Abstract: The invention provides an isolated and purified nucleic acid molecule encoding a Candida albicans sterol methyltransferase (ERG6). Also provided is a C. albicans strain or isolate that has reduced levels of sterol methyltransferase as a result of the disruption of at least one sterol methyltransferase gene. Preferred isolates are more susceptible to a number of sterol synthesis and metabolic inhibitors relative to wild type isolates. Further provided are methods to identify sterol methyltransferase inhibitors and methods to screen for antifungals or metabolic inhibitors which are not normally permeable to the fungal cell.

Abstract: A binary assay identifies agents that inhibit sterol .DELTA.14 reductase involved in ergosterol biosynthesis. In the primary screen, sterol .DELTA.14 reductase inhibition by a test sample is assayed by adding the test sample to a culture of Neurospora crassa having an erg-3 mutation and also to a culture of a strain having an erg-1 mutation, comparing the extent of growth inhibition after incubation in the two cultures, and identifying as positives those samples that show growth inhibition in the erg-3 culture exceeding that in the erg-1 culture. In the secondary screen, samples that test positive in the primary screen are reassayed by adding the test sample to a culture of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain into which has been introduced multiple copies of a gene encoding sterol .DELTA.14 reductase and also to a strain of S.

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 channel element used in swimming-pool ground channels which house water-bearing pipes and receive a latchable cover that includes a box-like shaped body, preferably made of burnt ceramic material, which fits into the ground channel groove and includes on opposite inside wall surfaces integral projections or recesses that form detents to latch the cover.A separate sheet bearing the proposed Abstract of the Disclosure is enclosed herewith for the Patent Office's convenience in amending the application.

Abstract: In the case of a natural stone element for lining facades of buildings, the suspension of the stone plate is effected via a ceramic tile glued to the back of the stone plate.

Abstract: Tile-shaped floor elements for a double floor construction are produced with a mold consisting of a trough made of a material with high tensile strength and a ceramic cover tile closing the trough at the top and firmly connected with the trough via a connecting element. A flowable core layer is poured into this mold via openings in the bottom of the trough and hardens to form a firm compound between the trough and the core layer, on the one hand, and the core layer and the ceramic cover tile, on the other. In the production of this floor tile, the mold, in its totality, forms part of the finished floor element.

Abstract: In a natural stone plate having holding elements provided on the side facing away from the visible side, said holding elements are attached to the stone plate by means of a glass solder. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass solder is approximately equal to that of the stone plate. Further, the holding elements are disposed on the stone plate at points of attachment determined according to static requirements.

Abstract: The present invention is a novel method for maintaining and selecting recombinant DNA-containing host cells wherein the DNA encoding a selectable phenotype and the DNA encoding a useful polypeptide are the same. The aforementioned DNA is useful for expressing .delta.-aminolevulinic acid synthetase (ALAS) for the ultimate expression of .delta.-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in yeast and related organisms. The invention further comprises plasmids pIT300, pIT301, pIT302, pIT304, pIT305, pIT306 and related Saccharomyces ALA deficient transformants. ALA is a five carbon amino acid that is useful as a light dependent herbicide.

Abstract: In a ceramic wall or floor covering consisting of single tile-shaped elements which are designed to be electrically conductive, the electrical voltage is dissipated via the flanks of the tile-shaped ceramic element and via electrically conductive elements laid on the tile plane.

Abstract: A space heating element having a ceramic body, an electrically conductive ceramic glaze provided on the side of the ceramic shaped body opposite the visible side, and a nonconductive ceramic glaze provided over the electrically conductive glaze. The electrically resistive glaze has nonmetallic electrically conductive particles embedded in a carrier substance. The nonconductive glaze has the same carrier substance as the electrically conductive glaze but has kaolin particles embedded therein in place of the nonmetallic electrically conductive particles. The ceramic body, electrically resistive glaze and nonconductive ceramic glaze are heated to a temperature below the quartz transition temperature.

Abstract: A method for making pencil leads without firing includes taking mixtures of graphite and MgO which are made of Mg salts with MgCl.sub.2 solutions, forming such mixtures into desired shapes (crayons or pencil leads) and hardening them at room temperatures. Colored pencil leads are produced by processing MgO with inorganic or organic colors together with slip additives and MgCl.sub.2 solutions into pressable pastes, and then forming them into leads or crayons for room temperature hardening. To increase breakage resistance, the resulting leads or crayons are encased in wood. The MgCl.sub.2 solutions are mixtures of Sorel's cement, and the slip additive is talcum.

Abstract: A compound covering element for wall, ceiling or floor linings includes a ceramic tile provided with an electrically conductive coating on its back side which is heatable to thereby heat the tile. An electrically conductive coating on the visible side of the ceramic tile dissipates static electricity.

Abstract: An electrical space heating element having a ceramic body which is provided on the side facing away from the space to be heated with an electrically resistive coating. The space heating element provides a high thermal yield while consuming little electrical power and may be used as an element of design for the periphery of a room. The space heating element may be installed in such a way so that no channels are formed which might force air currents to circulate in the room to be heated. The electrically resistive coating is a layer of a carrier impregnated with nonmetallic particles which have a large specific area, are electrically conductive, and do not substantially vary the electrical conductivity at higher temperatures. The carrier in which the nonmetallic particles are embedded has no greater than poor electrical conductivity. The electrically resistive coating is applied in such a way that it has uniform electrical and thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A double floor contruction is proposed which has supports set up at predetermined intervals on a stable substructure and tile-like floor elements bedded directly or indirectly on said supports. Each tile-like floor element is formed by a composite construction of a plurality of superposed layers of different materials, whereby the composite contruction is composed of a cover tile made of ceramic material, a core layer made of rigid material with low volume weight and a thin bottom layer with high tensile strength properties. This double floor construction solves the problem of allowing for the individual tile-like floor elements to be optimally selected in terms of their dimensions, in particular their thickness, while nevertheless being capable of taking up high loads. It also allows for the surface to be resistant to organic solvents and other chemicals. Finally, the floor coverings do not require for their bond with the subfloor any adhesive that might be critical in terms of its stability.

Abstract: The present invention is an improvement for large-format ceramic tiles, each of which has holding elements provided on their non-visible sides. The improvement includes attaching the holding elements to joining points determined according to static requirements by means of a ceramic glaze, whose thermal expansion coefficient is at least approximately equal to that of the ceramic tile.

Abstract: A large-format thin-walled ceramic tile to be attached to the limits of a room with the aid of attachment elements overlapping the edge is proposed, on which reinforcement ribs made of ceramic material area attached permanently to the side of the tile facing away from the visible side in an arrangement and/or dimensioning selected according to static points of view. This provides an alternative to attachment with the aid of ceramic mounting elements attached to the side facing away from the visible side.

Abstract: An unglazed ceramic tile-shaped article capable of conducting away electrical potential that reaches it into an electrically conductive substructure consists of a body having open porosity and the pores are filled with an emulsifier which behaves similarly to a metal in terms of its electrical conductivity.

Abstract: For a tile-like ceramic element provided on its visible side with an electrically conductive surface glaze which, when the tile-like ceramic element is laid with a plurality of such elements to form a covering for lining walls or floors, communicates conductively with a substructure which diverts electricity and is to be provided below the covering, its laying to form a flooring can be performed utterly independently, so that a joint material can be selected which completely meets all requirements to be met by such a material in terms of its scuff resistance, its elasticity and hygienic properties, and allows for at least part of the side of the tile-like ceramic element facing away from the visible side to be coated with a material having good electrically conductive properties which communicates with the surface glaze in electrically conductive fashion.

Abstract: A compound covering element for wall, ceiling or floor linings includes a ceramic tile provided with an electrically conductive coating on its back side which is heatable to thereby heat the tile. An electrically conductive coating on the visible side of the ceramic tile dissipates static electricity.