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Infectious Fungus, Thought to Be Asexual, Isn’t

By Guest PostDecember 6, 2011Scienceallison m porman, asexual, brown university, candida albicans, candida genus, candida tropicalis, drug resistance, fungi, genetic switch, genus, infections, kevin alby, mating, matthew hirakawa, richard bennett, sex, sex as a survival tactic, sexual nature, species, the mating habits, wor1

*Candida tropicalis turns out to have sex, making it the second medically important member of the genus to be capable of mating. Sex may improve the survival of the species, particularly when it’s under pressure. It may also mean the species can achieve greater virulence or drug resistance more quickly than previously thought.*

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — The fungi of the Candida genus, known to millions of patients worldwide for their ability to cause serious infections, were once all thought to be asexual. Even after scientists discovered that the mating habits of Candida albicans were many and varied, they remained convinced that many of the more infectious ones did not mate. Now with the first report that Candida tropicalis can mate sexually as well, the chastity of the whole genus comes into further doubt. (more…)

WHOI Teaming with Flatley Discovery Lab in Search for Effective Treatments for Cystic Fibrosis

By Guest PostOctober 13, 2011Health, Scienceantibiotics, biological and chemical processes of ocean microbes, cf, cftr, cftr gene, charlestown, chemical extracts, cystic fibrosis, cystic fibrosis trans-membrane conductance regulator, flatley discovery lab, fungi, gene, john flatley, marine actinomycetes, marine microbes, marine microbial extracts, membrane, microbes, microbial infection biofilm, mutation, phytoplankton, respiratory disease, richard fitzpatrick, sodium transport, susan k. avery, therapeutic agents for cystic fibrosis, tracy mincer, whoi, woods hole oceanographic institution

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has signed a $1.18 million agreement with the Flatley Discovery Lab in Charlestown, Mass., to investigate and supply marine microbial extracts as possible treatments for cystic fibrosis (CF).

The life-shortening respiratory disease has eluded attempts at a cure, although researchers have been successful in some cases at adding years to a person’s lifespan, primarily through treatment with antibiotics. (more…)

Yale Students’ Trip to Rainforest Yields New Way to Degrade Plastic

By Guest PostAugust 7, 2011EnvironmentAmazon rainforest, biological activity, bioremediation, degrade polyurethane, endophytes, enzyme, equador, fungi, howard hughes medical institute, jeffrey huang, jonathan r russell, kaury kucera, new haven, organisms, plastic, pria anand, rainforest plants, yale rainforest expedition, yale students, yale undergraduates

Organisms discovered by Yale undergraduates growing within fungi in the Amazon Rainforest can degrade polyurethane, a findings that may lead to innovative ways to reduce waste in the world’s landfills.

The paper, accepted for publication in July by the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, is the work of undergraduates who participated in Yale’s Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory course, funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. (more…)

Tag Archives: fungi

Infectious Fungus, Thought to Be Asexual, Isn’t

WHOI Teaming with Flatley Discovery Lab in Search for Effective Treatments for Cystic Fibrosis

Yale Students’ Trip to Rainforest Yields New Way to Degrade Plastic