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This paper explores the various aspects of nursing as a science and its impact on nursing since its conception. A review of three major peer reviewed articles1-3 was completed and defined nursing as a science founded on empiric knowledge or scientific knowledge and expanded by nursing theory through the four ways of knowing or epistemology in nursing, nursing conceptual frameworks through nursing theorists, and evidence-based practice (EBP) models for care Chinn and Kramer4 to support nursing practice through educational program development. Key concepts included: interactive training programs, team resuscitation programs, minimum length of time and work hours for new nurse orientation programs, a formalized new graduate nurse program to increase transition scores for new graduate nurse programs. Nursing as a science truly became known and recognized in the 1950’s and expanded in the 1990’s through the introduction of EBP Chinn and Kramer.4 Through use of empiric knowledge, scientific research, application of nursing theory, and nurses training program development nursing as a profession can advance and meet future challenges of a changing and challenging healthcare system.

We have cloned an Aspergillus nidulans gene (prtA) encoding an alkaline protease (Alp) by probing an A. nidulans library with a fragment amplified from an Aspergillus oryzae Alp-encoding gene. The nucleotide (nt) sequence of prtA was determined. The structure of prtA is similar to that of the A. oryzae Alp-encoding gene. The prtA gene is composed of four exons which are separated by three introns of 59, 57 and 54 nt. The deduced amino acid sequence of the prtA product shows a high degree of similarity to proteases from A. oryzae A.fumigatus and A. flavus. Southern blot analysis suggests that only one copy of this gene is found in the genome of A. nidulans. The extracellular proteases of A. nidulans are regulated by nitrogen, carbon and sulfur metabolite repression. The prtA RNA levels were analysed under different nutrient conditions. No prtA transcript was detected in mycelium grown in medium containing glucose, NH+4and sulfate. However, prtA transcript levels were high in mycelia transferred to medium lacking a nitrogen, carbon or sulfur source.