New England Biolabs, Inc.

Millennium Pharmaceuticals Limited

Omnigene, Inc.

Phillips W Robbins

Christopher H Taron

Chudi Guan

Ellen P Guthrie

David Landry

Sharon Wong-Madden

Sadhana Prakash

Janice G Pero

Sharon T Wong-Madden

Karen M Overbye

Substantially pure glycosidases capable for cleaving selected glycosidic bonds have been described including glycosidases isolated fromand recombinant glycosidases. Substrate specificity of isolated enzymes have been identified for GlcNac&#x3b2;1-x, Gal&#x3b1;1-3R, Gal&#x3b1;1-6R, Gal&#x3b2;1-3R, Fuc&#x3b1;-2R, Fuc&#x3b1;1-3R, Fuc&#x3b1;1-4R, Man&#x3b1;1-2R, Man&#x3b1;1-3R, Man&#x3b1;1-6R, Man&#x3b2;1-4R, Xyl&#x3b2;1-2R, Glc&#x3b2;1-4R, and Gal&#x3b2;1-4R providing improved capability for selectively cleaving a glycosidic linkage in a carbohydrate substrate and for forming modified carbohydrates.

Isolation and composition of novel glycosidases

Substantially pure glycosidases capable for cleaving selected glycosidic bonds have been described including glycosidases isolated from Xanthomonas and recombinant glycosidases. Substrate specificity of isolated enzymes have been identified for GlcNac&bgr;1-X, Gal&agr;1-3R, Gal&agr;1-6R, Gal&bgr;1-3R, Fuc&agr;-2R, Fuc&agr;1-3R, Fuc&agr;1-4R, Man&agr;1-2R, Man&agr;1-3R, Man&agr;1-6R, Man&bgr;1-4R, Xyl&bgr;1-2R, Glc&bgr;1-4R, and Gal&bgr;1-4R providing improved capability for selectively cleaving a glycosidic linkage in a carbohydrate substrate and for forming modified carbohydrates.

Substantially pure glycosidases capable for cleaving selected glycosidic bonds have been described including glycosidases isolated from Xanthomonas and recombinant glycosidases. Substrate specificity of isolated enzymes have been identified for GlcNac&bgr;1-X, Gal&agr;1-3R, Gal&agr;1-6R, Gal&bgr;1-3R, Fuc&agr;1-2R, Fuc&agr;1-3R, Fuc&agr;1-4R, Man&agr;1-2R, Man&agr;1-3R, Man&agr;1-6R, Man&bgr;1-4R, Xyl&bgr;1-2R, Glc&bgr;1-4R, and Gal&bgr;1-4R providing improved capability for selectively cleaving a glycosidic linkage in a carbohydrate substrate and for forming modified carbohydrates.

A process for assaying for cancer of the prostate, comprising assaying a sample derived from a human for prostate specific antigen having a linked oligosaccharide which is at least triantennary. The assay may employ a binding molecule which binds to oligosaccharides that are at least triantennary, but does not bind to oligosaccharides that are monoantennary or diantennary. Such binding molecule may be a lectin such as PHA-L or an antibody to an oligosaccharide that is at least triantennary.

Detection of prostate and other cancers by assaying for cancer-specific antigens having linked oligosaccharides which are at least triantennary

Detection of prostate and other cancers by assaying for cancer-specific

Engineered DNA encoding a pre-protein which comprises a Streptomyces chitinase signal sequence and a desired mature protein. Preferably, the signal sequence is from the S. plicatus endochitinase gene. The engineered DNA is included in a host organism causing the host to produce and secrete the mature protein. Where the mature protein is a chitinase, the invention is used in methods of controlling chitinase-sensitive pests.

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Acton, MA, United States of America

Phillips W Robbins