Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus

Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus Vtt

Desentum Oy

Orchid Biosciences, Inc.

Orchid Cellmark, Inc.

Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus Vtt Oy

Hans Söderlund

Kristiina Takkinen

Kari Kataja

Juha Rouvinen

Marja-Leena Laukkanen

Merja Niemi

Sirpa Jylhä

Reetta Satokari

Merja Penttilä

Anne-Christine Syvanen

Timo Pulli

Marja T Paloheimo

Aristos Aristidou

Laura Ruohonen

Marja Ilmen

John Londesborough

Peter Richard

Tiina Nakari-Setälä

Mervi Toivari

Markus Linder

Ari Hokkanen

Ingmar Stuns

Kai Kolari

Janne Jänis

Heli Sirén

Anita Teleman

Soili Mäkinen-Kiljunen

Tari Haahtela

Stella Rovio

Heidi Holkeri

Jan Rautio

Matti Hoyhtya

The present invention provides mutant polypeptides useful as hypoallergens. More specifically the present invention provides mutant Bet v 1 proteins and the use of such polypeptides as hypoallergens for desensitizing against birch pollen allergies. Furthermore, the invention provides vaccine formulations comprising such polypeptides; the use of such formulations; and to methods of vaccination against birch pollen allergy.

Hypoallergen

The invention is related to a method and test kits for quantitative determination of polynucleotide amounts present in a sample. The test kit comprises organized pools with polynucleotide probes having distinct sizes and optionally provided with tracer tags or primer tags. The probes are allowed to hybridize with affinity tagged analyte polynucleotides from the sample. The result is hybrids, which can be recovered on a separation aiding tool provided with the pair of the affinity tag. After the quantitative release of the probes, the probes are either directly recorded, or if primer tagged, they are amplified and optionally provided with a tracer tag before recording. The invention provides a sensitive and quantitative determination of the amount polynucleotides present in a cell or tissue sample and allows a quantitative assessment of variations in the amounts of polynucleotides as a response to inherent changes or due to external stimuli.

Method for determining amounts of polynucleotide sequences present in cell or tissue samples

The present invention relates to human IgE antibodies and derivatives thereof, which bind non-continuous planar allergenic epitope, such as in &#x3b2;-lactoglobulin, with high affinity and specificity. The present invention also relates to processes for making and engineering such allergen binding monoclonal antibodies and to methods for using these antibodies and derivatives thereof in the field of immunodiagnostics and immunotherapy.

Allergen-binding IgE monoclonal antibodies and method for preparing hypoallergens

A microfluidic chip device (MCD) and its use for performing miniaturized assays on magnetic microbeads (MMs) are described. The MCD is particularly useful for carrying out miniaturized transcript analysis by aiding affinity capturing (TRAC) assays, including PCR. The MCD comprises at least one reaction chamber with sealable liquid connections and at least one fluidic pillar filter in each chamber. The fluidic pillar filter comprises rods with spacings allowing MMs to pass. The sealable liquid connections feed liquid to the reaction chamber, wherein air bubbles are removed. The liquid stream contacts the MMs, which are manipulated with a magnetic rod. The liquid connections enable trapping of the MMs behind the pillar filters or in the channel, while the liquid is changed.

Microfluidic chip devices and their use

The present invention is related to field of allergic (hypersensitivity) diseases and provides a method for producing modified allergenic polypeptides for use in immunotherapies. In the method of the invention, said allergenic polypeptides are modified so that they are not capable to form transient dimers. The invention also provides modified &#x3b2;-lactoglobulins for use in immunotherapy of milk allergy.

Modified beta-lactoglobulins for immunotherapy of milk allergy

A binding partner, especially an antibody fragment that specifically recognizes an antigen-antibody immune complex between anti-THC and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), is disclosed. The binding partner facilitates a non-competitive homogenous immunoassay for detection ofuse. A test kit comprising the binding partner is also described. Preferably the immunoassay is applied for roadside testing of saliva from suspected drivers.

Detection of cannabis use

The invention relates to a method and test kit for quantitative determination of the amounts or relative proportions of polynucleotides in a mixture. The invention enables assessment of dynamic variations in a mixed population of organisms using affinity aided solution hybridization. The test kit comprises organized pools of polynucleotide probes having approximately the same number of nucleotides, which are distinguishable using resolution enabling tags providing the probes with different sizes. The resolution enabling tags may simultaneously act as tracer, affinity or primer tags. The probes are allowed to hybridize with affinity tagged analyte polynucleotides. The result is hybrids, recoverable on separation aiding tools provided with counterparts of the affinity tag. After the quantitative release of the probes, the individual probes can be amplified and recorded. The method and test kit are useful for determining hygienic and epidemiologic situations and evaluating the effect of antibiotic treatment and sanitary measures.

Method and test kit for quantitative determination of polynucleotides in a mixture

A non-competitive immunoassay for small analytes, wherein the analyte is reacted with two binding partners. The first binding partner binds to the analyte to form a complex between the first binding partner and the analyte, and the second binding partner binds to the complex formed by the first binding partner and the analyte. The resulting complex formed between the analyte and the binding partners is detected. The binding partners are proteins, such as antibodies including antibody fragments.

Non-competitive immunoassay for small analytes

Detection of variable nucleotide(s) is based on primer extension and incorporation of detectable nucleoside triphosphates. By selecting the detection step primers from the region immediately adjacent to the variable nucleotide, this variation can be detected after incorporation of as few as one nucleoside triphosphate. Labelled nucleoside triphosphates matching the variable nucleotide are added and the incorporation of a label into the detection step primer is measured. The selection of the detection step primer is important to the method according to this invention and is dependent on the nucleotide sequence of interest. The detection step primers are preferably selected so as to span the region immediately toward the 3' end from the variable nucleotide to be detected. The detection step primers can also be complementary to a sequence beginning several nucleotides removed from the variable nucleotide. The only limitation concerning the position of the detection step primers is that the sequence between the 3&#x2032; end of the detection step primer and the variable nucleotide to be detected must not contain a nucleotide residue of the same type as the one to be detected. The detection step primers can equally well be chosen to be complementary to either the coding or non-coding strands of the nucleotide sequence of interest.

Reagent kit for determining specific nucleotide variations

The present invention relates to genetic engineering of production microorganisms used in biotechnology to improve their properties so that they produce useful products more efficiently. The microorganisms express at least one enzyme that causes the functional coupling of the oxidation and reduction of substrates by two pyridine nucleotide-linked dehydrogenase reactions with different specificities for the NAD/NADH and NADP/NADPH coenzyme couples and so facilitates the transfer of electrons between the two coenzyme couples through the said substrates. In particular the invention relates to increasing the yields of products such as ethanol or amino acids from carbon and nitrogen sources such as biomass comprising hexoes, pentoses or their polymers.

Transformed microorganisms with improved properties

The present invention relates to immobilization of fusion proteins to surfaces. According to this invention a fusion polypeptide comprises an adhesion polypeptide fused to a preselected polypeptide. Specifically the method takes advantage of the spontaneous immobilization properties of the adhesion polypeptide part of the fusion protein.

Method for immobilization of polypeptides

Method for determining specific nucleotide variations

Growing community of inventors

Espoo, Finland

Hans Söderlund