Bristol-Myers Squibb Compnay

E. R. Squibb Sons, Inc.

Jessica A Gorman

Joseph O'Sullivan

John E Leet

Stephen W Mamber

Susan P Manly

Darin B Ostrander

Catherine A Bingham

A functional mammalian growth factor receptor/yeast histidine kinase chimera in . In a preferred embodiment, the extracellular domain of the human epidermal growth factor receptor has been fused to the intracellular kinase domain of the SLN1 gene. The SLN1 gene encodes the plasma membrane sensor kinase of the yeast high osmolarity/glycerol response MAP kinase pathway. The chimeric protein is almost completely nonfunctional because the EGFR ECD is not capable of dimerization in the absence of ligand. In the presence of ligand, however, the chimeric kinase is activated and phosphorylation through the pathway is quantitatively repressed. This measure of pathway activity can be utilized to identify agonists and antagonists of the EGFR and other tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors in yeast cells.

Functional receptor/kinase chimera in yeast cells

Yeast cell having the ability to express the kinase domain of N-Pak. The expressed kinase domain restores the mating function of a ste20 mutant and such cells are therefore useful in an assay to screen for inhibitors of N-Pak. Such inhibitors may be useful in treatment and/or prevention of Alzheimer's Disease.

Recombinant yeast cell and assay using same

Ascosteroside, obtainable by cultivation of a strain of Ascotricha amphitricha A.T.C.C. No. 74237, analogs thereof and salts and prodrugs of these compounds. The compounds have antifungal activity for use in a method for treating and preventing a fungal infection. Further, the compounds are useful in a method for inhibiting fungal growth.

Ascosteroside and analogs thereof useful in antifungal compositions for

Isolated nucleic acid molecules capable of hybridizing to sequences of Candida albicans along with methods utilizing such probes for the detection of Candida albicans in clinical and other biological samples.

Growing community of inventors

Yardley, PA, United States of America

Jessica A Gorman