Genetics news | Genetics news

auto insurance mortgage refinance car insurance quotes Accounting Schools & Degrees Online Colleges in Chicago Illinois Colleges in Florida Online Masters Degrees Online MBA Programs University of Phoenix Online Information ADT Security Systems & Alarms VNUS Closure - Treatment of Varicose Veins Fashion Design Schools Interior Design Schools & Colleges Online Masters Degree Programs Motorcycle Mechanics Institute Automotive Schools Swimming Pool Contractors & Builders Online Degrees & Colleges Interior Design Schools TOP HOME NEWS SPORTS OPINIONS ARTS WEATHER CALENDAR CLASSIFIEDS MAGAZINE SCI-HEALTH Web Features About Us Contact Us Links Back Issues About RSS Feeds Copyright © 2006 Collegian Inc.

Updated: 2006-3-27 23:12:10 -5 Requested: 2006-3-28 4:59:26 -4Created: 2006-3-27 23:12:10 -5 ...

Department of Energy and the U.S.

Department of Agriculture set a vision to slash 30 percent of the country’s current petroleum consumption by 2030.

Such an ambitious plan would require the use of biomass — which includes crops, manure and plant waste — to supply 5 percent of the nation’s power, 20 percent of its transportation fuels, and 25 percent of its chemicals.

“Production of chemicals and materials from bio-based products will increase substantially from approximately 12.5 billion pounds or 5 percent of the current production of target U.S.

chemical commodities in 2001, to 12 percent in 2010, 18 percent in 2020, and 25 percent in 2030,” the report stated as of its main objectives.This is where OBIC comes in.

The Center is bringing new technology to accelerate research in the areas of plant OBIC is also planning to build a feedstock proc...

It does the job by targeting an enzyme called InhA.

Trying to improve upon isoniazid, the Einstein researchers synthesized more than a dozen chemical "decoys" for InhA to latch onto, to prevent the enzyme from catalyzing its normal cell-wall-building reaction.

Two of these decoy chemicals, 2-HA and 2-OA, proved much more potent than isoniazid at killing the bacteria-but not in the way the researchers expected.

"We were surprised to find that 2-HA and 2-OA were actually being metabolized in mycobacteria into two different drugs, each of which inhibits a different biochemical pathway," says Dr.

Catherine Vilchhze, a study co-author in Dr.

Jacobs' laboratory.

"The pathways that they block - fatty acid and mycolic acid synthesis and fatty acid degradation - are essential for bacterial survival, and this combined inhibition had a powerful effect against the microbes.

To our knowledge, this is the first example of an antibacterial compound that inhibits several pathways to achieve its effect." The Einstein researchers are now trying to improve on the potency of 2-HA and 2-OA by synthesizing analogues (chemically similar compounds) to them.

"We're hopeful that these new compounds will prove even more toxic to TB bacteria and could help usher in a new era of TB...