Abstract: A potent and specific inhibitor of thrombin is purified from salivary gland extracts of the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans morsitans. The inhibitor has a molecular weight of 3530 Daltons as determined by laser desorption mass spectroscopy. The inhibitor is useful as an anticoagulant and an inhibitor of platelet aggregation and in pharmaceutical and immunogenic compositions.

Abstract: Nicotine dependency is treated by administration of an opioid antagonist. In some embodiments, rapid or ultra rapid detoxification techniques include using a combination of an effective amount of an opioid antagonist such as nalmefene, naloxone or naltrexone or a mixture of any one of these, and either clonidine or related compounds either while awake, or while under sedation or anesthesia, followed by continued administration of an effective amount of an opioid antagonist with or without agents that enhance nicotine dependency treatment.

Abstract: A gene encoding Saccharomyces cerevisiae sterol .DELTA.14 reductase of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway is isolated and cloned by selecting strains carrying sequences on a 2.mu. based vector for resistance to a morpholine fungicide such as fenpropimorph. Four distinct plasmid inserts which produce morpholine resistance are obtained, and one of these is characterized and sequenced. The purified and isolated DNA sequence encoding sterol .DELTA.14 reductase encodes a polypeptide exhibiting homology to the S. cerevisiae sterol C-24(28) reductase enzyme in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway.

Abstract: A gene encoding Saccharomyces cerevisiae sterol .DELTA.14 reductase of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway is isolated and cloned by selecting strains carrying sequences on a 2.mu. based vector for resistance to a morpholine fungicide such as fenpropimorph. Four distinct plasmid inserts which produce morpholine resistance are obtained, and one of these is characterized and sequenced. The purified and isolated DNA sequence encoding sterol .DELTA.14 reductase encodes a polypeptide exhibiting homology to the S. cerevisiae sterol C-24(28) reductase enzyme in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway.

Abstract: A method for the identification of agents which inhibit spindle pole body formation or function, thus exhibiting selective fungicidal activity, involves the incubation of test samples in cultures of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain that produces excess numbers of spindle pole bodies. Cultures containing samples that inhibit spindle pole bodies exhibit enhanced growth because the growing yeast is rescued from the adverse effects of excess spindle bodies. In the preferred practice of the invention, the test sample is added to a S. cerevisiae culture or culture area containing a strain that has a conditional mutation producing excess spindle pole bodies, such as diploid esp1-1 strains. The culture or culture area is preincubated under permissive conditions wherein the strain can grow to some extent, and then conditions are shifted to restrictive conditions so that the mutant strain either cannot grow or grows poorly.