1. Biotechnology

Category Archives: Biotechnology

Growth and fermentation of D-xylose by Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing a novel D-xylose isomerase originating from the bacterium Prevotella ruminicola TC2-24

Posted on by

Background:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains expressing D-xylose isomerase (XI) produce some of the highest reported ethanol yields from D-xylose. Unfortunately, most bacterial XIs that have been expressed in S. cerevisiae are either not functional, require additional strain modification, or have low affinity for D-xylose. This study analyzed several XIs from rumen and intestinal microorganisms to identify enzymes with improved properties for engineering S. cerevisiae for D-xylose fermentation.
Results:
Four XIs originating from rumen and intestinal bacteria were isolated and expressed in a S. cerevisiae CEN.PK2-1C parental strain primed for D-xylose metabolism by over expression of its native D-xylulokinase. Three of the XIs were functional in S. cerevisiae, based on the strain's ability to grow in D-xylose medium. The most promising strain, expressing the XI mined from Prevotella ruminicola TC2-24, was further adapted for aerobic and fermentative growth by serial transfers of D-xylose cultures under aerobic, and followed by microaerobic conditions. The evolved strain had a specific growth rate of 0.23 h-1 on D-xylose medium, which is comparable to the best reported results for analogous S. cerevisiae strains including those expressing the Piromyces sp. E2 XI. When used to ferment D-xylose, the adapted strain produced 13.6 g/L ethanol in 91 h with a metabolic yield of 83% of theoretical. From analysis of the P. ruminicola XI, it was determined the enzyme possessed a Vmax of 0.81 mumole/min/mg protein and a Km of 34 mM.
Conclusion:
This study identifies a new xylose isomerase from the rumen bacterium Prevotella ruminicola TC2-24 that has one of the highest affinities and specific activities compared to other bacterial and fungal D-xylose isomerases expressed in yeast. When expressed in S. cerevisiae and used to ferment D-xylose, very high ethanol yield was obtained. This new XI should be a promising resource for constructing other D-xylose fermenting strains, including industrial yeast genetic backgrounds.Source:
http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/6/1/84

How good to use home pregnancy tests

Posted on by

Home pregnancy tests have been practiced for long by women and is quite trusted way of confirming your doubts when it comes to conceiving. Here are certain signs that can tell you that you are probably pregnant.

If you have missed your period or you are having an abnormal or unusual period may be you are pregnant. If you have got frequent urinating tendencies or you throw up (vomit) again and again it is possible that you are pregnant. Generally women tend to lose their control over bladder when pregnant; it is very hard to control excretion of urine. Morning sickness or nausea is a tendency that is observed in pregnant women. They cannot resist throwing up again and again during the second and third months of pregnancy. Enlargement or soreness in breast is also indicates that possibly you are pregnant. Breast starts to grow big and become painful. If your breast is releasing colostrums, uterus is enlarged or you are getting a lot of stretch marks there is a possibility that you may be pregnant. In case you have frequent strange cravings like you have never had in past may be a n indication that you are pregnant.

However, these are not confirmed signs of pregnancy. Some of these symptoms when experienced together increase the probability of one’s pregnancy. You should immediately rush for a pregnancy test if you are even a little doubtful. This will clarify your doubts as it is a reliable way to test your pregnancy by yourself. You can also trace the pregnancy by an ultrasound test but home pregnancy strip test is more handy, cheap and reliable.

In case you are planning to conceive these are some symptoms that might be pointing towards your positive result on a pregnancy strip. Be happy you are experiencing such phenomenon and consult a doctor as soon as possible. Apart from all this reflect on your inner sight you can feel it when you are pregnant and the tests suggested above are just a primary confirmation.

In case you do not want to bear there are ways to get out of the web. Contraceptive pills are available in the market which can be a help in forbidding any pregnancy. There are pills that you can take within 72 hours after having unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy but its intake again and again can cause side effects. If you detect a positive on the pregnancy strip, you will have to abort it whether it is by an abortion pill or by any other method.

About The Author: Camila is a writer/blogger. She loves writing, traveling and reading books. She contributes on Josh Fink

Source:
http://www.biotechblog.org/entry/good-home-pregnancy-tests/

Effect of salts on the Co-fermentation of glucose and xylose by a genetically engineered strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Posted on by

Background:
A challenge currently facing the cellulosic biofuel industry is the efficient fermentation of both C5 and C6 sugars in the presence of inhibitors. To overcome this challenge, microorganisms that are capable of mixed-sugar fermentation need to be further developed for increased inhibitor tolerance. However, this requires an understanding of the physiological impact of inhibitors on the microorganism. This paper investigates the effect of salts on Saccharomyces cerevisiae 424A(LNH-ST), a yeast strain capable of effectively co-fermenting glucose and xylose.
Results:
In this study, we show that salts can be significant inhibitors of S. cerevisiae. All 6 pairs of anions (chloride and sulfate) and cations (sodium, potassium, and ammonium) tested resulted in reduced cell growth rate, glucose consumption rate, and ethanol production rate. In addition, the data showed that the xylose consumption is more strongly affected by salts than glucose consumption at all concentrations. At a NaCl concentration of 0.5M, the xylose consumption rate was reduced by 64.5% compared to the control. A metabolomics study found a shift in metabolism to increased glycerol production during xylose fermentation when salt was present, which was confirmed by an increase in extracellular glycerol titers by 4 fold. There were significant differences between the different cations. The salts with potassium cations were the least inhibitory. Surprisingly, although salts of sulfate produced twice the concentration of cations as compared to salts of chloride, the degree of inhibition was the same with one exception. Potassium salts of sulfate were less inhibitory than potassium paired with chloride, suggesting that chloride is more inhibitory than sulfate.
Conclusions:
When developing microorganisms and processes for cellulosic ethanol production, it is important to consider salt concentrations as it has a significant negative impact on yeast performance, especially with regards to xylose fermentation.Source:
http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/6/1/83

Overcoming restriction as a barrier to DNA transformation in Caldicellulosiruptor species results in efficient marker replacement

Posted on by

Background:
Thermophilic microorganisms have special advantages for the conversion of plant biomass to fuels and chemicals. Members of the genus Caldicellulosiruptor are the most thermophilic cellulolytic bacteria known. They have the ability to grow on a variety of non-pretreated biomass substrates at or near ~80 C and hold promise for converting biomass to bioproducts in a single step. As for all such relatively uncharacterized organisms with desirable traits, the ability to genetically manipulate them is a prerequisite for making them useful. Metabolic engineering of pathways for product synthesis is relatively simple compared to engineering the ability to utilize non-pretreated biomass.
Results:
Here we report the construction of a deletion of cbeI (Cbes2438), which encodes a restriction endonuclease that is as a major barrier to DNA transformation of C. bescii. This is the first example of a targeted chromosomal deletion generated by homologous recombination in this genus and the resulting mutant, JWCB018 (DeltapyrFA DeltacbeI), is readily transformed by DNA isolated from E. coli without in vitro methylation. PCR amplification and sequencing suggested that this deletion left the adjacent methyltransferase (Cbes2437) intact. This was confirmed by the fact that DNA isolated from JWCB018 was protected from digestion by CbeI and HaeIII. Plasmid DNA isolated from C. hydrothermalis transformants were readily transformed into C. bescii. Digestion analysis of chromosomal DNA isolated from seven Caldicellulosiruptor species by using nine different restriction endonucleases was also performed to identify the functional restriction-modification activities in this genus.
Conclusion:
Deletion of the cbeI gene removes a substantial barrier to routine DNA transformation and chromosomal modification of C. bescii. This will facilitate the functional analyses of genes as well as metabolic engineering for the production of biofuels and bioproducts from biomass. An analysis of restriction-modification activities in members of this genus suggests a way forward to eliminating restriction as a barrier to DNA transformation and efficient genetic manipulation of this important group of hyperthermophiles.Source:
http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/6/1/82

Puma Biotechnology Receives US FDA Approval of Supplemental New Drug Application for Neratinib to Treat HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer -…

Posted on by

Feb. 26, 2020 13:03 UTC

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Puma Biotechnology. (NASDAQ: PBYI), a biopharmaceutical company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for neratinib in combination with capecitabine for the treatment of adult patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. The sNDA approval was based on results of the Phase III NALA trial, a randomized controlled trial of neratinib plus capecitabine in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens.

Although there have been many new treatment options for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, patients still need additional treatment options once they progress, said Alan H. Auerbach, Chief Executive Officer and President of Puma. Based on the results of our NALA data, we believe NERLYNX could be a promising therapeutic opportunity for these patients.

Adam M. Brufsky, MD, Ph.D., of Magee-Womens Hospital and the Hillman Cancer Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, added, Together with the NALA investigators around the world, I am pleased to see the FDA approval of NERLYNX for the treatment of advanced HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. This approval is based on data from the NALA trial, which we presented at ASCO last year, demonstrating that neratinib in combination with capecitabine offers a significant improvement over currently available therapies in this heavily pretreated patient population and can be added to NERLYNXs established role in the treatment of early breast cancer.

In the United States, NERLYNX is approved for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early stage HER2-positive breast cancer, following adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy. In Europe, NERLYNX is approved for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early stage hormone receptor-positive HER2-overexpressed/amplified breast cancer and who are less than one year from completion of prior adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy. NERLYNX has also received approval for use in the extended adjuvant setting in Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Argentina.

In collaboration with its global licensing partners, Puma expects to seek approval of this second indication in all countries where NERLYNX is currently approved.

About NALA

Efficacy of neratinib in combination with capecitabine was investigated in NALA (NCT01808573), a randomized, multicenter, open-label, Phase III clinical trial in 621 patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive neratinib 240 mg orally once daily on days 1-21 in combination with capecitabine 750 mg/m2 given orally twice daily on days 1-14 for each 21-day cycle (n=307) or lapatinib 1250 mg orally once daily on days 1-21 in combination with capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 given orally twice daily on days 1-14 for each 21-day cycle (n=314). Patients were treated until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The trial was conducted globally at sites in North America, Europe, Israel, Asia-Pacific and South America.

The main efficacy outcome measures were progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by a blinded independent central review per RECIST v1.1 and overall survival (OS). Key secondary outcome measures were objective response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR). Treatment with neratinib in combination with capecitabine resulted in a statistically significant improvement in PFS (Hazard Ratio 0.76; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.93; p=0.0059) compared to treatment with lapatinib plus capecitabine. The PFS rate at 12 months was 29% (95% CI: 23, 35) for patients who received neratinib plus capecitabine vs 15% (95% CI: 10, 20) for patients who received lapatinib plus capecitabine; the PFS rate at 24 months was 12% (95% CI: 7, 18) vs 3% (95% CI: 1, 8), respectively.

Median OS was 21 months (95% CI: 17.7, 23.8) for patients who received neratinib in combination with capecitabine compared to 18.7 months (95% CI: 15.5, 21.2) for patients who received lapatinib in combination plus capecitabine (HR 0.88; 95% CI: 0.72, 1.07; p=0.2086). The ORR was 32.8% (95% CI: 27.1, 38.9) vs 26.7% (95% CI: 21.5, 32.4), respectively. Median duration of response was 8.5 months (95% CI: 5.6, 11.2) vs 5.6 months (95% CI: 4.2, 6.4), respectively.

The most common adverse reactions of any grade (>5%) in the neratinib plus capecitabine arm were diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, constipation, fatigue/asthenia, weight decreased, dizziness, back pain, arthralgia, urinary tract infection, upper respiratory tract infection, abdominal distention, renal impairment, and muscle spasms. The most frequently reported Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions were diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and decreased appetite.

The recommended neratinib dose for advanced or metastatic breast cancer is 240 mg (6 tablets) given orally once daily with food on days 1-21 of a 21-day cycle plus capecitabine (750 mg/m2 given orally twice daily) on days 1-14 of a 21-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicities.

About HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Approximately 20% to 25% of breast cancer tumors over-express the HER2 protein. HER2-positive breast cancer is often more aggressive than other types of breast cancer, increasing the risk of disease progression and death. Although research has shown that trastuzumab can reduce the risk of early stage HER2-positive breast cancer returning after surgery, up to 25% of patients treated with trastuzumab experience recurrence.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

NERLYNX (neratinib) tablets, for oral use

INDICATIONS AND USAGE: NERLYNX is a kinase inhibitor indicated:

CONTRAINDICATIONS: None

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS:

ADVERSE REACTIONS:

The most common adverse reactions (reported in 5% of patients) were as follows:

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Puma Biotechnology, Inc. at 1-844-NERLYNX (1-844-637-5969) and http://www.NERLYNX.com or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

DRUG INTERACTIONS:

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS:

Please see Full Prescribing Information for additional safety information.

To help ensure patients have access to NERLYNX, Puma has implemented the Puma Patient Lynx support program to assist patients and healthcare providers with reimbursement support and referrals to resources that can help with financial assistance. More information on the Puma Patient Lynx program can be found at http://www.NERLYNX.com or 1-855-816-5421.

About Puma Biotechnology

Puma Biotechnology, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a focus on the development and commercialization of innovative products to enhance cancer care. Puma in-licenses the global development and commercialization rights to PB272 (neratinib, oral), PB272 (neratinib, intravenous) and PB357. Neratinib, oral was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2017 for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early stage HER2-overexpressed/amplified breast cancer, following adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy and is marketed in the United States as NERLYNX (neratinib) tablets. NERLYNX was granted marketing authorization by the European Commission in 2018 for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early stage hormone receptor-positive HER2-overexpressed/amplified breast cancer and who are less than one year from completion of prior adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy. NERLYNX is a registered trademark of Puma Biotechnology, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, the risk factors disclosed in the periodic and current reports filed by Puma with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including, once filed, Pumas Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Puma assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200226005248/en/

View original post here:
Puma Biotechnology Receives US FDA Approval of Supplemental New Drug Application for Neratinib to Treat HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer -...

2013StanfordE25B: A View of How Material Science And Engineering is Transforming Biotechnology – Video

Posted on by


2013StanfordE25B: A View of How Material Science And Engineering is Transforming Biotechnology
Project Authors: Dieter Rutzen and Sara Rodriguez We interviewed Prof. Nick Melosh from the Department of Material Science and Engineering in Stanford Univer...

By: shrodzmartz

Original post:
2013StanfordE25B: A View of How Material Science And Engineering is Transforming Biotechnology - Video

Biotechnology | Degree Programs

Posted on by

Associate of Applied Science Advising Code: A 20 10 0

Contact: (336) 334-4822, ext. 50357

The Biotechnology curriculum is designed to meet the increasing demands for skilled laboratory technicians in various fields of biological and chemical technology.

Course work emphasizes biology, chemistry, mathematics and technical communications. The curriculum objectives are designed to prepare graduates to serve in three distinct capacities: research assistant to a biologist or chemist; laboratory technician/ instrumentation technician; and quality control/quality assurance technician.

Graduates may find employment in various areas of industry and government including research and development, manufacturing, sales, and customer service.

The Biotechnology Program at GTCC is a collaborative educational program offered by Alamance Community College (ACC) and GTCC. Students are able to complete the first two semesters, as well as some selected general education courses from the second year, at GTCC. Students who successfully complete at least the first two semesters at GTCC will be admitted to the Alamance Community College program and will be able to complete the program requirements at ACC. Alamance Community College will award the Associate of Applied Science degree to all students who meet degree requirements.

Program Outcomes:

Additional Biology courses including BIO 250 Genetics and BIO 275 Microbiology can be taken at GTCC for credit at ACC.

Visit link:
Biotechnology | Degree Programs

Biotechnology xpert Jamie Metzl addresses realities of genetics revolution, Feb. 9 – Vail Daily News

Posted on by

Progressing at breakneck speed, genetic engineering has seen significant advancements since the first time Jamie Metzl addressed the topic at the Vail Symposium in 2015 to a sold-out audience. Metzl will return today, offering the latest update on the science and implications of this world-changing technology.

Metzl, an annual speaker at the Symposium, is a senior fellow of the Atlantic Council and an expert on Asian affairs and biotechnology policy. He previously served as executive vice president of the Asia Society, deputy staff director of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, senior coordinator for International Public Information at the U.S. State Department, director for multilateral affairs on the National Security Council and as a human-rights officer for the United Nations in Cambodia.

Also a novelist, Metzl explores the challenging issues raised by new technologies and revolutionary science in his science fiction writing. His latest novel, Eternal Sonata, imagines a future global struggle to control the science of extreme human life extension. This world, according to Metzl, is not far off.

Jamie Metzl is a brilliant thinker and eloquent speaker who will be discussing a captivating subject based very much in reality, said Kris Sabel, Vail Symposium executive director. His background in biotechnology allows him to understand this complex science, his experience with international affairs lets him place science in a geopolitical context and his dynamic and creative mind can break it all down into digestible information for everyone

Here, Metzl elaborates on the progress of the genetics revolution, his new book, how this unique science fits into the landscape of technological breakthroughs and how the new administration may impact scientific progress.

VAIL SYMPOSIUM: What sort of progress has the genetics revolution made since you first addressed the issue in front of the Vail Symposium audience two years ago?

METZL: The genetics revolution is charging forward at a blistering, exponentially accelerating pace. Virtually every day, major progress is being made deciphering the genome; describing gene-editing tools to alter the genetic makeup of plants, animals or even humans; and outlining how gene drives can be used to push genetic changes across populations. Even if this rate of change slows, then its absolutely clear to me that these new technologies will transform health care in the short to medium term and alter our evolution as a species in the medium to long term.

VS: Despite your scholarly background on the topic, youve again chosen to use science fiction writing as a way to encompass real issues surrounding the progress in genetics science. How does your new book, Eternal Sonata, based in 2025, two years after the setting of your first genetics thriller, Genesis Code, reflect the true pace, opportunities and consequences of genetic science?

METZL: The genetic revolution is too important to be left only or even primarily to the experts. I write nonfiction articles and spend a lot of time with expert groups, but the general public must be an equal stakeholder in the dialogue about our genetic future. I aspire for my novels to be fun and exciting, but also to help people who might be a little afraid of science find a more accessible on-ramp to thinking about the many complex, challenging human issues associated with technological innovation.

I fully believe well be seeing significant growth in human health and lifespans throughout the coming decades, but this progress will also raise some thorny questions well need to address. Like Genesis Code, its based on real science and tries to explore what it will mean on a human level when new technologies begin to transform our understanding of our own mortality.

VS: How much weight should society put on concerns and opportunities of genetics science, or actually making conscious alterations to humans as a species?

METZL: Advances in genetic technologies will help us live longer, healthier, more robust lives, and we should all be very, very excited about that. Like all technologies, however, there will also be new opportunities for abuse. Thats why we need to have the broadest, most inclusive global dialogue possible to help us develop new norms and standards that can guide our actions going forward. The technologies are new, but the best values we will need to deploy to use them wisely are old.

VS: Has there, then, been any progress in policy to regulate genetics science or legal framework created to limit the radical changes this could have on society?

METZL: There is a real mismatch between the rapid pace of scientific advancement and the glacial pace of regulation. On the one hand, we dont want over-regulation killing this very promising field in its relative infancy. On the other, it is clear that all aspects of altering the human genome must be regulated. This challenge is all the greater because different countries have different belief systems and ethical traditions, so there is a deep need for a global norm-creation and then regulatory harmonization process.

VS: Do you have any insight on how changes in the administration will affect progress in this field of science?

METZL: Many people are worried about how the new administration will deal with these very complex scientific issues. Viewing genetic technologies in the context of the abortion debate would be a significant blow to this work in the United States. But the science is global, and even if the U.S. shuts down all of its labs for ideological or other reasons, then the science will advance elsewhere. Well lose our lead building the future as we wait forever for the coal mining and low-end manufacturing jobs to come back.

See original here:
Biotechnology xpert Jamie Metzl addresses realities of genetics revolution, Feb. 9 - Vail Daily News

College of Engineering

Posted on by


College of Engineering Biomedical Engineering Biotechnology Doctoral Degrees - UMass Lowell 2013
College of Engineering Biomedical Engineering Biotechnology Doctoral Degrees at UMass Lowell 2013 Graduate Commencement Ceremonies on May 18, 2013 Learn ...

By: University of Massachusetts Lowell

More here:
College of Engineering


  1. Biotechnology