The organization and connections of the primary visual area (V1) were examined in mice that lacked functional rods (Gnat-/-), but had normal cone function. Because mice are nocturnal and rely almost exclusively on rod vision for normal behaviors, the Gnat-/- mice used in the present study are considered functionally blind. Our goal was to determine if visual cortex is reorganized in these mice,...

Leishmania parasites replicate within the phagolysosome compartment of mammalian macrophages. Although Leishmania depend on sugars as a major carbon source during infections, the nutrient composition of the phagolysosome remains poorly described. To determine the origin of the sugar carbon source in macrophage phagolysosomes, we have generated a N-acetylglucosamine acetyltransferase (GNAT) defi...

The microcolonial black fungus Cryomyces antarcticus is an extremophile organism growing on and in rock in the Antarctic desert. Ecological plasticity and stress tolerance make it a perfect model organism for astrobiology. 2D-gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry were performed to explore the protein repertoire, which allows the fungus to survive in the harsh environment. Only...

Aureobasidium pullulans, popularly known as black yeast, is one of the most widespread saprophytic fungus associated with wide range of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The fungus has widely been employed in production of an economically important polysaccharide pullulan. Total 50 isolates of Aureobasidium pullulans were isolated from different flowers and leaves samples, out of which 10 therm...

Morphological and DNA sequence characteristics of a pathogenic fungus isolated from branch cankers in Proteaceae of the South West Australian Floristic Region elucidated a new genus and species within Cryphonectriaceae (Diaporthales). The pathogen has been isolated from canker lesions in several Banksia species and Lambertia echinata subsp. citrina, and is associated with a serious decline of t...

During lichenicolous fungal studies in India, lichen genus Ochrolechia was found infected with a black lirellate fungus. Critical microscopical examination of the fungus revealed that it is new species Labrocarpon , which differs from L. canariense having narrow exciple (15.0–20.0 µm vs 20.0–50.0 thick), 4-spored asci, 1-septate to submuriform, constricted ascospores larger l/w value [(2.5–)2.9...

Mucormycosis is a disease caused by the fungi belonging to order mucorales which affects mainly immunocompromised patients. These are found in soil and decomposition of plants animals from sporangiospores released air then inhaled resulting infection based on host resistance. The cases increasing conditions with malnutrition, diabetes, steroid therapy acidosis. After aspergillosis candidiasis, ...

Melanin is a black pigment widely distributed across the kingdoms, from bacterial to human. The filamentous fungus Alternaria alternata is a typical 'black fungus', which produces melanin in its hyphal and especially its asexual spore cell walls. Its biosynthesis follows the dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) pathway with 1,8-DHN as an intermediate. Two genes, encoding a polyketide synthase (pksA) and ...

Fungus-growing ants (Attini: Formicidae) engage in an obligate mutualism with fungi they cultivate for food. Although biologists have been fascinated with fungus-growing ants since the resurgence of natural history in the modern era, the early stages of research focused mainly on the foraging behavior of the leaf-cutters (the most derived attine lineage). Indeed, the discovery that the ants act...