Mycology News and Research

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Sniff of male sweat kick starts female hormones

According to a new study all a healthy heterosexual woman needs to give their hormone levels a kick start is the smell of a man's sweat.

8 Feb 2007

Single protein plays a major role in prion diseases

A single protein plays a major role in deadly prion diseases by smashing up clusters of these infectious proteins, creating the "seeds" that allow fatal brain illnesses to quickly spread, new Brown University research shows.

23 Jan 2007

Scientists discover function for antisense RNA

Researchers have found that a class of RNA molecules, previously thought to have no function, may in fact protect sex cells from self-destructing. These findings will be published in the November 17 issue of the journal Cell.

20 Nov 2006

Yeast model system may provide a means for treating the earliest stage of Alzheimer's

A century ago this month, German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer formally described characteristics of the neurodegenerative disease which ultimately came to bear his name. While international efforts to learn about Alzheimer's disease and develop treatments have progressed significantly in recent years, a cure remains an elusive goal.

19 Nov 2006

SUMO1 gene implicated in cleft lip and palate defects

Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health report in the current issue of the journal Science that a much-studied gene called SUMO1, when under expressed, can cause cleft lip and palate, one of the world's most common birth defects.

21 Sep 2006

FDA approves Noxafil (posaconazole) to prevent invasive fungal infections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Noxafil (posaconazole) to prevent fungal infections caused by certain molds and yeast-like fungus called Aspergillus and Candida.

19 Sep 2006

Morphotek granted two European technology patents

Morphotek has announced that the European Patent Office has given a "Decision of Grant" regarding the Company's US Patent 6,921,666 entitled "Methods for Generating Hypermutable Yeast" and US Patent 6,737,268 entitled "A Method for Generating Genetically Altered Antigens."

30 Aug 2006

Genetic key to treating deadly fungal infections

University of Minnesota researchers have discovered how a prevalent fungal pathogen that causes 10,000 deaths per year in the United States overcomes the effects of antifungal drugs by duplicating a section of one of its chromosomes.

24 Jul 2006

Link between cell's energy use and genome health discovered

While studying how a cell keeps its genetic material intact, scientists at Johns Hopkins got busy alternately knocking out two catalysts vital to managing a yeast cell's energy.

21 Jul 2006

Latest sequencing targets for NHGRI

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has announced several new sequencing targets including the Northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys).

19 Jul 2006

New gene amplification findings could benefit cancer research

Gene amplification plays an important role in causing cancers via activation of oncogenes.

29 Jun 2006

New discovery boosts basic understanding of prion infections

Brittleness is often seen as a sign of fragility. But in the case of infectious proteins called prions, brittleness makes for a tougher, more menacing pathogen.

28 Jun 2006

Transcription factors act not only in isolation to regulate distinct sets of genes

Scientists eager to help develop a new generation of pharmaceuticals are studying cellular proteins called transcription factors, which bind to upstream sequences of genes to turn the expression of those genes on or off.

18 Jun 2006

Scientists describe elaborate system of gene control triggered by chemical damage to DNA

Scientists describe for the first time a web of inter-related responses that cells use to avoid becoming diseased or cancerous after being exposed to a powerful mutagen.

7 Jun 2006

Finding opens new pathways for treating or preventing autoimmune diseases

A rare genetic defect that can trigger a host of diseases from type 1 diabetes to alopecia has helped explain the imbalance of immune regulator and killer cells in autoimmune disease.

31 May 2006

Scientists map the entire active protein inventory in cells

Scientists have shown how cutting-edge methods can be used to catalogue the entire inventory of active proteins in cell organelles at a particular moment. Their work sheds considerable light on how cells use proteins.

29 May 2006

New understanding of chromosomal glue

Researchers have a new understanding of the process cells use to ensure that sperm and eggs begin life with exactly one copy of each chromosome - a process that must be exquisitely regulated to prevent problems such as miscarriages and mental retardation.

8 May 2006