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Microbiology

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Papers in Microbiology

2003

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Phenotype Of The Triplo-Lethal Locus Of Drosophila Melanogaster And Its Suppression By Hyperoxia, Laura K. Smoyer, Douglas R. Dorer, Kenneth W. Nickerson, Alan C. Christensen Dec 2003

Phenotype Of The Triplo-Lethal Locus Of Drosophila Melanogaster And Its Suppression By Hyperoxia, Laura K. Smoyer, Douglas R. Dorer, Kenneth W. Nickerson, Alan C. Christensen

Papers in Microbiology

The Triplo-lethal locus (Tpl) of Drosophila is both triplo-lethal and haploinsufficient, but the function of the locus is unknown. We have examined Tpl-aneuploid embryos and find that, in both trisomics and monosomics, the midgut shows extensive cell death and the tracheae are abnormal. Shortly thereafter, all tissues die. PCR-based genotyping of individual embryos and larvae show that this phenotype occurs in the trisomics after hatching and in the monosomics before hatching. Weak alleles of the interacting gene Su(Tpl) delay the death of Tpl trisomics, but they still show the same tracheal and midgut phenotypes before dying. Hyperoxia (45% oxygen) …


Farnesol Biosynthesis In Candida Albicans: Cellular Response To Sterol Inhibition By Zaragozic Acid B, Jacob M. Hornby, Bessie W. Kebaara, Kenneth W. Nickerson Jul 2003

Farnesol Biosynthesis In Candida Albicans: Cellular Response To Sterol Inhibition By Zaragozic Acid B, Jacob M. Hornby, Bessie W. Kebaara, Kenneth W. Nickerson

Papers in Microbiology

The dimorphic fungus Candida albicans produces farnesol as a quorum-sensing molecule that regulates cellular morphology. The biosynthetic origin of farnesol has been resolved by treating these cells with zaragozic acid B, a potent inhibitor of squalene synthase in the sterol biosynthetic pathway. Treatment with zaragozic acid B leads to an eightfold increase in the amount of farnesol produced by C. albicans. Furthermore, C. albicans cell extracts contain enzymatic activity to convert [3H]farnesyl pyrophosphate to [3H]farnesol. Many common antifungal antibiotics (e.g., zaragozic acids, azoles, and allylamines) target steps in sterol biosynthesis. We suggest that the fungicidal …