Universiteit Leiden

Academisch Ziekenhuis Leiden (h.o.d.n. Lumc)

Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nürnberg

Rijksuniversiteit Te Leiden

University Of Liège

Gilles Philippus Van Wezel

Jan Wouter Drijfhout

Petrus Hendricus Nibbering

Robert Alexander Cordfunke

Michael Keith Richardson

Michella Manon Voet

Harald Martijn Ijsbrand Kerkkamp

Young-Hae Choi

Rudolf Gijsbertus M Luiten

Barend Kraal

Erik Vijgenboom

Hua Zhu

Jacob Gubbens

Mannfred Friedrich Bruno Titgemeyer

Sebastien Rigali

Changsheng Wu

Lizah Tanja Van Der Aart

Nicole Angélique Lemmens

Willem Jan Bastiaan Van Wamel

The disclosure concerns snake-derived peptides and the useful application of such peptides to inhibit bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic infections. The disclosed peptides are also useful for the treatment of an inflammatory condition or cancers.

Bioactive peptides derived from snakes

The invention is among others concerned with novel polyketides, their method of production, purification and use. The method can entail providing a bacterium that synthesizes the compound.

Polyketides, methods of use and preparation

Described are methods and means for metabolic engineering and improved product formation by a filamentous micro-organism or a low G+C gram-positive bacterium. Disclosed is that DasR and DasR binding sites play an important and universal role in the control of gene expression in micro-organisms. Based on this finding, provided are multiple useful applications, such as a method for regulating the expression of a gene of interest, a method for controlling metabolism, a method for decreasing undesired expression and many more. Moreover, provided are means that can be used to establish said methods: for example a micro-organism in which the DasR binding site in operable linkage with a particular gene has been modified to obtain increased or decreased expression of a protein (being a desired or undesired protein) encoded by said gene.

Methods and means for metabolic engineering and improved product formation by micro-organisms

In one aspect the disclosure relations to means and methods for identifying a protein or a DNA encoding the protein, involved in the production of a product by a micro-organism. In the methods the micro-organism is cultured under different culture conditions each of which exhibit a different level of the product that is produced by the micro-organism. The genetic expression of the genes of the micro-organism is compared with the level of the product, and groups of DNAs are identified that are involved in the production of the product by the micro-organism.

Screening method for micro-organisms and methods for the production of a product

The invention relates to industrial microbiology, in particular to fermentation technology and especially to fermentation methods for filamentous microorganisms, in particular, filamentous microorganisms such as actinomycetes. The present invention discloses a method for improving the production of a product of interest in a liquid culture of filamentous microorganisms comprising providing the filamentous microorganisms with an agent for altering the morphology of microstructures of the filamentous microorganisms. The invention also relates to a method for improving the production of a product of interest in a liquid culture of filamentous microorganisms comprising altering in the filamentous microorganisms the expression level or copy number of an endogenous agent for altering the morphology of microstructures of the filamentous microorganisms. The invention further provides multiple methods for obtaining a filamentous microorganism with altered, preferably enhanced, fragmentation characteristics. However, a filamentous microorganism with reduced fragmentation characteristics is also included.

Growth characteristics of filamentous microorganisms

The invention relates to the field of microorganisms and to the culturing of microorganisms. Means and methods are described for enhancing the culturing properties of filamentous microorganisms, particularly filamentous fungi. According to the invention, the means and methods generally comprise reducing the branching and/or enhancing the fragmentation of the microorganisms, so that their liquid culturing properties are improved. In one embodiment, this is achieved by providing the microorganisms with activity capable of enhancing fragmentation and/or reducing branching such as the activity which in, for example,is encoded by ssgA.

Reducing branching and enhancing fragmentation in culturing filamentous microorganisms

Growing community of inventors

Leiden, Netherlands

Gilles Philippus Van Wezel