Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths and is characterized by dismal prognosis. Xenograft and genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models have recapitulated critical elements of human pancreatic cancer, providing useful tools to probe the underlying cause of cancer etiology. In this review, we provide a brief description of the common genetic lesions that occur during the...

The technologyneeded to geneticallyengineer antibodiesis evolving rapidly and the potential utility of these novel re-agents is being explored with vigor. The process includes cloningof the antibodygenes, their in vitromanipulationand mutagenesis, expression in a suitable host/vectorsystem, and, for commercial production,scale-up, purification,and productevaluation.At each step, significantadva...

Bioremediation refers to the use of organisms to remove environmental pollutants. Besides identifying different new plasmids capable of degrading environmental pollutants, many attempts have been taken by the genetic engineers to enhance the bioremediation potential of different microorganisms. Escherichia coli was engineered to convert chlorinated solvents such as trichloro ethylene and the hi...

Biological hydrogen production is one of the most challenging areas of technology development for sustainable gaseous energy generation. The future of biological hydrogen production depends not only on research advances, i.e. improvement in efficiency through genetically engineered microorganisms and/or the development of bioreactors, but also on economic considerations, as compared to fossil f...

The colonization of Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith larvae and rice seedlings by genetically modified endophytic bacterium Methylobacterium mesophilicum, and also the possible transfer of this bacterium to inside the larva's body during seedlings consumption were studied. The data obtained by bacterial reisolation and fluorescence microscopy showed that the bacterium colonized the rice seedlin...

These lactic acid bacteria and probiotic microorganisms in fermented foods have been used for many years for health reasons and are now an attractive alternative for treating of intestinal disorders and seem to influence the immune system via stimulating protective immune cells. Through genetic engineering, it is possible to strengthen the effect of existing probiotic [8] strains and create com...

Many methods for detecting model genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) in experimental ecosystems rely on cultivation of introduced cells. In this study, survival of Escherichia coli was monitored with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. This approach allowed enumeration of GEMs by both plating and microscopy. Use of the GFP-marked GEMs revealed that E. coli persisted in stream wat...

Value-added intermediates produced by microorganisms during the catabolism of N-heterocycles are potential building blocks for agrochemical synthesis and pharmaceutical production. 6-Hydroxy-3-succinoyl-pyridine (HSP), an intermediate in nicotine degradation, is an important precursor for the synthesis of drugs and compounds with biological activities. In the present study, we show that an engi...