Abstract: The present invention provides novel human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) peptide mimics that mimic the biological activity of the native GLP-1 peptide and thus are useful for the treatment or prevention of diseases or disorders associated with GLP activity. Further, the present invention provides novel, chemically modified peptides that not only stimulate insulin secretion in type II diabetics, but also produce other beneficial insulinotropic responses. These synthetic peptide GLP-1 mimics exhibit increased stability to proteolytic cleavage making them ideal therapeutic candidates for oral or parenteral administration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to several types of antimicrobial peptides including reverse antimicrobial peptides, antimicrobial oligopeptides and other antimicrobial compositions, such as cecropin P1. The present invention also relates to the use of these antimicrobial peptides to provide organisms, and, in particular, plants, with protection from microbial pathogens. Finally, the present invention relates to a screening method which may be useful for determining the phytotoxity of an antimicrobial peptide.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are polypeptides of the formulaR.sup.1 --AA--A.sup.1 --A.sup.2 --A.sup.3 --A.sup.4 --A.sup.5 --A.sup.6 --A.sup.7 --A.sup.8 --A.sup.9 --A.sup.10 --A.sup.11 --A.sup.12 --A.sup.13 --R.sup.2 that are useful in treatment of diabetes mellitus, wherein:AA is a single bond or a polypeptide chain of 1 to 12 natural amino acid residues;A.sup.1 is seryl, A.sup.2 is phenylalanyl, A.sup.3 is arginyl, A.sup.4 is valyl, A.sup.5 is aspartyl, A.sup.6 is leucyl, A.sup.7 is arginyl, A.sup.8 is threonyl, A.sup.9 is leucyl, A.sup.10 is leucyl, A.sup.11 is arginyl, and A.sup.12 is tyrosyl, wherein one of A.sup.1 through A.sup.12 may be replaced with a natural amino acid residue, and wherein when A.sup.12 is phenylalanyl, tyrosyl or tryptophyl, its aromatic ring may be substituted with 1 or 2 iodo atoms;A.sup.13 is a natural amino acid residue other than tyrosyl, the D-form of a natural amino acid residue, --N(R.sup.4)--CH(R.sup.3)--C(O)--, or --N(R.sup.4)--CH(R.sup.3)--CH.sub.2 --;R.sup.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a number of peptides which have antimicrobial activity and which are useful in retarding plant pathogens. In addition, compounds in accordance with the present invention may have improved resistance to degradation by plant proteases, and/or sufficiently low phytotoxicity to render them likely candidates for use in conjunction with plants. The present invention also relates to oligonucleotides which are capable of expressing the aforementioned peptides. Also provided hereby is a process of retarding the growth of plant pathogens using the compounds of the present invention as well as a screening method and screening reagent useful in determining the proteolytic degradation resistance of a known compound.