Tag Archives: yeast

Studying potential endocrine disrupting chemicals: comparison of yeast and human cell-based in vitro assays

The production of chemicals for agricultural and industrial use, cosmetics or food additives is steadily increasing. To protect the environment and human health against the potential risks arising from these man-made chemicals, the authorities introduced several programs

Yarrowia lipolytica: how a yeast becomes a workhorse for biotechnology

Yarrowia lipolytica is a yeast species belonging to the Ascomycota fungi phylum (like the well-known baker’s and brewer’s yeasts, both from Saccharomyces cerevisiae species). This innocuous yeast can be found in a large range of ecosystems (soils,

Oral microorganisms: how do they communicate?

Many oral diseases are related to the interaction between microorganisms in the oral cavity.  These microbial interactions are necessarily associated with the development of dental plaque and can lead to oral diseases including dental caries and perhaps

Over-expression of TRX2 reduces p53-mediated cell death in yeast

The p53 gene is a human tumor suppressor which is involved in cell cycle regulation. It has an efficient ability to inhibit cell proliferation, by both blocking cell cycle progression and promoting apoptotic cell death in order

How do microorganisms survive in extreme conditions?

You may have taught how extreme regions like glaciers, mountains, and deep oceans are habitats for many organisms including bacteria, archaea, algae, and yeasts as well as glaciers ice worms, plants and animals. These organisms survive in

Osmoregulation in phytopathogenic fungi

Osmosis is a phenomenon in which water moves always from higher to lower chemical potential, commonly towards the area with higher solute concentration. Living cells are semi-closed systems with membranes permeable for water but not for many

A better understanding of cell division by combining mathematical modeling and experimentation

The cell division cycle is the process by which a growing cell replicates its genome and partitions the two copies of each chromosome to two daughter cells at division. It is of utmost importance to the perpetuation

Cold denaturation

Most proteins can be thought like beady chains which form compact well-ordered coils whose surface protects the greasy-like interior from the contact with water molecules. We are studying what are the forces which keep the coil compact.

Yeasts have a toolbox for modification of hyaluronan

Hyaluronan, or hyaluronic acid, is a high molecular weight polysaccharide, which is abundant in the extracellular matrix of soft connective tissues, and is an important constituent of humans’ body. Molecules of hyaluronan play many biological roles. Enzymes,

Yeasts make your life sweet!

Recently was found that the low-calorie sweetener Erythritol might be produced from waste by special species of yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica. Erythritol is natural, tastes almost exactly like table sugar, but it does not cause obesity. Erythritol belongs