Abstract: A novel operon and plasmids comprising genes which code for the alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase activities of Zymomonas mobilis are described. Also disclosed are methods for increasing the growth of microorganisms or eukaryotic cells and methods for reducing the accumulation of undesirable metabolic products in the growth medium of microorganisms or cells.

Abstract: A novel strain of Pseudomonas capable of utilizing 4-chlorobiphenyl as sole carbon and energy source is disclosed. The bacterium identified as Pseudomonas MB86 is shown to degrade 4-chlorobiphenyl to 4'-chloroacetophenone and other metabolites.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel ganglioside ceramidase which has a substrate specificity at least for GD1a, GM1, GM2 and GM3 and acts at least on GD1a, GM1, GM2 and GM3 and catalyzes the reaction of hydrolysis of ganglioside to lysoganglioside and fatty acid.This invention further provides a process for producing the novel ganglioside ceramidase which comprises cultivating ganglioside ceramidase producing strain belonging to the genus Nocardia in a culture medium and collecting ganglioside ceramidase from the culture.

Abstract: There is provided a process for screening an agent in order to determine whether such agent increases the frequency of genome rearrangement in living matter.In the first step of this process, there is provided a viable species of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast which comprises repeated genetic elements in its haploid genome. These repeated genetic elements are selected from the group consisting of functional and non-functional genetic elements; and these elements are sufficiently homologous so that, under ambient conditions, they recombine with each other and give rise to an indentifiable genome rearrangement which is a deletion.In the second step of this process, the viable species of yeast is exposed to the agent to be tested. Thereafter, it is plated onto a growth medium which, after the exposed yeast species grows upon it, facilitates the identification of those yeast which have undergone said genome rearrangement.

Abstract: A ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), particularly sciatic nerve CNTF(SN-CNFT) is claimed. The SN-CNTF described herein is a single protein species and has a specific activity that increased to greater than 25,000-fold from crude extract.Amino acid data for this SN-CNTF is also provided. In addition, methods for using this data for providing SN-CNTF probes and for screening cDNA and genomic libraries are also provided. Recombinant-DNA methods for the production of SN-CNTF are described.Nucleic acid sequences encoding rabbit and human CNTF are provided. A recombinant expression system is provided for producing biologically active CNTF.

Abstract: Nucleic acids and peptides are provided which can be used for detecting the status of functional T-lymphocytes as to stimulation and the time of stimulation. The nucleic acids and peptides may be provided by cloning and expression using recombinant techniques. These diagnoses may be used to determine whether T-cells are functional and the degree to which a T-cell population has been stimulated.

Abstract: The invention discloses modified signal peptides derived from wild-type signal peptides of the type that are capable of forming membrane-bound lipoproteins and methods for making such modified signal peptides and DNA sequences encoding them. Modified signal peptides of the invention and DNA sequences encoding them are useful for increasing the secretion of heterologous gene products produced by transformed host organisms. The invention further discloses a method for producing recombinant DNA sequences in vivo.

Abstract: An improved mutant vaccinia virus providing a pock and plaque size on RK13 cells that is approximately the same as those of the Lister original, having a proliferation potency on YTV cells that is approximately the same as that of the Lister original, and having a neurovirulence, assessed by a recovery of an intrabrain virus, that is lower than that of the Lister original; and a process for the production thereof.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for the high level expression of human interleukin-2 in mammalian cells. This high level expression is produced by the substitution of the normal human 5' noncoding sequences and the AUG initiation codon of the interleukin-2 gene by heterologous corresponding sequences. The expression product is a glycosylated polypeptide which is similar to the natural product and which can be purified to a high degree of purity for use as a therapeutic agent.

Abstract: A stable mutant form of creatine amidohydrolase is disclosed. This enzyme is formed via expression of altered DNA, which may be in plasmid form. Also disclosed is a method for determining creatinine using the mutant form.

Abstract: A human TNF polypeptide mutant having an amino acid sequence of modified human TNF polypeptide, a DNA having a base sequence encoding the above human TNF polypeptide mutant and a method of producing the above human TNF polypeptide mutant by culturing a host transformed with a vector having inserted therein the above DNA. The above human TNF polypeptide mutant is soluble and has antitumor activity.

Abstract: The invention relates to modified subtilisin enzymes which have increased thermal stability. The modified subtilisin enzymes have at least two or more amino acid mutations which confer increased thermal stability. It has been discovered that combining individual stabilizing mutations in subtilisin frequently results in an additive increase in thermal stability. In addition, the invention pertains to cloned mutant genes coding for a subtilisin material having at least two amino acid substitution which has increased thermal stability.

Abstract: A method for the prevention of Fusarium diseases comprising the application of a microorganism that decomposes or detoxifies fusaric acid to the plant or to the soil. The microorganisms are the genuses Cladosporium and Pseudomonas that have the ability to decompose and/or detoxify fusaric acid.

Abstract: RNA enzymes or ribozymes can act as endoribonucleases, catalyzing the cleavage of RNA molecules with a sequence specificity of cleavage greater than that of known ribonucleases and approaching that of the DNA restriction endonucleases, thus serving as RNA sequence specific endoribonucleases. An example is a shortened form of the self-splicing ribosomal RNA intervening sequence of Tetrahymena (L-19 IVS RNA). Site-specific mutagenesis of the enzyme active site of the L-19 IVS RNA alters the substrate sequence specificity in a predictable manner, allowing a set of sequence-specific endoribonucleases to be synthesized. Varying conditions allow the ribozyme to act as a polymerase (nucleotidyltransferase), a dephosphorylase (acid phosphatase or phosphotransferase) or a sequence-specific endoribonuclease.

Abstract: Different from conventional uricase products, the uricase of the present invention has outstandingly high thermal stability and is active in a wide range of pH from 5 to 10 for the oxidative decomposition of uric acid undertaken in clinical analysis. The uricase of the invention is produced microbiologically by a thermophilic microorganism belonging to the genus of Bacillus and especially named as Bacillus sp. TB-90 which is a novel species distinguishable from any of the microorganisms belonging to the genus of Bacillus.

Abstract: Human pancreatic elastase can now be obtained from a genetically engineered source.

Abstract: A cloned single-strand DNA comprising nucleotide sequence which encodes human motilin precursor, a cloned double-strand DNA consisting of the single-strand DNA and its complementary single-strand DNA, a fragment of the single- or double-strand DNA, a plasmid, in which the double-strand DNA or its fragment is integrated, as well as a process for the preparation of the single- or double-strand DNA.

Abstract: This invention describes stable tat.sub.III cell lines. It is disclosed that by transfecting a preselected tat.sub.III cell line with a vector containing a sufficient amount of the HTLV-III LTR responsive to tat.sub.III gene products for trans-activation and an enhancer upstream of the tat.sub.III responsive segment, it is possible to express high levels of the tat.sub.III gene products. By including a preselected heterologous gene on this vector, it is also possible to express high levels of a desired gene product. A substantially pure protein comprising 86 amino acids and having an apparent molecular weight of about 14,000 dalton and exhibiting trans-activating activity is also disclosed. This protein and polypeptides having trans-activating ability, which is also disclosed, can be used to produce high levels of a desired gene product.

Abstract: DNA sequences are described which encode Plasmodium falciparum merozoite antigenic surface proteins and protein fragments. Corresponding recombinant plasmids and transformed bacterial strains are described. The proteins and fragments have utility for immunological and diagnostic purposes.

Abstract: An expression vector which can be used to express fusion proteins which are useful as immunogens. The vector is characterized as a 3.35 kilobase pair vector having origins for replication and selectivity markers for bacteria. The plasmid has an E. coli promotor segment, a CheY fusion protein sequence and a unique restriction site at the 3' end of the CheY segment for preparing a DNA segment which codes for a foreign protein to be expressed.