( From garden compost to forest greenery...)Breaking the mold: Research teams sequence three fungus genomes

Now, in the December 22 issue of the journal Nature, scientists at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) and their collaborators report the mold's sequenced genome. The genome could lead researchers to A. fumigatus genes with the potential to generate better diagnostics and treatment for fungal infection. "This genome sequence is going to be central for developing tools for effectively managing A. fumigatus infections as they become more prevalent in the aging population," predicts first author William Nierman, a microbiologist at TIGR.

Nierman co-authored two additional Aspergillus genome papers in the same issue of Nature. One describes a genome project on Aspergillus oryzae, a nonpathogenic food industry workhorse that has produced sake (rice wine), miso (soybean paste), and shoyu (soy sauce) for 2,000 years. The third paper reports the genome sequence of model organism Aspergillus nidulans and compares the organism to A. oryzae and A. fumigatus. The work was carried out collaboratively at several institutions in the U.S., U.K., Spain, Japan, France, Brazil, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. David Denning of the University of Manchester coordinated the projects.

Unlike most fungi, A. fumigatus likes it hot--and hotter. The fungus enjoys an unusual range of temperatures. At home in the compost heap, A. fumigatus tolerates temperatures up to 70 degrees Celsius. The fungus becomes a human pathogen because it's perfectly comfortable at body temperature, 37 degrees C. Altering ambient temperatures in the lab, TIGR scientists tracked gene activity, documenting different
'"/>

Source:The Institute for Genomic Research