Compositions of the current invention are directed toward inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, particularly fungi. The compositions consist of chemically-synthesized antibiotics comprising certain amino acids. Methods of identifying particular antibiotic compositions from libraries of such compositions are disclosed. In addition, methods for preventing microbial growth in plants and animals are disclosed.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a Continuation in Part application from the United States utility patent application having Ser. No. 08/305,768 filed Sep. 13, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,097 and International application number PCT/US95/11724 filed Sep. 13, 1995.
The present invention relates to a peptide comprising the sequence R.sub.1-X.sub.1-X.sub.2-X.sub.3-X.sub.4-R.sub.2, wherein X.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of N, Q, D and S; X.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of V, I and L; X.sub.3 is selected from the group consisting of R and K; and X.sub.4 is selected from the group consisting of V, I, L and F; R.sub.1 is a hydrogen or a peptide of 1 to 6 amino acids, and acyl or an aryl group; and R.sub.2 is a peptide of 1 to 3 amino acids, a hydroxide or an amide. The invention also relates to partial or full retro-inverso peptides comprising the above sequences. The invention also relates to peptide-substrate combination comprising a substrate suitable for cell growth and the peptide of the invention, and to a vascular graft and an artificial blood vessel comprising the peptide-substrate combination. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition and a peptide conjugate comprising the peptide of the invention. The invention also relates to a method of inhibiting adhesion of a cell expressing .alpha.3.beta.1 integrin to an cellular matrix, inhibiting .alpha.3.beta.1-integrin-mediated cell motility, inhibiting .alpha.3.beta.1-integrin mediated cell proliferation, promoting .alpha.3.beta.1-integrin mediated cell proliferation and inhibiting angiogenesis utilizing the peptides of the invention.
The present invention provides novel eukaryotic DNA sequences coding for native protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox) or modified forms of the enzyme which are herbicide tolerant. Plants having altered protox activity which confers tolerance to herbicides are also provided. These plants are engineered for resistance to protox inhibitors via mutation of the native protox gene to a resistant form or they are transformed with modified eukaryotic or prokaryotic protox coding sequences or wild type prokaryotic protox sequences which are herbicide tolerant. Plant genes encoding wild-type and altered protox, purified plant protox, methods of isolating protox from plants, and methods of using protox-encoding genes are also disclosed.
