Monthly Archives: June 2010

New 2009 Impact Factor

A few days ago, ISI Thomson released the 2009 Impact Factor report.  I don’t place too much credence on isolated Impact Factors, but they are worth considering in the context of other data.  Based on the 2009 release,  Retroviirology continues to be positioned firmly in second place amongst virology journals that publish original research.  We… Read more »

Biology

Active DNA demethylation

In an article recently published in Genome Biology, Michael Rehli and colleagues of the University Hospital Regensburg have identified novel examples of active DNA demethylation that are coupled to the appearance of ‘activating’ histone modifications. Until now, the majority of evidence for active, replication-independent DNA demethylation in mammalian systems has relied upon inhibiting cell division… Read more »

Biology

Optimal engineering for yeast lignocellulose conversion

Evolutionary engineers have created a new strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that can ferment ethanol from the agricultural and timber waste feedstock, lignocellulose. Rosa Garcia Sanchez and co-workers accelerated the evolution of the yeast, by applying selection pressure in continuous culture, to arrive at an organism capable of complete conversion of the pentose sugars, xylose and… Read more »

Biology

Optimal engineering for yeast lignocellulose conversion

Evolutionary engineers have created a new strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that can ferment ethanol from the agricultural and timber waste feedstock, lignocellulose. Rosa Garcia Sanchez and co-workers accelerated the evolution of the yeast, by applying selection pressure in continuous culture, to arrive at an organism capable of complete conversion of the pentose sugars, xylose and… Read more »

Biology