Abstract: This invention provides a salutaridinol 7-O-acetyltransferase protein, a salutaridinol 7-O-acetyltransferase gene, and a sequence which is complementary thereto. This invention further provides a method for the production of thebaine comprising the steps of (i) contacting in vitro a protein having salutaridinol 7-O-acetyltransferase activity with salutaridinol and acetyl coenzyme A at pH 8 to 9, and (ii) recovering the thebaine thus produced.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to enzymes and intermediates of the non-mevalonate isoprenoid pathway downstream of 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclopyrophosphate and upstream of isopentenyl pyrophosphate or dimethylallyl pyrophosphate. These are used as a basis for a screening method for inhibitors of these enzymes, and a method for identifying inhibitor-resistant variants thereof. Further disclosures refer to DNA coding for said enzymes and for inhibitor-resistant variants thereof, vectors containing said DNA, cells containing said vector, and plant seeds comprising cells containing said vector. This invention is useful for the inhibition of the biosynthesis of isoprenoids in plants, bacteria and protozoa, for conferring herbicide-resistance to plants, as well as for weed control in agriculture using a crop containing a herbicide-resistant gene and an effective amount of a suitable herbicide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to enzymatic activity involved in isoprenoid biosynthesis as well as to inhibitors, notably herbicides, for enzymes in the biosynthesis of isoprenoids. More specifically, the present invention relates to screening methods for detecting such inhibitors, and to enzymatically active proteins for performing said methods as well as purified isolated DNA coding for such proteins. Moreover, the present invention relates to novel inhibitors detectable by said screening methods as well as compositions and processes for inhibiting the synthesis of isoprenoids and for controlling the growth of organisms based on said inhibitors. The invention relates also to the development of inhibitor-resistant plant enzymes and plants, plant tissues, plant seeds and plant cells.

Abstract: This invention provides a protein comprising consecutive amino acids, the amino acid sequence of which is illustrated in FIG. 8 (SEQ. ID No. 14) or, a fragment thereof having at least 15 amino acids, or a variant thereof, the sequence of which has at least 70% identity with the amino acid sequence of FIG. 8 (SEQ. ID No. 14) over a length of at least 400 amino acids. This invention further provides a peptide comprising a fragment of salutaridinol 7-O-acetyltransferase protein of at least 6 consecutive amino acids which is not present in other plant acetyltransferases as illustrated in FIG. 2 (SEQ. IDs No. 8 to 12). This invention further provides a nucleic acid molecule comprising consecutive nucleotides (i) the nucleic acid sequence of which is illustrated in FIG. 9 (SEQ. ID No. 13) or FIG. 10 (SEQ. ID No. 15), or (ii) a fragment thereof having a length of at least 45 nucleotides, or (iii) a variant thereof, the sequence of which has at least 70% identity with the sequence of FIG. 9 (SEQ. ID No. 13) or FIG.

Abstract: This invention provides: (A) a protein the sequence of which is in FIG. 8 (SEQ. ID n° 14), or a fragment thereof having at least 15 amino acids, or a variant thereof, having at least 70% identity with FIG. 8 (SEQ. ID n° 14) over a length of at least 400 amino acids; (B) a peptide comprising a fragment of salutaridinol 7-O-acetyltransferase of at least 6 consecutive amino acids not present in other plant acetyltransferases as in FIG. 2 (SEQ. IDs n° 8 to 12); (C) a nucleic acid (i) the sequence of which is in FIG. 9 (SEQ. ID n° 13) or FIG. 10 (SEQ. ID n° 15), or (ii) a fragment thereof of at least 45 nucleotides, or (iii) a variant thereof, having at least 70% identity with FIG. 9 (SEQ. ID n° 13) or FIG. 10 (SEQ.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to enzymes and intermediates of the non-mevalonate isoprenoid pathway downstream of 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclopyrophosphate and upstream of isopentenyl pyrophosphate or dimethylallyl pyrophosphate. These are used as a basis for a screening method for inhibitors of these enzymes, and a method for identifying inhibitor-resistant variants thereof. Further disclosures refer to DNA coding for said enzymes and for inhibitor-resistant variants thereof, vectors containing said DNA, cells containing said vector, and plant seeds comprising cells containing said vector. This invention is useful for the inhibition of the biosynthesis of isoprenoids in plants, bacteria and protozoa, for confering herbicide-resistance to plants, as well as for weed control in agriculture using a crop containing a herbicide-resistant gene and an effective amount of a suitable herbicide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to enzymatic activity involved in isoprenoid biosynthesis as well as to inhibitors, notably herbicides, for enzymes in the biosynthesis of isoprenoids. More specifically, the present invention relates to screening methods for detecting such inhibitors, and to enzymatically active proteins for performing said methods as well as purified isolated DNA coding for such proteins. Moreover, the present invention relates to novel inhibitors detectable by said screening methods as well as compositions and processes for inhibiting the synthesis of isoprenoids and for controlling the growth of organisms based on said inhibiors. The invention relates also to the development of inhibitor-resistant plant enzymes and plants, plant tissues, plant seeds and plant cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to production of alkaloids from poppy plants and in particular togenes encoding enzymes in the alkaloid pathway, to proteins encoded by the gens, to plants transformed or transfected with the genes and to methods of altering alkaloid content or blend of poppy plants.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to enzymes and intermediates of the non-mevalonate isoprenoid pathway downstream of 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclopyrophosphate and upstream of isopentenyl pyrophosphate or dimethylallyl pyrophosphate. These are used as a basis for a screening method for inhibitors of these enzymes, and a method for identifying inhibitor-resistant variants thereof. Further disclosures refer to DNA coding for said enzymes and for inhibitor-resistant variants thereof, vectors containing said DNA, cells containing said vector, and plant seeds comprising cells containing said vector. This invention is useful for the inhibition of the biosynthesis of isoprenoids in plants, bacteria and protozoa, for confering herbicide-resistance to plants, as well as for weed control in agriculture using a crop containing a herbicide-resistant gene and an effective amount of a suitable herbicide.

Abstract: This invention provides a protein comprising consecutive amino acids, the amino acid sequence of which is illustrated in FIG. 8 (SEQ. ID No.14) or, a fragment thereof having at least 15 amino acids, or a variant thereof, the sequence of which has at least 70% identity with the amino acid sequence of FIG. 8 (SEQ. ID No.14) over a length of at least 400 amino acids. This invention further provides a peptide comprising a fragment of salutaridinol 7-O-acetyltransferase protein of at least 6 consecutive amino acids which is not present in other plant acetyltransferases as illustrated in FIG. 2 (SEQ. IDs No.8 to 12). This invention further provides a nucleic acid molecule comprising consecutive nucleotides (i) the nucleic acid sequence of which is illustrated in FIG. 9 (SEQ. ID No.13) or FIG. 10 (SEQ. ID No.15), or (ii) a fragment thereof having a length of at least 45 nucleotides, or (iii) a variant thereof, the sequence of which has at least 70% identity with the sequence of FIG. 9 (SEQ. ID No.13) or FIG.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to the production and the use, by genetic engineering, of plasmids and bacterial strains containing, on a short, precisely characterizable DNA segment, the gene tfda or a gene almost identical to tfdA. The novel plasmids and microorganisms are suitable for the production of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)-monooxygenase, and as starting materials for the transfer, by genetic engineering of the 2,4-D-degrading property of this enzyme to various organisms.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to the production and the use, by genetic engineering, of plasmids and bacterial strains containing, on a short, precisely characterizable DNA segment, the gene tfdA or a gene almost identical to tfdA.The novel plasmids and microorganisms are suitable for the production of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)-monooxygenase, and as starting materials for the transfer, by genetic engineering of the 2,4-D-degrading property of this enzyme to various organisms.

Abstract: Disclosed are peptides which have the following amino acid sequence:(.gamma.-Glu-Cys).sub.n -.beta.-Alan being an integer from 2 to 11;.gamma.-Glu represents .gamma.-glutamic acid;Cys represents cysteine; and.beta.-Ala represents .beta.-alanine.A process for the preparation of these peptides is disclosed as well as processes for their use for the maintenance of hemeostasis in physiological systems, the diagnosis of tumors, and the removal of heavy metals from a chemical or physiological system which has been contaminated with heavy metal.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to plant polysaccharides acting on the immune system and a process for isolating the polysaccharides from plant cell cultures. The purified polysaccharides can be used as drugs, specifically as immunomodulators or immune mediators, in animal medicine.

Abstract: A high-cysteine polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of the formula:-(.gamma.-Glu-Cys).sub.n -Glyin which,n is an integer from 4 to 7,.gamma.-Glu represents .gamma.-glutamic acid,Cys represents cysteine, andGly represents glycine,for use in pharmaceutical preparations for treating acute and chronic heavy metal poisoning. Alternatively, the polypeptides may be employed in the treatment of metal deficiency phenomena or for maintaining the homeostasis in physiological systems with respect to such metals as iron or zinc. Processes for producing the polypeptides of the invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to the enzyme S-tetrahydroprotoberberineoxidase, which oxidizes selectively S-tetrahydroprotoberberines and S-1-benzyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline in the presence of oxygen, resulting in the corresponding protoberberines and 1-benzyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolines. The invention also relates to a process of preparing S-tetrahydroprotoberberineoxidase by extraction from certain plant materials. The oxidation products of several compounds find use in the pharmaceutical industries.