Genome analysis will reveal how bacteria in our guts make themselves at home
2011-06-30
(Press-News.org) Researchers from the Institute of Food Research and The Genome Analysis Centre have published the genome sequence of a gut bacterium, to help understand how these organisms evolved their symbiotic relationships with their hosts.
The relationship between gut bacteria and the gastrointestinal tract is one of IFR's main research areas. Key to understanding the role of bacteria in establishing and maintaining gut health is knowledge of how the very close relationship between the bacteria and their hosts has evolved to be mutually beneficial to both.
One bacterial species, Lactobacillus reuteri, has been used as a model for studies in this area, and TGAC, a partner of IFR on the Norwich Research Park, has sequenced its genome, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The collaboration between the two institutes will provide new insights into the genomic basis for host adaptation of L. reuteri to the gut.
L. reuteri inhabits the gastrointestinal tract from a large host range, from humans to rodents and birds. Previous work had shown that each host species has its own subpopulation of L. reuteri strains. These strains differ slightly, and are host specific, and the differences between them are driven by evolutionary pressures from the host.
In close collaboration with IFR scientists, TGAC sequenced and assembled the genome of a L. reuteri strain obtained from pig to a high quality draft standard and also provided a full annotation. The annotation is needed to identify which genes carry out which functions in the sequence. Comparisons between different strains of L. reuteri, which have already been made available in the major international sequence databases, helped identify a set of genes unique to this particular strain.
The IFR and TGAC researchers are now hoping to use this information to elucidate exactly what it is that restricts certain L. reuteri strains to specific hosts.
L. reuteri confers certain health benefits, and has a role in modulating the immune system. A greater understanding of how L. reuteri host adaptation will help in efforts to exploit these health benefits, for example in the production of new probiotics.
The gastrointestinal tract contains many millions of bacteria, known collectively as the microbiota. IFR is also developing a model microbiota that is representative of the human colonic microbiota. This will become a powerful tool for investigating the function and interplay of the microbiota within the gastrointestinal system. It will also become an integral part of studies investigating the extent, diversity and function of metabolic diversity in the microbiota.
INFORMATION:
Reference: Genome sequence of a vertebrate gut symbiont Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 53608, Heavens et al, Journal of Bacteriology doi:10.1128/JB.05282-11
END
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2011-06-30
Bethesda, MD—Adult stem cells and progenitor cells may not come with a clean genetic slate after all. That's because a new report in the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) shows that adult stem or progenitor cells have their own unique "epigenetic signatures," which change once a cell differentiates. This is important because epigenetic changes do not affect the actual make up in a cell's DNA, but rather, how that DNA functions. Epigenetic changes have been shown to play a role in a wide range of diseases, including obesity, and have been shown to be heritable from mother ...
2011-06-30
For the third straight year, MARK SYSTEMS has been named as one of the most influential technology providers in the residential construction marketplace.
Mark Systems was included as one of the Constructech 50, the third year in a row that the Constructech Magazine has selected the company. Companies are judged on a variety of criteria , including having a strong product/service aimed at the construction industry, ongoing customer satisfaction and growth, as well as outreach and educational efforts for the construction industry, among others.
According to the editors ...
2011-06-30
Bethesda, MD—If you think nicotine receptors are only important to smokers trying to kick the tobacco habit, think again. New research published in the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) suggests that these receptors also play an important role in social interaction and the ability to choose between competing motivations. Specifically, scientists from France show that the nicotinic receptors in the prefrontal cortex are essential for social interaction in mice and that this area of the brain is necessary for adapted and balanced social interactions to occur. This new ...
2011-06-30
High frequency non-ionizing radiation, emitted by mobile phones, is redundantly matter of discussions. The effects of high frequency electromagnetic fields (HEFs) derived from mobile phones have been discussed since the 1950's. Neuroscientists from Bochum were now able to elucidate this question. For the first time, they provide proof that extremely high-powered electromagnetic fields (EMFs) indeed influence learning processes on the synaptic level within the brain, independent from other factors like stress. "For this effect, very high values are necessary. These do not ...
2011-06-30
Bethesda, MD—A sizzling genetic discovery by Chinese scientists may one day allow pig tissue to be transplanted successfully into humans. Their research presented in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology (http://www.jleukbio.org) represents a major step forward toward filling the shortage of vital organs for human transplantation. At the core of their work, they showed that altering or overexpressing the human programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) molecule in the endothelial cells of pig arteries reduces the conditions that lead to rejection. This strongly suggests that humans could ...
2011-06-30
Ground-level ozone is an air pollutant that harms humans and plants. Both climate and weather play a major role in ozone damage to plants. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now shown that climate change has the potential to significantly increase the risk of ozone damage to plants in northern and central Europe by the end of this century.
"The increased risk of ozone damage to vegetation is mainly due to rising ozone concentrations and higher temperatures in the future," says Jenny Klingberg at the University of Gothenburg's Department of Plant ...
2011-06-30
harlequins enigma toss their wizard robes with the release of dance album Octagon Volume 2 -- Night Pulse and the silhouette of Dr. Voodoo - out on CDBaby now. The album has been worked on mainly in harlequins enigma's home studio, but they used a helping hand on a difficult track. Guest starring artists on Octagon Version 2 is: Jean Michel Jarre, DJ Tiesto, Emma Watson, Katie Leung, Sara Jensen, Stale Riisnes, Jan reidar riisnes, svein tore hindenes & elin berge. full track index will be put up on our homepage asap.
The full distribution package means the album ...
2011-06-30
Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, have identified a series of novel proteins in human cerebrospinal fluid. The proteins, which carry specific sugar molecules, are found in greater concentrations in patients with dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease than in patients with dementia caused by other diseases. This gives hope for new forms of treatment in the future.
Göran Larson is a professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy and one of the authors of the article published in the revered journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA ...
2011-06-30
Milan, Italy, 30 June 2011 – Differences in male and female behaviour are often subject to study. Women are known to be more verbally fluent, have better manual dexterity and are better at noticing things (like a new haircut). Men on the other hand often take less time parking their cars and have less trouble than women in navigating in a new city. The latter capacities, in which men tend to excel, are known as visuo-spatial abilities. A new study has demonstrated that men have a similar advantage in their hearing. The findings are published in the June 2011 issue of Elsevier's ...
2011-06-30
Four patients now have new lungs thanks to a purpose-built machine used for the first time worldwide by Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Acquired for research at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, the new machine will contribute to more lung transplants in the long term.
Built by a company in Lund, the machine is used to assess and treat the function of donors' lungs before transplantation. While the lungs of many donors are of good quality, some can swell on account of the fluid that gathers in them, rendering them unsuitable for transplantation.
...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] Genome analysis will reveal how bacteria in our guts make themselves at home
