux distribution that minimizes or maximizes an objective function when said constraint set is applied to said first and second data structures, wherein said at least one flux distribution is predictive of a physiological function of said first and second cells.

Methods for removing endotoxin from naturally occurring materials, such as polysaccharides (e.g., agarose and / or carrageenan) are described herein. Polysaccharides that are substantially free of endotoxins and uses thereof are also described. The polysaccharide materials can be isolated from microorganisms, multicellular organisms, such as, algae, plants, seaweed, etc. The method involves the use of acidic and basic solutions to hydrolyze the lipid-polysaccharide bond in endotoxins. Cleaving the fatty acid from the polysaccharide reduces the water-solubility of the fatty acid and enables its removal with an organic solvent such as ethanol. The polysaccharide component can also undergo acidic or basic hydrolysis due to the weak glycosidic bond between the sugar rings.

A method of generating a change in a cellular process of a target cell is disclosed. The method comprises contacting the target cell with a solid buffer, so as to alter an intracellular pH value in at least a portion of the cell, thereby generating the change in a cellular process of a target cell of a multicellular organism. The method may be used to kill either eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. Pharmaceutical compositions and devices are also enclosed.

The invention provides methods for detecting and analyzing protein-protein interactions and agonists and antagonists thereof, detecting and analyzing protein sequences, and regulatable gene expression in multicellular organisms or cells therefrom.

An object of the present invention is to develop a new alternative splicing reporter system and to provide a method for detecting alternative splicing patterns in a multicellular organism more precisely, a method for identifying efficiently substances and gene regions that affect alternative splicing in a multicellular organism, and the like by utilizing the alternative splicing reporter system. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for detecting alternative splicing in a multicellular organism, and a method for identifying substances and gene regions that affect alternative splicing in a multicellular organism, which use a DNA construct in which at least two different reporter genes are inserted into a specific gene that undergoes alternative splicing, or a combination of DNA constructs (a combination of at least two different DNA constructs) in which DNA construct a reporter gene is inserted into a specific gene that undergoes alternative splicing.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that have important regulatory roles in multicellular organisms. The public miRNA database contains 321 human miRNA sequences, 234 of which have been experimentally verified. To explore the possibility that additional miRNAs are present in the human genome, we have developed an experimental approach called miRNA serial analysis of gene expression (miRAGE) and used it to perform the largest experimental analysis of human miRNAs to date. Sequence analysis of 273,966 small RNA tags from human colorectal cells allowed us to identify 200 known mature miRNAs, 133 novel miRNA candidates, and 112 previously uncharacterized miRNA* forms. To aid in the evaluation of candidate miRNAs, we disrupted the Dicer locus in three human colorectal cancer cell lines and examined known and novel miRNAs in these cells. The miRNAs are useful to diagnose and treat cancers.

The present invention relates to modified monosaccharide compounds implemented in methods for labeling and / or detecting an eukaryotic cell from a multicellular organism. The present invention also relates to such modified monosaccharide compounds implemented in methods for identifying or isolating cancer cells, diagnosing a cancer or for cell therapy.

The invention provides methods for detecting and analyzing protein-protein interactions and agonists and antagonists thereof, detecting and analyzing protein sequences, and regulatable gene expression in multicellular organisms or cells therefrom.

The present invention relates to molecular probes of the formula (I){L1-R1-L}n-A-CO—NH—R2-L2  (I)as defined herein that allow for the observation of the catalytic activity of a selected cathepsin in in vitro assays, in cells or in multicellular organisms, a method for their preparation and the use thereof.