MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'fungus'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:12:00 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107799&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2FPkDpcO_6MDc%2F The naming of organisms is an important part of how we communicate. When a fungus is found, be it a mycelium from a rotting fruit, a mushroom from the forest, or something growing on a petri dish, we have used morphological and other phenotypic characteristics to group them together and identify if it is an already known species or a new one. However, some fungi have very different shapes and forms that occur during asexual and sexual (after mating with a partner) stages, some incredible elaborate and even (to some people) beautiful. Because these stages mean that fungi can look very different, and often these fungi are not amenable to life in the laboratory (e.g. we can’t get it to complete the lifecycle in an petri dish in the lab), it was the case that observed asexual (or anamorp... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107799 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 02:29:17 +0100 5107799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934069&cid=t_156929_87_f&fid=35060&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthnewsblog.com%2Fblog%2F611111 At least five Joplin tornado victims are being treated for a rare, aggressive fungal infection. The mucormycosis fungal infection can occur when dirt or vegetative material gets embedded underneath a person's skin. This could happen to a person who endures violent tornadic conditions. A memo sent to medical providers says the infections are causing necrosis of soft tissue. The Springfield-Greene County Health Department was made aware of medical concerns associated with tornado victims. Please see the statement below: All Medical Providers Caring for Joplin Tornado Victims Several patients have been identified recently with aggressive fungal soft tissue infections. These patients were transferred in from the field and had lacerations that were closed at the scene. These patients have... HealthNewsBlog.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934069 Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4934069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847956&cid=t_156929_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Finsect-killing-fungus-may-provide-basis-for-new-multiple-sclerosis-treatment%2F2011.05.20 A very well-written review of an orally-active drug for multiple sclerosis has just appeared in the April 25th issue of the Journal of Natural Products, a joint publication of the American Chemical Society and the American Society of Pharmacognosy. The review, Fingolimod (FTY720): A Recently Approved Multiple Sclerosis Drug Based on a Fungal Secondary Metabolite, is co-authored by Cherilyn R. Strader, Cedric J. Pearce, and Nicholas H. Oberlies. In the interest of full disclosure, the latter two gentlemen are research collaborators of mine from Mycosynthetix, Inc. (Hillsborough, NC) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. My esteemed colleague and senior author, Dr. Oberlies, modestly deflected my request to blog about the publication of this review. So, I am instead writing thi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847956 Fri, 20 May 2011 18:00:24 +0100 4847956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477762&cid=t_156929_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffugus-an-unwanted-yoga-partner%2F2011.02.14 Yoga is good for your mind and body, including your skin. Yoga mats, on the other hand, might not be. Using someone else’s yoga mat for an hour could lead to an infection. Fungal infections are common and appear as athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, and ringworm. Unfortunately, the fungus can survive on surfaces like mats long after the infected person has left. Although most people blame the gym locker room when they develop athlete’s foot, you can catch the fungus from a variety of places anytime you walk barefoot. Fortunately, even if the fungus comes into contact with your skin, it doesn’t always lead to infection. Dry, cracked skin, or soft, wet skin disrupt your primary defense against the fungus — the densely packed barrier of skin cells, oils and proteins on your healthy... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477762 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:00:35 +0100 4477762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687361&cid=t_156929_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FqOJYZ4v-zpE%2F Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again. Of course, another busy day awaits, no doubt. In fact, we will take leave this morning as yet another of the short people collects a diploma, but will return later to keep you abreast of events. Here are a few items, meanwhile, to help you along. And now, another cup of stimulation awaits… Sanofi-Aventis Signs Deal With Regulus (Reuters) The Fungus And The Novartis MS Drug (The Wall Street Journal) Lilly To Sell Insulin In Walmart (Reuters) Recycling TV Material For Delivering Drugs (InPharmaTechnologist) J&J And Diamyd To Develop Diabetes Drug (MarketWatch) Consolidated Pharma Fined For Hazardous Materials (Baltimore Sun) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687361 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:49:27 +0100 3687361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346654&cid=t_156929_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2010%2F03%2F08%2Fwarm-weather-and-shoeless-feet%2F When summer comes around, the first thing I want to do is run around without shoes on.  I hate wearing shoes, and the PN has made most shoes pretty uncomfortable for me.  A few years ago, before I went in for my stem cell transplant for the treatment of my multiple myeloma, I was walking by the pool and I stubbed my toe on something. Toe stubbing is a more frequent occurrence for me now that I have neuropathy.  It’s hard to keep track of just exactly where my feet are.  Anyway, aside from hurting like the dickens, the toe injury included some broken nails. I thought nothing of it. A few weeks later, I had high dose chemo, which wiped out my immune system.  In no time, I noticed that my toes were discolored and the nails on two of my toes were getting flaky. It was the weirdest t... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346654 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:50:38 +0100 3346654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3208282&cid=t_156929_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F01%2Faspergillosis%2F Pathophysiology 1) infection with Aspergillus fumigatus (most common and serious), A. flavus, or A. niger 2) normally colonizes skin, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract, but can also cause fatal systemic illness (usually in immunosuppressed patients) 3) sinus infection occurs in three forms – fungus ball in a chronically infected sinus cavity (usually maxillary), invasive fibrous granulomatous inflammation, and allergic sinusitis (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3208282 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:51:40 +0100 3208282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2793358&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2Ft8b-RRiEZtg%2F A nice series of comparative genomics articles have been published in the last few weeks. The pace of genome sequencing has accelerated to the point that we have lots of sequencing projects coming from individual labs and small consortia not necessarily from genome centers. We are seeing a preview of what next (2nd) generation sequencing will enable and can start to imagine what happens when even cheaper 3rd generation sequencing technologies are applied. I’m behind in reviewing these papers for you, dear reader, but I hope you’ll click through and take a look at some of these papers if you are interested in the topics. In the following set of papers we have some nice examples of comparative genomics of closely related species and among a clade of species. The papers mentioned ... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2793358 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:14:35 +0100 2793358 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2571006&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F5rYRQ7HKCbw%2F Tremella mesenterica (from K. Findley) The Tremella mesenterica genome portal is now live at the JGI. The genome is ~28Mb and the JGI annotation group predicted 8,313 genes, a significantly larger number of peptides predicted for C. neoformans (~7000; 18Mb genome) which may represent new and interesting genes or aspects of gene loss in the Cryptococcus yeast lineage. Tremella is a Basidiomycete jelly fungus and an interesting study system from the perspective of discovery of novel lignin degrading enzymes.  It also occupies an interesting phylogenetic position being an outgroup to the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii. Comparative genomics on this system may also provide insight into the interesting evolution of the large mating-type locus that was formed throug... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2571006 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:43:42 +0100 2571006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354127&cid=t_156929_155_f&fid=36522&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpathtalk%2F%7E3%2F8-TIIznZ1ew%2F515 Discussion Aspergillosis is a ubiquitous fungal organism which can sometimes be found in the sputum of healthy people. Depending on a variety of factors (like host immune status, for example) the organism can cause any of three main clinical syndromes: allergic pulmonary aspergillosis, invasive aspergillosis, and mycetoma (as seen in this case). The morphology in this case is consistent with Aspergillus species, but further categorization is probably best left to culture. Mycetoma usually occurs in an immunocompetent host via colonization of a pre-existing cavitary lung lesion, particularly those related to tuberculosis. Fungal organisms proliferate to fill the cavity, forming a mass. There is sometimes a significant host inflammatory response, and necrotic fungal organisms and debris ma... pathtalk.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354127 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:00:16 +0100 2354127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1773179&cid=t_156929_127_f&fid=34828&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrclouthier.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fcancer-as-fungus.html This is a little longer clip but well worth the watch. I have often times recommended that using a probiotic daily is one of the best things for your health. I use them regularly with patients at my office and they tend to improve almost all health conditions. This video is definitely worth watching. Pay note also to what is said about chemotherapy and radiation. (Source: Dr. Steve Clouthier) Dr. Steve Clouthier blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1773179 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:25:00 +0100 1773179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1713976&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F368580845%2F An outbreak of a fungal infection called "white-nose syndrome" is killing bats in the Northeastern US.  This New Scientist article mentions the outbreak briefly and an NPR story and recent Boston Globe story also gives it some coverage.  Sounds like we still don't know much about the causal agent or how it is killing the bats at this time, but some researchers, including Elizabeth Buckles at Cornell University, Vishnu Chaturvedi at NY State Dept of Health, and Jon Reichard at Boston University are working on it. This is of course old news if you read what Hyphoid Logic has been saying. That there is a previously undescribed cold loving fungus sounds very interesting, there have been some recent discoveries of psychrophilic fungi like Cryptococcus laurentii and Rhodotorula himalayensis so... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1713976 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:09:48 +0100 1713976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1556545&cid=t_156929_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F323340828%2F Shocks it’s July and I am working out of the house. I barely made it through June…maybe it is time to get a new computer set? We’ll see… Anyways, here are a few stuff on cancer I might have missed in the recent days: ‘Designer baby’ to be free from breast cancer? Men’s cancer vaccine Accidental fungus leads to promising cancer drug That’s all for now folks..I gotta run! Tags: 'designer baby', accidental cancer drug, breast-cancer, cancer-drug, cancer-vaccine, free of hereditary breast cancer, fungus, Gardasil, men cancer vaccine, MerckShare This (Source: Cancer Commentary) Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1556545 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:00:43 +0100 1556545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522208&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F312751464%2F NPR had a story this weekend on Cocoa plantation collapse and the ecological aftermath of the changes the witches' broom fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa has wreaked. The genome sequence project for this Homobasidiomycete fungus (also known as Crinipellis perniciosa, phylogenetic relationships discussed by Aime and Philips-Mora 2005) is underway at the Laboratory Genomica e Expressao at UNICAMP, Brazil.  The witches's broom (not this witches' broom) is named because of the bristly form it induces in the cacao plants. The genome project will hopefully improve the diagnosis and treatment work that is needed.  Beyond the insatiable need for chocolate, the NPR story does talk about the impact on farmers, the economy, and the environment with the loss of these cacao plantations. Some links:... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522208 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:57:26 +0100 1522208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1497501&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F305452837%2F A year ago researchers at James Madison University discovered that, Pedobacter cryoconitis, a bacteria first found on the skin of red backed salamanders, was found to prevent the growth of the chytrid B. dendrobatidis, which is currently decimating frog populations. (Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog from wikipedia) The newest research on the subject is being presented this year at ASM by Brianna Lam who worked with other biologists from both San Francisco State University and JMU. Lam’s research indicates that adding pedobacter to the skin of mountain yellow-legged frogs would lessen the effects of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a lethal skin pathogen that is threatening remaining populations of the frogs in their native Sierra Nevada habitats. Lam first conducted petri dish experi... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1497501 Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:49:39 +0100 1497501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1492123&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F303770716%2F We're excited that a Penicillium marneffei grant to Mat Fisher and collaborators has been funded by the Welcome Trust. It includes a collaboration with University College London, our lab, JCVI, and Univ of Melbourne. This project will explore functional and comparative genomics approaches to studying the fungus which primarily infects immune compromised individuals in south-east asia where it is found associated with bamboo rats.  Scientists at Imperial College London have received almost £350 000 from the Wellcome Trust, the UK's largest medical research charity, to study Penicillium marneffei, the only Penicillium fungus to cause serious disease in humans. The researchers aim to find out what makes this particular fungus pathogenic. Read the rest of the release. © Jason Staji... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1492123 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:10:13 +0100 1492123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1436934&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F288882594%2F The Trichoderma reesei genome paper was recently published in Nature Biotechnology from Diego Martinez at LANL with collaborators at JGI, LBNL, and others. This fungus was chosen for sequencing because it was found on canvas tents eating the cotton material suggesting it may be a good candidate for degrading cellulose plant material as part of cellulosic ethanol or other biofuels production.  The fungus also has starring roles in industrial processes like making stonewashed jeans due to its prodigious cellulase production. The most surprising findings from the paper include the fact that there are so few members of some of the enzyme families even though this fungus is able to generate enzymes with so much cellulase activity. The authors found that there is not a significantly larger numb... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1436934 Mon, 12 May 2008 19:27:46 +0100 1436934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1436936&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F288359828%2F The genome of Podospora anserina S mat+ strain was sequenced by Genoscope and CNRS and published recently in Genome Biology. The genome sequence data has been available for several years, but it is great to see a publication describing the findings.  The 10X genome assembly with ~10,000 genes provides an important dataset for comparisons among filamentous Sordariomycete fungi. The authors primarily focused on comparative genomics of Podospora to Neurospora crassa, the next closest model filamentous species.  Within the Sordariomycetes there are now a very interesting collection of closely related species which can be useful for applying synteny and phylogenomics approaches. The analyses in the manuscript focused on these differences between Neurospora and Podospora identifying some ke... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1436936 Mon, 12 May 2008 01:25:59 +0100 1436936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1369703&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F269635683%2F Here's a fungal infection you don't hear much about. One of the fungi we work on, a model for mushroom development as it can be fruited in the lab is Coprinopsis cinerea (previously named Coprinus cinereus). C. cinerea is a saprobric coprophillic fungus so it is usually found on dung.  Although rare in human infections there are a few reports in immunocopromised patients.  Below is an abstract describing isolation of C. cinerea from an implanted heart valve from a pig. This definitely not its typical habitat and Coprinus growing in yeast form I'm sure I've really heard of either.  Would be great to see if the clinical strains are still sexually competent and/or are significantly different in other ways (growth rate, resistance to drugs and oxidative stress) from the wild or laborat... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1369703 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:45:47 +0100 1369703 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1322039&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F256639092%2F A paper in Current Genetics describes the discovery of Repeat Induced Polymorphism (RIP) in two Euriotiales fungi.  RIP has been extensively studied in Neurospora crassa and has been identified in other Sordariomycete fungi Magnaporthe, Fusiarium. This is not the first Aspergillus species to have RIP described as it was demonstrated in the biotech workhorse Aspergillus oryzae.  However, I think this study is the first to describe RIP in a putatively asexual fungus.  The evidence for RIP is only found in transposon sequences in the Aspergillus and Penicillium.  A really interesting aspect of this discovery is RIP is thought to only occur during sexual stage, but a sexual state has never been observed for these fungi.   (more...) © Jason Stajich for Fungal Genomes and Com... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1322039 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 19:44:15 +0100 1322039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1307742&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F253213377%2F Hyphoid logic points out that it is appropriate to discuss about the oomycete Phytophthora infestans on St. Patrick's Day and mentions a NYT article "The fungus that conquered Europe" that is worth a look. It is also worth thinking about another blight, well rust, that is spreading through the middle east and could threaten wheat crops worldwide. New Scientist has excellent coverage of Puccinia graminis strain Ug99 which is spreading faster than expected due to a cyclone that spread the rust spores into Iran two years earlier than expected. Related posts from last year. "Fungus could cause a food shortage", "Puccinia black stem rust disease spreading" © Jason Stajich for Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics, 2008. | Permalink | No comment Add to del.icio.us Search blogs ... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1307742 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:22:05 +0100 1307742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1284791&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F247036134%2F Today, I would like to share the news about the publication of the Laccaria bicolor genome. This is the first mycorrhizal symbiotic genome published in the Nature journal. The title is "The genome of Laccaria bicolor provides insights into mycorrhizal symbiosis". The team consisteing of more than 60 researchers from 16 institutions have revealed the interaction between plant and fungi. For complete publication and additional news. © balaji for Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics, 2008. | Permalink | No comment Add to del.icio.us Search blogs linking this post with Technorati Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Agaricomycota, basidiomycota, fungi, genome, genome sequencing, symbiosis. (Source: Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics) Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1284791 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:11:58 +0100 1284791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1276043&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F245144266%2F I've been too busy to post much these last few days, but here are a few links to some papers I found interesting in my recent browsing. FOLy: an integrated database for the classification and functional annotation of fungal oxidoreductases potentially involved in the degradation of lignin and related aromatic compounds - so a database of these enzymes from several different fungi including some of the white rot fungi. I'll be curious to see how the brown rot fungus Postia's genome complement compares. Evolution of host resistance in a toxin-producing bacterial–fungal alliance. Some more fungal-bacterial symbosis work in Rhizopus that follows on previous work that shows that the bacterial make a toxin that is anti-mitotic, so how does this not affect the host fungus? The authors use a... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1276043 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:45:22 +0100 1276043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1238193&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F236639216%2F What delineates species boundaries in fungi? Much work has been done on biological and phylogenetic species concepts in fungi. Some concepts are reviewed in Taylor et al 2006 and in Taylor et al 2000, and applications can be seen in several pathogens such as Paraccocidiodies, Coccidioidies, and the model filamentous (non-pathogenic) fungus Neurospora. A paper in Fungal Genetics and Biology on species definitions in Cryptococcus neoformans from multi-locus sequencing seeks to provide additional treatment of the observed diversity. A large study of 117 Cryptococcus isolates were examined through multi-locus sequencing (6 loci) and identified two monophyletic lineages within C. neoformans varieties that correspond to var. neoformans and var. grubii. However within the C. gattii samples they... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1238193 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:31:45 +0100 1238193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1204677&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffungalgenomes.org%2Fblog%2F2008%2F02%2Fneurospora-speciation-through-experimental-evolution%2F Dettman, Anderson, and Kohn recently published a paper in BMC Evolutionary Biology on reproductive experimental evolution in two Neurospora crassa populations evolved under different selective conditions. This is a great study that complements work published last year in Nature on experimental evolution in Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations. Neurospora populations were evolved under high salt and low temperature and were started from either high diversity (interspecific crosses, N. crassa vs N. intermedia) or low diversity (intraspecific cross, two N. crassa isolates D143 (Louisiana, USA)and D69 (Ivory Coast)) as described in Figure 1. The experimentally evolved populations were then tested for asexual and sexual fitness (they were taken through complete meiotic cycle throughout the ex... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1204677 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:12:01 +0100 1204677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1098926&cid=t_156929_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F201532562%2F In this study, 14 extracts were found to be active in inhibiting prostate cancer cells. The findings - active extracts from Ganoderma lucidum were found to be the most effective in inhibiting the function of the androgen receptor and controlling vital development of cancerous cells – is a new, interesting and very promising development in the fight against cancer. Find more details from the University of Haifa. Share This (Source: Cancer Commentary) Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1098926 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:23:28 +0100 1098926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1085658&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F198363804%2F I'm excited about our projects to tackle the evolution of the Onygenales fungi. I just remembered to look and see what was going on with the Blastomyces genome sequencing at WashU.  I checked and the Blastomyces dermatitidis genome sequence assembly version 3 was released in October 2007 and ESTs via 454 and ABI technologies are all available from WUSTL Genome Sequencing Center. With the Broad Institute release this week of the Paracoccidioides genome sequence, the 10 Coccidioides strain genomes + 1 C. posadasii strain from JCVI/TIGR, 3 strains of Histoplasma capsulatum (both WUSTL and Broad), and the in-progress dermatophyte for Trichophyton and Microsporum sequences that are being generating through the FGI at Broad we have incredible genome coverage of this group of dermatophyte, kera... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1085658 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 02:15:13 +0100 1085658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1037801&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F187509086%2F Fungi, like most organisms, take an active role in finding food for survival. When thinking about hostile takeovers by fungi, one probably thinks about mycelia growing towards nutrients, rotting plant matter, the ability to extract nutrients from a living host, or perhaps producing toxins or secondary metabolites that can affect the host. However, some fungi can take an even more active role and trap their animal hosts (when that animal isn't much bigger than you). A paper from earlier this year on "Evolution of nematode-trapping cells of predatory fungi of the Orbiliaceae based on evidence from rRNA-encoding DNA and multiprotein sequences" describes the evolutionary history of a group of fungi able to trap and eat nematodes. Nematode trapping fungi have been investigated experimentally s... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1037801 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 04:41:42 +0100 1037801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1034656&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F186504022%2F The JGI have released the genome sequence and annotation of the Mycosphaerella fijiensis fungus an important crop pathogen of bananas. This Dothideomycete fungus is one of several in the clade of important plant pathogens that have been sequenced recently including M. gramicola, a relative that causes wheat-blotch. © Jason Stajich for Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics, 2007. | Permalink | No comment Add to del.icio.us Search blogs linking this post with Technorati Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under dothideomycetes, genome. (Source: Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics) Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1034656 Sun, 18 Nov 2007 04:10:19 +0100 1034656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=993229&cid=t_156929_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2F177540541%2F A paper in PLoS Biology from Sandy Johnson's lab entitled "Interlocking Transcriptional Feedback Loops Control White-Opaque Switching in Candida albicans" discusses phenotype switching in the human pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. Why is the important? "White-opaque switching is an epigenetic phenomenon, where genetically identical cells can exist in two distinctive cell types, white and opaque. Each cell type is stably inherited for many generations, and switching between the two types of cells occurs stochastically and rarely—roughly one switch in 10^4 cell divisions" There is also a review by Kira O'Day to discuss the implications of the findings.  Understanding this sort of developmental and epigenetic signaling is important to better know how fungi adjust and interact with their... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=993229 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 05:08:28 +0100 993229