PATENT ABSTRACTS

from Marek's disease viruses of poultry. Con- catmers of the seeds and the associated genes have potential as vaccines or delivery vectors when cotransfected and replicated in the pre- sence of helper viruses. The amplicons are also useful for inserting associated genes into the hel- per viruses, which in turn could be used as ex- pression vectors. Candidate genes for use with the subject amplicons include those which encode immunogenic proteins and other benefi- cial economic traits desired in commercial poultry lines.

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The invention relates to antigenic preparations useful for inducing the production of antibodies in an individual which will bind to epitopes on zona pellucida. Also disclosed are immunogenic compositions and methods for immunizing an individual to enable the production of antibodies to zona pellucida antigens. Also disclosed are the use of these recombinant molecules and mono- clonal antibodies thereto for immunocontracep- tion or sterilization.

4996237

C O M B R E T A S T A T I N A-4

George R Pettit, Sheo B Singh, ,hciwroN as- signed to Arizona Board of Regents

The African tree Combretum caffrum (Com- bretaceae) has been found to contain an agent which is a powerful inhibitor of tubulin poly- merization (IC50 2-3 muM), the growth of murine lymphocytic leukemia (LI210 and P388 with ED50 (0.003 mg/ml and human colon cancer cell lines (e.g. VoLo with ED50 (0.01 mug/ml). This agent is herein denominated com- bretastatin A-4 . The structure assigned by spectral techniques was confirmed by synthesis.

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R E C O M B I N A N T L Y E X P R E S S E D R A B B I T Z O N A P E L L U C I D A

P O L Y P E P T I D E S

Bonita S Dunbar assigned to Zonagen Inc

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M E T H O D F O R P R E P A R I N G P E R T U S S I S T O X I N T O X O I D U S I N G H C H O A N D A M I N O

A C I D S

Akihiro Ginnaga, Kazunori Morokuma, Kat- sutoshi Aihara, Mitsuo Sakoh, Kumamoto, Japan assigned to Juridical Foundation The Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Research Institute

Disclosed is a method for preparing pertussis toxin toxoid by a treatment of pertussis toxin with formaldehyde, which comprises carrying out said treatment in the presence of lysine or glycine in combination with N-acetyltriptophan. The resultant toxoid does not exhibit toxicity reversion, thereby making the toxoid highly suitable for use in pertussis vaccines.