Extracts from EJAIB and EEIN since January 1994. Latest news is at the bottom.

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A general comment on the use of biotechnology for pleasure and profit is in Biotechnology 11 (1993), 1243-7. Biosensors to test for environmental pollution are reviewed in GEN (15 Oct 1993), 6, 8, 23; and another sensor for cell biology, Nature 366 (1993), 591-2.

Oligonucleotide drugs have begun clinical trials in several fields, Biotechnology 11 (1993), 1225. Drug design is reviewed in Scientific American (Dec 1993), 60-7; Biotechnology 11 (1993), 1216-7, 1237-41, 1508-9; Nature 366 (1993), 505.

A chemical process to allow artificial synthesis of taxol, useful for cancer therapy, is reported in Nature 367 (1994), 593-4, 630-4. A polymer for controlled drug release is reported in K.J. Pekarek, et al. "Double-walled polymer microspheres for controlled drug release", Nature 367 (1994), 258-60. The potential of peptide nucleic acids as drugs or diagnostic tools is discussed in GEN (Dec 1993), 1, 22-23. DNA mimics are discussed in Science 262 (1993), 1647-9, with the prospects for improving on nature. On ribozymes see Science 262 (1993), 1512-4, 1978-9.

A method for protein design in general is discussed in S. Kamtekar et al., "Protein design by binary patterning of polar and nonpolar amino acids", Science 262 (1993), 1680-3. A specific example is R. McDaniel et al., "Engineered biosynthesis of novel polyketides", Science 262 (1993), 1546-50. The engineering of a catalytic antibody and comparison to the natural counterpart is in Science 263 (1994), 646-52.

A method to obtain 10-15% total cell protein a recombinant protein staphylokinase (for blood clotting treatment) is described in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 185-9. A review of a book, The Clostridia and Biotechnology is in Science 263 (1994), 400. A review and comparison of methods for manipulating baculoviruses is Biotechnology 12 (1994), 47-54.

Production of human monoclonal antibodies is discussed in GEN (15 March 1994), 1, 15. The production of a simplified antibody consisting of only a light chain is L. Masat et al., "A simpler sort of antibody", PNAS 91 (1994),, 893-6. A book review of Diagnostics in the Year 2000: Antibody, Biosensor, and Nucleic Acid Technologies is in BMJ 308 (1994), 212.

A conference report on microbial biotechnology in North America is in TIBTECH 11 (1993), 494-5. A review is C.R. Hutchinson, "Drug synthesis by genetically engineered microorganisms", Biotechnology 12 (1994), 375-81. The overexpression of the enzyme disulfide isomerase in yeast results in greater secretion of foreign proteins, Biotechnology 12 (1994), 381-4. A review of metabolic engineering is in TIBTECH 11 (1993), 392-6; see also p. 273-5.

Biopolymers are discussed in a conference review in GEN (1 March 1994), 1, 14. A description of one as a drug delivery system is R. Gref et al., "Biodegradable long-circulating polymeric nanospheres", Science 263 (1994), 1600-5. General comments on the long-term stabilisation of biological materials is in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 253-6. A review of biomaterial development is in Science 263 (1994), 1715-20.

A commentary on the announcement that two research groups have designed synthesis schemes for taxol is in Science 263 (1994), 911. The Yew trees can breathe a sign of relief, however, the chemical production may be more expensive. A paper showing another use of taxol is D.D.L. Woo et al., "Taxol inhibits progression of congenital polycystic kidney disease", Nature 368 (1994), 750-3.

The use of enzymes to make chiral drugs is reviewed in GEN (1 March 1994), 6-7, 33. The design of synthetic enzymes is discussed in Nature 368 (1994), 96; and the design of multi-haem proteins in Nature 368 (1994), 425-32. Chemical methods to derive therapeutic proteins are reviewed in TIBTECH 11 (1993), 397-403. A discussion of the unknown consequences of minor errors in translation of human therapeutic proteins produced by recombinant DNA is TIBTECH 11 (1993), 498-9.

Designer molecules are discussed in Science 263 (1994), 1563-4; Nature 368 (1994), 692-3. The use of peptide nucleic acids is discussed in TIBTECH 11 (1993), 384-6. A review of the use of immobilised enzymes is TIBTECH 11 (1993), 471-8.

A commentary looking at the study of genetically determined variations in drug response is U.A. Meyer, "Pharmacogenetics: The slow, the rapid and the ultrarapid", PNAS 91 (1994),, 1983-4. A conference report on neurotrophic factors in therapy is TIBTECH 11 (1993), 496-8.

The production of human antibodies in mice is reported in N. Lonberg et al., "Antigen-specific human antibodies from mice comprising four distinct genetic modifications", Nature 368 (1994), 856-9; L.L. Green et al., "Antigen-specific human monoclonal antibodies from mice engineered with human Ig heavy and light chain YACs", Nature Genetics 7 (1994), 13-21. See the patent section below. A method for antibody catalysis of cationic cyclization is reported in Science 264 (1994), 1289-93. A review of catalytic antibodies is TIBS 19: 145-50.

A method for engineering cell shape and function by adjusting the shapes of the surfaces that adherent cells can grow on is described in Science 264 (1994), 696-8. An editorial on the chemicals used by plants and animals is in Science 264 (1994), 487.

A review of methods for drug discovery using combinatorial drug discovery is in Science 264 (1994), 1399-401. A book review of Barry Werth, The Billion Dollar Molecule: One Company's Quest for the Perfect Drug, is in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 521. Engineering antibiotics is discussed in New Scientist (30 April 1994), 25-7.

Biomanufacturing is reviewed in GEN (August 1994), 8; Biotechnology 12 (1994), 789-90. A review is A.R. Rees et al., "Antibody design: beyond the natural limits", TIBTECH 12 (1994), 199-206. The use of polymeric IgG in expanding the diversity of antibodies is discussed in R.I.F. Smith & S.L. Morrison, "Recombinant polymeric IGG: An approach to engineering more potent antibodies", Biotechnology 12 (1994), 683-8. The use of monoclonal antibodies in industry is reviewed in GEN (August 1994), 10, 21. On protein engineering, TIBTECH 12 (1994), 145-8, 184-8, 207-11; Nature 370 (1994), 324-5; M. Ibba & H. Hennecke, "Towards engineering proteins by site-directed incorporation in vivo of non-natural amino acids", Biotechnology 12 (1994), 678-82.

The future possibility to utilise solar energy more directly is based on the growing understanding of photosynthesis, Nature 370 (1994), 31-4.

The use of slime mould to produce proteins is described in W. Dittrich et al., "Production and secretion of recombinant proteins in Dictyostelium discoideum", Biotechnology 12 (1994), 614-8. The use of affinity fusion proteases to purify proteins is reported in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 601-5.

The development of a suitable material for tissue engineering is reported in L.E. Freed et al., "Biodegradable polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering", Biotechnology 12 (1994), 689-93. Carbohydrate biotechnology and rational drug design is reviewed in GEN (July 1994), 6-7, 11. Methods to accelerate drug discovery are in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 736. Self-assembly of drugs or microelectronic components is being developed, Science 265 (1994), 316-8.

A paper looking at RNA enzymes is J.R. Lorsh & J.W. Szostak, "In vitro evolution of new ribozymes with polynucleotide kinase activity", Nature 371 (1994), 31-6, 99-100. The similar idea in protein design is W.P.C. Stemmer, "Rapid evolution of a protein in vitro by DNA shuffling", Nature 370 (1994), 389-91. Artificial life research is discussed in Science 265 (1994), 868-9.

A review of trends in bioprocessing enzymes from an industry view is GEN (15 Sept 1994), 10, 12. Cosmetic industry applications of biotechnology are discussed in GEN (15 Sept 1994), 11-2.

On the production of phages displaying antibodies, Biotechnology 12 (1994), 899-903, 999-1002. The design of b-sheet proteins for protein engineering is reviewed in PNAS 91 (1994),, 8729-30. The use of in vitro evolution to develop new drugs is reviewed in Science 265 (1994), 1032-3.

Altered cheese production by genetic engineering of different lactococcal strains is reported in Appl. Env. Micro. 60 (1994), 4226-33. A set of E. coli strains with improved performance for stability of expressed proteins is reported in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 1107-10. On recombinant DNA technology see Annals N.Y.Acad. Sci. 721 (May 1994).

Reviews include: Cohen, J.S. & Hogan, M.E. "The new genetic medicines", Scientific American (Dec 1994), 76-82; Wagner, R.W. "Gene inhibition using antisense oligo-deoxynucleotides", Nature 372 (1995), 333-5. An artificial enzyme has been made in aqueous solution, Jackson, D.Y. et al. "A designed peptide ligase for total synthesis of ribonuclease A with unnatural catalytic residues", Science 266 (1994), 243-7. New polyketides made in vivo are reported in PNAS 91 (1994),, 11542-6.

The use of antibodies and artificial antibodies to stop cancer is discussed in New Scientist (8 Oct 1994), 23. A new journal Immunotechnology is being produced from 1995, from Elsevier. On designer phage particles, Biotechnology 12 (1994), 1134-6.

Synthetic blood is being improved by the development of artificial clumps of hemoglobin the size of red blood cells, New Scientist (17 Dec 1994), 22. Rational drug design is discussed in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 1083-5; looking in the sea in Science 266 (1994), 1324-5; while others use ancient Indian texts, Nature 372 (1995), 124. A review is Gibbs, J.B. & Oliff, A. "Pharmaceutical research in molecular oncology", Cell 79 (1994), 193-8. Biochips are discussed in GEN (15 Nov1994),8.

DNA molecules have been made that will cut RNA, the opposite of ribozymes, which are RNA which can cut RNA or DNA; Science 267 (1995), 170. Catalytic antibodies are discussed in Nature 373 (1995), 196-7. A bisaquo heme enzyme is reported in PNAS 91 (1994), 12847-51. The use of freezing to isolate recombinant proteins from E. coli is reported in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 1357-60.

The efforts to make trehalose, a new sweetener made of two glucose molecules, in many foods are reviewed in Biotechnology 12 (1994), 1328-9. Dendrimer research, possible delivery vehicles for drugs, is advancing but it is still difficult to make these branched chain molecules, that look like snowflakes; Science 267 (1995), 458-9.

The use of a single cell as a biosensor for chemical separations is described in Science 267 (1995), 74-7. Artificial life as a method for drug design is discussed in Biotechnology 13 (1995), 122-3.

The production of recombinant proteins in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells using protein free medium is described in Biotechnology 13 (1995), 389-92.

Calmodulin is used as a tag for antibody fragments in Biotechnology 13 (1995), 373-7. A forum on artificial antibodies is TIBTECH 13 (1995), 7-9. Designer enzymes are being used for new approaches in industry, and an altered cytochrome P-450 enzyme useful for chemical industry is reported in New Scientist (28 Jan, 1995), 20; J. Chem. Society: Chemical Communications (1994), 2761. On protein engineering, TIBTECH 13 (1995), 45-7. A review of protein-based computers, Scientific American (March 1995), 89-95.

A review on the use of RNase P in research and therapy is Biotechnology 13 (1995), 327-9; and on the use of group I introns for mRNA repair, Biotechnology 13 (1995), 323-6. The use of DNA cutting enzymes in therapy is discussed in New Scientist (23 Feb 1995), 19. A technique for exploring molecular evolution to guess at the original ancestral molecules is Nature 374 (1995), 12-3, 57-9.

A review is Ecker, D.J. & Crooke, S.T. "Combinatorial drug discovery: Which methods will produce the greatest value?", Biotechnology 13 (1995), 351-60, 310-1. Also see Nature Medicine 1 (1995), 177-8.

A method to transiently express genes in epidermal cells is reported in Nature Genetics 10 (1995), 161-6. Clinical use of ribozymes is reviewed in Lancet 345 (1995), 1027-31; and the in vitro evolution of a self-alkylating ribozyme is reported in Nature 375 (1995), 777-82, p. 449.

Methods to enhance protein production in expression systems are reviewed in GEN (1 May 1995), 16-7. Intracellular nucleic acid technology is discussed in Biotechnology 13 (1995), 445-7.

The use of enzymes for drug design is shown in a good example by McDaniel, R. et al. "Rational design of aromatic polyketide natural products by recombinant assembly of enzymatic subunits", Nature 375 (1995), 549-54, 533-4. On biocatalysis, GEN (15 April 1995), 10-1. Liposomes are reviewed in Science 267 (1995), 1275-6.

A method to identify left and right-handed forms of drugs (chiral molecules) should allow research on alternative forms of the chemicals, NS (8 April 1995), 16.

A list of world wide web sites and Internet resources to aid with protein modeling is Biotechnology 13 (1995), 658-60. You can also send Email to receive protein models or structure, within 1 hour, free. Production of monoclonal antibodies is made more rapid by the use of a secretion capture web described in Biotechnology 13 (1995), 787-91.

A review of enzymes from organisms which live in extreme environments is Adams, M.W.W. et al. "Extremozymes: Expanding the limits of biocatalysis", Biotechnology 13 (1995), 662-8, 625. On design of polyketides, Nature 376 (1995), 533.

A new protein is reported in Beauregard, M. et al. "Design, expression, and initial characterisation of MB1, a de novo protein enriched in essential amino acids", Biotechnology 13 (1995), 974-81. Methods to make new amino acids and encode them are reported in SA (Sept 1995), 24, 28. Computer programs that can model protein structure rapidly are aiding the analysis of gene sequences, Science 269 (1995), 1821. The use of a Technetium-99m radioisotope binding site as a gene marker is reported in PNAS 92 (1995), 8358-62. A biotin derivative useful for isolation of biological molecules is described in PNAS 92 (1995), 7590-4. On the use of mass spectrometry for engineered protein structure analysis, Molecular Biotechnology 4 (1995), 1-12.

Managers of Yellowstone national park are claiming profits from the microbes isolated there, Science 270 (1995), 226. Some bacteria appear to survive on rocks and water alone, Science 270 (1995), 377.

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have reported the production of a bacteria that produces cellulase, for use in laundry detergents which may be better than the fungi. The expression of fish growth hormone in E. coli is reported in AEM 61 (1995), 4116-9. Genetic engineering of microbes to produce altered solvent compounds is discussed in TIBTECH 13 (1995), 259-64; and on carbohydrate bioengineering, TIBTECH 13 (1995),447-50. Silk threads made in bacteria are reported in Science 270 (1995), 739.

An example of engineering is Gibbs, C.S. et al. "Conversion of thrombin into an anticoagulant by protein engineering", Nature 378 (1995), 413-6. Antibody design is reviewed in TIBTECH 13 (1995), 294-300, 306+; Nature Medicine 1 (1995), 837-8. The mechanism of protein folding is reviewed in Nature 379 (1996), 96-8; and a review on de novo design is Bryson, J.W. et al. "Protein design: A hierarchic approach", Science 270 (1995), 935-41. The genetic transfer of a nonpeptide antagonist binding site to a receptor protein is reported in PNAS 92 (1995), 9240-4; and on genetic algorithms in molecular design, TIBTECH 13 (1995), 516-21. A review of the problems in the developing antisense technology is Science 270 (1995), 575-7; TIBTECH 13 (1995), 197-9.

Biosensors are gradually entering the marketplace, see GEN (15 Nov 1995), 14-34.

The phytochemicals in foods that often protect against cancer are being used in development of understanding of the mechanisms, and future drug development, JAMA 274 (1995), 1328. Drug design based on molecular modeling is reviewed in GEN (1 Oct 1995), 8, 11, including software that can be used. The genetic engineering of bacteria to produce semisynthetic opiad drugs is reviewed in TIBTECH 13 (1995), 200-3. The potential of ribozymes as antiviral agents is discussed in Trends in Microbiology 3 (1995), 213-7; and the controlled expression of ribozymes, TIBTECH 13 (1995),301-6.

A review of cellular engineering is Science 271 (1996), 315-6. Use of spider silk based products is reviewed in GEN (1 Jan 1996), 1, 25. On antisense research, Science 271 (1996), 434.

Reengineered monoclonal antibodies are being used in some cancer studies as targeting tools, JAMA 274 (1995), 1821-2. Studies of the expression of catalytic antibodies are in PNAS 92 (1996), 11907-11; and on an engineered copper center for an enzyme, PNAS 92 (1995), 11955-9.

A reconstructed ancestral chymase enzyme was made which had some angiotensin II-forming activity, which is relevant to studies on enzyme evolution, Science 271 (1996), 502-5.

Improved isolation of human antibodies from a phage library has been reported in Nature Biotechnology 14 (1996), 309-14. A review of making mouse derived recombinant antibodies is Laboratory Animal Science 46 (1996), 8+; and production of a humanised bispecific diabody in E.coli as been achieved, Biotechnology 14 (1996), 192-6. Protein engineering has improved the green fluorescent protein used as a reporter of gene expression, Nature Biotechnology 14 (1996), 315-9.

The use of microbes to produce plastics is summarized in NS (3 Feb 1996), 28-31. A review of research to develop biochips is JAMA 275 (1996), 581-2; and on use of biosensors for bioprocess control, TIBTECH 14 (1996), 21-31.

An inexpensive method to produce human prostrate-specific antigen by recombinant baculovirus for cancer marking is reported in Biotechnology 13 (1995), 1230-4. A review of use of molecular imprinting is Biotechnology 14 (1996), 163-70. China is making more products by fermentation, Biotechnology 14 (1996), 151-4.

The construction of a US$20 million facility to house researchers on thermophilic bacteria in the MITI complex in Tsukuba Science City is reported in Nature 381 (1996), 455. A review is Vielle C. & Zeikus, JG. "Thermozymes: identifying molecular determinants of protein structural and functional stability", TIBTECH 14 (1996), 183-90.

Ribozyme-catalysed amino-acid transfer reactions are reported in Nature 381 (1996), 442-4. A review of Cell-encapsulation technology is TIBTECH 14 (1996), 158-62. A series of papers on protein engineering are in Current Opinion in Biotechnology 6 (1995), 367-472; and on design, Nature 381 (1996), 730-4. A review of interactions between protein antigens and antibodies is PNAS 93 (1996), 7-12.

Random phage display peptide libraries and affinity selective methods were used to isolate small peptides that bind to and activate the receptor for the cytokine erythropoietin, and these may be able to be used as substitutes, Science 273 (1996), 458-63. These agonists are represented by a 14- amino acid disulfide-bonded, cyclic peptide with the minimum consensus sequence YXCXXGPXTWXCXP, where X represents positions allowing occupation by several amino acids. A discussion of use of biotechnology to make pharmaceuticals is Science 273 (1996), 719; Biotechnology 14 (1996), 25.

Improvement of antibody catalysis is reported in Nature 382 (1996), 23-4, 60-3. A plastic antibody has been made, Science 273 (1996), 315. A review of clonal selection and antibodies in the body is Nature 382 (1996), 751-8. Designing better polymers for separation and biocatalysis is reviewed in Science 273 (1996), 205-11. Biocomputers are reviewed in NS (13 July 1996), 26-31.

A new method to produce the anti-cancer drug taxol has been developed, which gives 6 times more product than the previous best in plant cell culture; Yukimune, Y. et al. "Methyl jasmonate-induced overproduction of paclitaxel and baccatin III in Taxus cell suspension cultures", Nature Biotechnology 14 (1996), 1129-32; 1055, 1083-4. The other source is to cut down and strip many trees to harvest the drug, 13,500 kg of Taxus brevifolia bark yields about 1 kg of paclitaxel. The new method is better than current alternative production methods--total chemical synthesis of paclitaxel (which requires upward of 30 steps), or biosynthesis by a yew tree fungus, Taxomyces andreanae. They exposed cell suspension cultures to the cell signal transducer methyl jasmonate, to obtain 300 mg/L in 2 weeks). They have used up to 200 liters, but need to move up to 100,000 liter production requirement for industry.

Several papers on the methods that can be used to grow cultures of human skin are in Biotechnology & Bioengineering 52 (1996), 3-14; 15-23. A number of companies are looking at apoptosis for development of drugs, GEN (1 Oct 1996), 1, 29, 34. The surface tension of new drugs may be a predictor of taste, NS (19 Oct. 1996), 23. On the use of bacterial toxins, PNAS 93 (1996), 8155-6.

Examples of protein engineering include: Reiter, Y. et al. "Engineering antibody Fv fragments for cancer detection and therapy: Disulfide-stabilized Fv fragments", Nature Biotechnology 14 (1996), 1239-45; Szkudlinski MW et al. "Engineering human glycoprotein hormone superactive analogues", Nature Biotechnology 14 (1996), 1257-63. A private database on 5000+ human proteins at the Genetics Institute in Boston has been opened to encourage biotechnology, NS (28 Sept. 1996), 11. The use of biofilms is reviewed in Science 273 (1996), 1795-7.

The use of banana waste as a substrate for alpha-amylase by Bacillus subtilis is reported in Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnology 46 (1996), 106-11. Production of a 5 carbon amino acid 5-aminolevulinate is described from bacteria, AEM 62 (1996), 3560-6.
A series of papers from a US National Academy of Sciences Colloquium on Genetic Engineering of Viruses and of Virus Vectors is PNAS 93 (1996), 11287-11425. On metabolic engineering, Nature Biotechnology 14 (1996), 1654. A review of a book on monoclonal antibodies is Nature 383 (1996), 777.

Reddy, CC. et al. "Engineering epidermal growth factor for enhanced mitogenic potency", Nature Biotechnology 14 (1996), 1696-9, 1652. A recombinant epidermal growth factor (EGF) mutant with reduced receptor binding affinity is a more potent mitogenic stimulus for fibroblasts than natural EGF or transforming growth factor alpha because of its altered trafficking properties.
In general on drug discovery and design is a conference review of BioEast 1997, GEN (1 Feb 1997), 1, 8, 32. The cloning of the human nucleoside transporter gene is predicted to improve the chances of better design of drugs, NatMed 3 (1997), 25-6. Adenosine may be able to be blocked with antisense DNA in treating asthma, Nature 385 (1997), 684-5; NatBio 15 (1997), 209. The use of DNA sequences to mimic logic gates in supercomputers may improve computing speed, NS (8 Feb. 1997), 14.

Taxol production using free or immobilized cells of Taxus cuspidata is described in Biotechnology & Bioengineering 53 (1997), 214-9. A review of a fungal system is Gouka, RJ et al. "Efficient production of secreted proteins by Aspergillus: progress, limitations and prospects", Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 47 (1997), 1-11. A review is Georgiou, G. et al. "Display of heterologous proteins on the surface of microorganisms: From the screening of combinatorial libraries to live recombinant vaccines", NatBio 15 (1997), 29-34.

On rational engineering of activity and specificity in a serine protease, NatBio 15 (1997), 146-49; Magliani, W. et al. "Therapeutic potential of antiidiotypic single chain antibodies with yeast killer toxin activity", NatBio 15 (1997), 155-9. On the design and production of tetravalent bispecific antibodies, NatBio 15 (1997), 159-63. On protein sequence evolution, Nature 385 (1997), 579, 581.

The use of an antisense drug, ISIS 2302, to block expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) the problem in Crohn's disease has been reported from a phase II trial, GEN (1 March 1997), 1, 34. A book review of Antisense Therapeutics, ed. S. Agrawal, Humana Press, 1996, 304pp., is TIBTECH 15 (1997), 320-1.

A description of RAPiD (Rational Approach to Protease Inhibitor Design) by Peptide Therapeutics (Cambridge, UK) is in GEN (1 March 1997), 15, 35. On the use of genomics to discover new drugs, and combinatorial chemistry Nature Biotechnology 15 (1997), 297+, 311, 315, 328-9, 391; SA (April 1997), 68-73. A review is Haseltine, WA. "Discovering genes for new medicines", SA (March 1997), 92-7.

A review of extremophiles, SA (April 1997), 82-7. On antibody technology, TIBTECH 14 (1996), 359-60; 15 (1997), 41-2. Oral delivery of drugs may be enhanced by the results of Mathiowitz, E. et al. "Biologically erodable microspheres as potential oral drug delivery systems", Nature 386 (1997), 410-4. A review of lipid-coated enzymes as catalysts in organic media is TIBTECH 15 (1997), 50-5. DNA can be ordered on a lipid membrane, Science 275 (1997), 791-2.

The use of an antisense drug, ISIS 2302, to block expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) the problem in Crohn's disease has been reported from a phase II trial, GEN (1 March 1997), 1, 34. A book review of Antisense Therapeutics, ed. S. Agrawal, Humana Press, 1996, 304pp., is TIBTECH 15 (1997), 320-1.

A description of RAPiD (Rational Approach to Protease Inhibitor Design) by Peptide Therapeutics (Cambridge, UK) is in GEN (1 March 1997), 15, 35. On the use of genomics to discover new drugs, and combinatorial chemistry Nature Biotechnology 15 (1997), 297+, 311, 315, 328-9, 391; SA (April 1997), 68-73. A review is Haseltine, WA. "Discovering genes for new medicines", SA (March 1997), 92-7.

A review of extremophiles, SA (April 1997), 82-7. On antibody technology, TIBTECH 14 (1996), 359-60; 15 (1997), 41-2. Oral delivery of drugs may be enhanced by the results of Mathiowitz, E. et al. "Biologically erodable microspheres as potential oral drug delivery systems", Nature 386 (1997), 410-4. A review of lipid-coated enzymes as catalysts in organic media is TIBTECH 15 (1997), 50-5. DNA can be ordered on a lipid membrane, Science 275 (1997), 791-2.

The use of human cells can be good production systems for pharmaceutical proteins, and a company Transkaryotic Therapies claims it has found a method to make economic levels of expression and cell growth, NS (3 May 1997), 22. A series of papers on regeneration are in Science 276 (1997), 15-87. On blood substitute research, GEN (15 June 1997), 1, 10, 38.

Genes that affect alcoholics are being used to develop drugs that may better control alcoholism, NS (7 June 1997), 18. The development of anti-cancer drugs better than taxol is reviewed in Nature 387 (1997), 238-9.

Two new books on biosensors are Scheller, FW. et al., ed. Frontiers in Biosensorics I. Fundamental Aspects; and Frontiers in Biosensorics II. Practical Applications (Basel: Birkhauser Verlag, 1997). A paper on how to mimic moths ability to follow a train of single molecules is Nature 387 (1997), 555-6. Laboratory studies on evolution of ribozymes is Wright, MC. & Joyce, GF. "Continuous in vitro evolution of catalytic function", Science 276 (1997), 546-7, 614-8. They could maintain laboratory "cultures" of catalytic molecules. A structural study looking at evolution of an antibody combining site is Science 276 (1997), 1665+. A report from a meeting on the origin of life is Nature 387 (1997), 662-3.

The increasing use of extremophiles in industry is reviewed in Science 276 (1997), 705-6. A review is Diez, B. et al. "Recombinant microorganisms for industrial production of antibiotics", Biotechnology & Bioengineering 55 (1997), 216-26. A review of metallocene catalysts used to make plastics is SA (May 1997), 86-91.

Antibody engineering is reported in NatBio 15 (1997), 629-31, 632-6, 637-40; NS (12 July 1997), 8. A conference review of Antisense '97 is NatBio 15 (1997), 519; also, Delihas, N. et al. "Natural antisense RNA/target RNA interactions: Possible models for antisense oligonucleotide drug design", NatBio 15 (1997), 751-3, also, p. 718. A method for selecting effective antisense reagents on combinatorial oligonucleotide arrays is reported in NatBio 15 (1997), 537-41.

On ribozymes, NatBio 15 (1997), 414, 432-5. On how to translate genomics information into therapeutics and oligonucleotides, NatBio 15 (1997), 483-5. Enzyme engineering of polyketide synthase is reported in Science 277 (1997), 367-9. Also on protein engineering, PNAS 94 (1997), 2796-7; Science 277 (1997), 202-8; Nature 388 (1997), 419-20.

A review of the use of anchored animal cells for production is Enzyme & Microbial Technology 21 (1997), 2-8.
The results of studying bacteria found in the earth in reservoirs in oil fields suggests bacteria life under the earth also, NS (20 Sept. 1997), 6. A plan to grow drugs from lichens is being developed by TerraGen, a Canadian company, NS (4 Oct. 1997), 8.

Biodegradable block copolymers can be used as injectable drug-delivery systems, Nature 388 (1997), 860-2. Selection of artificial enzymes is described in Nature 389 (1997), 329-30; and a synthetic peptide ligase has been made, Nature 388 (1997), 706-9. On immunotherapy, Nature 389 (1997), 626-7. On applications of the green fluorescent protein in cell biology and biotechnology, Nature Biotechnology 15 (1997), 961.
A comparison of immune and natural selection of antibodies is made in Science 278 (1997), 2085-92. On catalytic antibodies, NatBio 15 (1997), 1313; and protein engineering, Betton, JM. et al. "Creating a bifunctional protein by insertion of beta-lactamase into the maltodextrin-binding protein", NatBio 15 (1997), 1276-9; Wrighton, NC. et al. "Increased potency of an erythropoietin peptide mimetic through covalent dimerization", NatBio 15 (1997), 1261-5. Also pp. 1266-70, 1271-5. Design of cathepsin K inhibitors is reported in PNAS 94 (1997), 14249-54. Fully automated sequence selection can also be used, Science 278 (1997), 80-1, 82-7.

A review is Lavrovsky, Y. et al. "Therapeutic potential and mechanism of action of oligonucleotides and ribozymes", Biochemical and Molecular Medicine 62 (1997), 11-22. A study showing peptide bond formation in vitro by selected ribozymes is Nature 390 (1997), 96-100. More on antisense design, NatBio 16 (1998), 59-63, 64-8. In general on folding catalysts to make them multi-purpose enzymes, Biotechnology & Bioengineering 56 (1997), 645-9.

Baculovirus particles can be used to produce substances, NatBio 15 (1997), 1300-4. On genetic control on a genome level, Science 278 (1997), 680-6; and on gene families, Science 278 (1997), 609-14. Self-replicating silicon biodode cells have been made, Science 278 (1997), 936.

About 80 monoclonal antibodies for therapy are reported to be in development worldwide, GEN 18 (1 Feb. 1998), 18, 25. On catalytic antibodies, GEN 18 (15 Jan 1998), 1, 17. The company Geron has been able to extend the lifespan of human cells with telomerase, GEN 18 (1 Feb. 1998), 1, 8, 29. The report skin fibroblasts with 120 doublings and still dividing.

A report on the use of extremophiles in industry is GEN 18 (1 Feb. 1998), 16, 31. A review of the production of flavours and fragrances is Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 49 (1998), 1-8. Zhao, H. et al. "Molecular evolution by staggered extension process (StEP) in vitro recombination", NatBio 16 (1998), 258-61. On the use of peptide-guided drugs against cancer, Science 279 (1998), 323-4 (see also Recombinant products section).

On rational drug design, GEN 18 (1 April, 1998), 1, 9, 35. Learning from design in nature and trees, and biomimetics is discussed in Nature 392 (1998), 242. The presence of bacteria and other life in clouds is discussed in Economist (28 March, 1998), 80-1.

On production of protein production in E.coli, TIBTECH 15 (1997), 54-60. A meeting report on life at extremes is TIBTECH 15 (1997), 104-6; NatBio 16 (1998), 312; and the production of enzymes engineered to stand boiling point, PNAS 95 (1998), 2035-6. Fluorescent protein biosensors are reviewed in TIBTECH 15 (1997), 135-40; also pp. 141-2. A designer antibody has been made that specifically suppresses just one part of the immune system, turning off T-cells that cause organ rejection, BMJ 316 (1998), 726. Engineered blood vessels from the patient's own tissues are being made, Science News 153 (17 Jan 1998), 38.

The first antisense drug to complete phase II trials in the USA is formivirisen of Isis Pharmaceuticals and Vision Corp. to treat cytomegalovirus retitinitis in AIDS patients, GenEng News 18 (1 May 1998), 1, 8, 38. Multigene metabolic engineering enhances the productivity of Chinese hamster ovary cells, NatBio 16 (1998), 468-72; and on metabolic engineering in general, Biotechnology & Bioengineering 59 (1998), 239-47. KNR4-disrupted strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be used for enhanced extraction efficiency, Biotechnology Letters 20 (May 1998), 511-4.

On making hybrid enzymes, TIBTECH 16 (1998), 258-64. Protein engineering can be used to make generic biosensors, TIBTECH 16 (1998), 183-9. On uses of liposomes, TIBTECH 16 (1998), 307-21. On evolving catalytic antibodies NatBio 16 (1998), 463-7. Heat loving enzymes are useful for industry, Science News 153 (9 May 1998), 296-8; and on extremophiles NatBio 16 (1998), 593. Methods to predict functions from protein sequences are reviewed in NatGen 18 81998), 313-8. The NIH is increasing support for bioengineering, Science 280 (1998), 1516-8. The use of caspases, protein cutting enzymes, for disease therapy is discussed in Science 280 (1998), 32-4.

Ribozymes can be used to repair genetically defective mRNAs, TIG 14 (1998), 295-8. Also on RNA synthesis, Science 281 (1998), 658-9. Heat shock proteins may be useful for keeping proteins in a native form without clumping that can occur after production from cells, making the proteins unusable, NS (18 July 1998), 23.

A review of use of DNA in computers is SA (August 1998), 54-61. Artificial sensors can taste individual components in complex mixtures and may be better one day then the human tongue, NS (18 July 1998), 10.

The use of sensors in food and feed production is discussed in BIOforum International 2 (Oct. 1998), 121-24. On biosensor research in Europe, NatBio16 (1998), 824. Noninvasive glucose monitors for diabetics are being tested, SA (October 1998), 38-9. Secretion of an active recombinant dog gastric lipase from baculovirus-infected insect cells is in Biotechnology Letters 20 81998), 697-702. On biochips NatBio16 (1998), 981.

A method for homologous recombination in E.coli is reported in Natgen 20 (1998), 123-7. Three dimensional methods to study gene action during embryo development using "smart" contrast agents have been reported, NS (12 Sept. 1998), 7. Methods to harness the biosynthetic code are reviewed in Science 282 (1998), 63-8. On the origin of life and ribozymes, Nature 395 (1998), 223-5. A discussion of the role of calcium in the cell is Nature 395 (1998), 645-8.

A symposium report on bioprocessing is GEN (Jan 1999), 1, 11, 14. The use of ToxAlert systems for toxicity testing of environmental samples with luminescent bacteria are reviewed in G.I.T. Laboratory Journal (April 1998), 254-5. A nonmechanical device based on the B-Z transition of DNA has been made, Nature 397 (1999), 144-6.

Rational drug design is discussed in GEN (1 Nov. 1998), 1, 8, 23, 40. A new target for drug design is G-quadruplex DNA, NatMed 4 (1998), 1366-7. It is now possible to focus on single DNA molecules, PNAS 95 (1998), 13999-4000; and to alter the biochemical state of individual cells and organelles with ultramicroelectrodes, PNAS 95 (1998), 10356-60. A single myosin head moves along an actin filament in regular steps of 5.3 nanometres, Nature 397 (1999), 129-34. Evolution of genes can be conducted in labs, NS (21 Nov. 1998), 4. On design of robots that develop their behaviour, SA (Jan. 1999), 39-40; NS (5 Dec. 1998), 26-30.

Protein design is reviewed in Science 282 (1998), 1462-7. A paper on the folding and aggregation of designed proteins is PNAS 95 (1998), 12930-3; and on protein folding, PNAS 95 (1998), 11037-8. Lessons from nature on combinatorial biosynthesis are reviewed in PNAS 95 (1998), 12744-6. Evolutionary molecular engineering by random elongation mutagenesis is reported in NatBio 17 (1999), 58-61. The partitioning of proteins can be altered by design, Biotechnology & Bioengineering 62 (1999), 135-44. On inorganic ordering of patterns, NS (28 Nov. 1998), 52-3. Hybrid DNA-protein molecules can catalyze chemical reactions, Science 282 (1998), 1020-1.

The use of DNA chips to improve drug discovery is reviewed in GEN (15 March 1999), 1, 16. Biochips can be used to screen for pesticides that cause less harm to beneficial insects for farmers, NS (13 March 1999), 17.

Ciliates can be used for foreign gene expression, NatBio 17 (1999), 424 - 425, 462-5. Directed evolution of a fungal peroxidase is reported in NatBio 17 (1999), 379 - 384, 333. Trypsin can be converted into a selenium-containing enzyme using chemical mutation, Biotechnology Letters 20 (1998), 693-6. On catalytic DNA: in training and seeking employment, NatBio 17 (1999), 422 - 423, 480. Bacterial ribosomes can be engineered, and a case where all 7 E.coli rRNA operons are replaced by a single-plasmid-encoded operon is reported, PNAS 96 (1999), 1820-2, 1971-6. A series of papers on metabolic engineering are in Biotechnology & Bioengineering 58 (1998), 119-249; Science 285 (1999), 1625-6. A comparison of metabolism in Aspergillus strains in wild type and recombinant is demonstrated in AEM 65 (1999), 11-9.

New strategies are being tested to accelerate drugs by extending molecular diversity, GEN 19 (1 June 1999), 1, 30, 43. On combinatorial protein engineering by incremental truncation, PNAS 96 (1999), 3562-7. Improving antibody affinity by mimicking somatic hypermutation in vitro is reported in NatBio 17 (1999), 538-9, 568-72. Conversion of Lactococcus lactis from homolactic to homoalanine fermentation through metabolic engineering is reported in NatBio 17 (1999), 539-40, 588-92.

Lessons from metabolic engineering for drug discovery are reviewed in NatBio 17 (1999), 616-8. On the development of antibody therapies, GEN 19 (August 1999), 1, 13, 60. Antisense drugs are discussed in GEN 19 (15 June 1999), 9, 40.

Directed protein evolution is reported in NatBio 17 (1999), 696-701.On proteomics, SA (July 1999), 35-6. Results of the American Society for Microbiology meeting are discussed in Science 284 (1999), 1916-7. Searching for mutants is reviewed in Science 285 (1999), 539-41.

Rational drug design is discussed in GEN (15 Nov. 1999), 1, 30, 47. Sustained oscillations in living cells are reported in Nature 402 (1999), 320-2.

Enzymes may be useful to treat Alzheimers, Science 286 (1999), 650-1. On catabolic antibodies, GEN (15 Nov. 1999),15, 29, 47. An enzymatic globin has been found in a marine worm, Nature 401 (1999), 445. Industrial biosensors are reviewed in GEN (1 Nov. 1999), 1, 17, 28; PNAS 96 (1999), 12219-21. Polymerizable Fab' antibody fragments for targeting of anticancer drugs are reported in Nature Biotechnology 17 (1999),1101–4.

A review of the RNA world that may have existed before DNA is TIG 9 (1999), M9-13. The evolutionary challenges of extreme environments are reviewed in J. Exp. Zoology (Mol. Dev. Ecol.) 285 (19999), 326-59. A general comment on the development of sensors is BMJ 319 (1999), 1288.

The addition of enzyme to animal feed may help digestion of some substances, and one example is phytase, Biotech. Letters 21 (1999), 925-7. The potential for bioenergy schemes is discussed in Bioresource Technology 71 (2000), 225-34.

Design of recombinant antibodies is discussed in GEN 20 (15 Feb. 2000), 1, 28-9, 49. Gelatins can be artificially produced in Bacillus brevis, AEM 66 (2000), 304-9. Biosynthesis of vanillin is reported in AEM 66 (2000), 684-7. DNA computing is discussed in Nature 403 (2000), 143-4.

Therapeutic antibodies are reviewed in Lancet 355 (2000), 735-40; NatMed. 6 (2000), 373-4. A review of antibody production methods is in GEN 20 (1 April 2000), 1, 24, 54. Induction of human cytotoxic T lymphocytes by artificial antigen-presenting cells is reported in NatBio 18 (2000), 405-9. A review on the role of the sugar code in biological information transfer is Naturwissenschaften 87 (2000), 108-121. The stability of non-viral plasmid-based therapeutics is reviewed in J. Pharmaceutical Sciences 89 (2000), 289-96. On drug discovery, TIBTECH 18 (2000), 31-4.

Polymer science is making better materials for transplants and medicine, JAMA 283 (2000), 1943-7. A report on artificial blood development in Japan is in Pharma Japan 1688 (13 March 2000), 18-9. See a review in Winslow, RM. "New transfusion strategies: Red cell substitutes", Annual Review of Medicine 50 (1999), 337-53. A review of microbial biotechnology is TIBTECH 18 (2000), 26-31. Biosynthesis of lysine from bacteria growing on fish silage is reported in Bioresource Technology 73 (2000), 221-5. The use of old chicken feathers to make plastic for cars is discussed in SA (April 2000), 26. Robots and imitation of life is reviewed in Science 288 (2000), 80-3. The possibility that signs of ancient life on Mars are buried is discussed in NS (March 2000), 11. Simultaneous cultivation and disruption using glass beads of E. coli can release recombinant enzymes from culture, Biotech. Techniques 13 (2000), 571-5. The use of bovine hemoglobin in a human patient is reported in NEJM 342 (2000), 1638-43; 1666-8.

The sensitivity of biosensors is discussed in Science 290 (2000), 1315-6. China is encouraging biochip research, NatBio 19 (2001),12-3.

A DNA shuffling method for generating highly recombined genes and new enzymes is reported in NatBio 19 (2001), 354-9. Enzyme engineering is discussed in TIBTECH 19 (2001), 13+. A consortium of three companies has announced that they will try to identify all human proteins, New York Times (5 April 2001). On the future of nanodoctors, doing microsurgery, Lancet 357 (2001), 778. On synthetic spider silk, TIBTECH 18 (2000), 374+. Bioencapsulation with synthetic polymers is reviewed in TIBTECH 18 (2000), 469+.

A review of the development of nanotechnology is SA (Jan. 2003), 34-41. Possibilities of speeding up computers from thermophilic bacteria is discussed in NS (7 Dec., 2002), 22.A discussion of Craig Venter's project to create a new life form in the laboratory is in Science 298 (2002), 1701. A review of new products made from bacterial cellulose is BIOforum International (May 2002), 146-8. A discussion of synthetic biology is Nature 421 (2003), 118.

Synthetic DNA is described in Science 300 (2003), 242. Synthetic silk is discussed in NatBio 20 (2002), 239-40. Repair for diseases involving chaperones is discussed in Lancet 361 (2003), 1194-5. Nanoengineers may include some DNA to stop molecules sticking, NS (12 April 2003), 19. Tools to make nanorobots are discussed in NS (15 March 2003), 50-1. Designing antibodies is discussed in Scrip Magazine (April 2003), 26-7; NatBio 20 (2002), 1189-90. Computer design of proteins with new functions is developing, Nature 423 (2003), 185-90. Cell based therapy is developing, NatBio 20 (2002), 339-43. Diagnostic molecules are discussed in Science 300 (2003), 236-9. Improvements in biomanufacturing are discussed in NatBio 20 (2002), 777-9.

On biotechnology of biofilms, NatBio 21 (2003), 361-5. A synthetic matrix for bone regrowth has been developed, NatBio 21 (2003), 506-7. Chaperonin-mediated stabilization of semiconductor nanoparticles is discussed in Nature 423 (2003), 628-32.

Organelles have been discovered in bacteria, Nature 423 (2003), 909. Stress can induce mutagenesis in bacteria, Science 300 (2003), 1404-9. Genes and speciation are discussed in Nature 423 (2003), 699-700. On the minimum set of genes for life, NS (31 May 2003), 28-31.

Research on using introns for editing genes is discussed in Science 300 (2003), 1646-8. Yeast has been engineered to produce sugared human proteins, Science 301 (2003), 1171, 1244-6. Engineering of protein C is described in PNAS 100 (2003), 4423-8. Research to extend the upper temperature limit for life is discussed in Science 301 (2003), 934.

Making microbes by design is reviewed in Science 303 (2004), 158-61. Communication between bacteria is discussed in SA (Feb. 2004), 22-3. Xylose fermentation by GM yeast is reported in Bioresource Technology 92 (2004), 163-71. A review of industrial enzymes is GEN 24 (15 March 2004), 1, 15-6, 59.

A DNA robot only 10nm high with DNA legs has walked, NS (8 May 2004), 22-3. On structure-based drug design, GEN (1 April 2004), 26, 55.
Use of GM microbes in industrial biotechnology is reviewed in Economist (1 May 2004), 81-2.

Nanotechnology and DNA is reviewed in SA (June 2004), 34-43. A nano-scale lab has been made, Nature Reviews Genetics 5 (2004), 328. Also on nanotechnology, Science 302 (2003), 1310; 304 (2004), 1457-8. In two weeks Craig Venter made a new viral genome, showing how easy it was to make such molecules, Science 302 (2003), 1307. The question of whether nanobacteria are alive or just crystals is discussed in NS (22 May 2004), 6-7. Proteomics is discussed in Science 302 (2003), 1316-8. On evolution of proteins in a laboratory, PNAS 101 (2004), 2997-8. Making proteins without DNA is reviewed in SA (April 2004), 20-1. On drug design, NatBio 22 (2004), 513-9. Antibodies have been made which can bind to targets inside cells, NS (17 April 2004), 16.

Engineering of fungal compounds for biosynthesis is discussed in NatBio 22 (2004), 848-55. Nanotechnology drug delivery devices are discussed in Economist (5 June 2004), 71. Also on nanotechnology, Biotechnology News (4 June 2004), 4-7. Aptamers are reviewed in NatBio 22 (2004), 649-51.