Abstract: The present invention provides an agent that modulates physiological condition of pests, wherein the agent has an ability to modulate the activity of an insect voltage-gated potassium channel; a method for assaying pesticidal activity of a test substance, which comprises measuring the activity of a voltage-gated potassium channel in a reaction system in which the voltage-gated potassium channel contacts with a test substance, and so on.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences, particularly those of SEQ ID NO's 2, 7 and 9 that encode and may be used to express amino acid sequences that are useful in the identification and development of compounds for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. The invention also relates to the amino acid sequences—such as proteins and/or polypeptides—that are encoded by, and that may be obtained by suitable expression of, the nucleotide sequences of the invention, particularly those set out in SEQ ID NO's 1, 6 and 8. The invention further relates to genetic constructs, host cells and organisms that have been transformed with the nucleotide sequences of the invention and that can express the amino acid sequences of the invention and methods and compositions which utilize the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with the identification of genes or functional fragments thereof from Candida albicans which are critical for growth and cell division and which genes may be used as selective drug targets to treat Candida albicans associated infections. Novel nucleic acid sequences from Candida albicans are also provided and which encode the polypeptides which are critical for growth of Candida albicans. Methods for the identification of anti-fungal compounds which inhibit fungal or yeast growth are also contemplated.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods for controlling fungus infestation via dsRNA mediated gene silencing, whereby the intact fungus cell(s) are contacted with a double-stranded RNA from outside the fungal cell(s) and whereby the double-stranded RNA is taken up by the intact fungal cell(s). In one particular embodiment, the methods of the invention are used to alleviate plants from fungus pests. Alternatively, the methods are used for treating and/or preventing fungal infestation on a substrate or a subject in need of such treatment and/or prevention. Suitable fungal target genes and fragments thereof, dsRNA constructs, recombinant constructs and compositions are disclosed.