Abstract: Methods for enhancing the production of interferons in animal cell culture are described. These methods rely on the manipulation of the cellular levels of certain inducers of interferon production, in particular cellular levels of double-stranded-RNA-dependent kinase (dsRNA-PKR, or PKR). In cell cultures that overproduce PKR, interferon synthesis is induced to high levels, and significant amounts of interferon can be recovered without conventional induction of interferon by virus.

Abstract: An efficient micropropagation system for fruit-bearing trees has been developed for rapid clonal multiplication of large numbers of shoots within a short time. The micropropagation system provides for transformation and vegetative propagation of fruit-bearing tree shoots to produce uniform populations of transgenic fruit-bearing trees.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a synthetic hybrid promoter composed of polynucleotide segments derived from the E8 and E4 gene promoters. The hybrid promoter is capable of providing high-level expression of heterologous genes, particularly in transformed fruit. DNA constructs containing the E8-E4 hybrid promoter operably linked to an exemplary heterologous SAMase gene are effective in conferring a delayed ripening phenotype to transformed fruit.

Abstract: A method of treating or preventing post-operative ileus in a mammalian subject is disclosed. The method involves administering to the subject, a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound that is effective in (i) preventing mast cell degranulation, (ii) inhibiting tryptase and chymase, and (iii) antagonizing PAR-2. The treatment is based on the discoveries that proteinase-activated receptor 2 is expressed in colonic muscle cells, and that activation of PAR-2 inhibits colonic motility. The PAR-2 receptor is activated, at least in part, by tryptase and chymase, produced by infiltration and degranulation of mast cells.