Barry Shane

Folate and one-carbon metabolism play a central role in cellular physiology because they are intimately involved in the control of purine, pyrimidine, and glutathione synthesis, as well as the methylation of DNA, histones and a host of other key cellular components. Deficiencies in folate metabolism have been associated with a wide range of diseases and pathologies such as anemia, spina bifida, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Professor, Plant and Microbial Biology John W. Taylor has been on the Berkeley faculty since 1980, initially in botany and then, in 1989, as a founding member of CNR’s Department of Plant and Microbial Biology. Although trained as a cytologist, at Berkeley Taylor helped initiate the use of DNA to study fungal evolution.

Background: Changes in tryptophan metabolism through the vitamin B-6–dependent kynurenine pathway have been linked to activation of the immune system. Objective: We hypothesized that blood concentrations of tryptophan and its catabolites were associated with biomarkers relevant to inflammatory processes in healthy noninflamed subjects.