Project description:Mammalian feces can be collected non-invasively during field research and provides valuable information on the ecology and evolution of the host individuals. Undigested food objects, genome/metagenome, steroid hormones, and stable isotopes obtained from fecal samples provide evidence on diet, host/symbiont genetics, and physiological status of the individuals. However, proteins in mammalian feces have hardly been studied, which hampers the molecular investigations into the behavior and physiology of the host individuals. Here, we apply mass spectrometry-based proteomics to fecal samples (n = 10) that were collected from infant, juvenile, and adult captive Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) to describe the proteomes of the host, food, and intestinal microbes. The results show that fecal proteomics is a useful method to investigate dietary changes along with breastfeeding and weaning, to reveal the organ/tissue and taxonomy of dietary items, and to estimate physiological status inside intestinal tracts. These types of insights are difficult or impossible to obtain through other molecular approaches. Most mammalian species are facing extinction risk and there is an urgent need to obtain knowledge on their ecology and evolution for better conservation strategy. The fecal proteomics framework we present here is easily applicable to wild settings and other mammalian species, and provides direct evidence of their behavior and physiology.
Project description:GC-MS single quad metabolomes of fecal samples from 101 individual animals from 25 mammalian species, in collaboration with a zoo. Includes fecal samples, dietary samples, and quality control samples. See linked datasets: MSV000086131, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA693262/
Reference: Gregor, R., Probst, M., Eyal, S. et al. Mammalian gut metabolomes mirror microbiome composition and host phylogeny. ISME J (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-021-01152-0
Project description:A subset of post-infection irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) patients have elevated, or high fecal proteolytic activity (PA). Fecal PA has been shown to correlate with increased symptom severity as well as lower quality of life scores, increased fecal output and increased intestinal permeability. To address the underlying mechanisms of barrier disruption as a consequence of high fecal PA, colonic biopsies were collected from healthy individuals PI-IBS patients (n=11). Individuals diagnosed with PI-IBS were further divided in to 2 subgroups, high PA and low PA as defined by the PA in matched fecal samples. RNA was extracted from the biopsies for bulk RNA sequencing to understand transcriptional differences between healthy and high PA PI-IBS patients as well as high PA and Low PA PI-IBS patients.
Project description:Metabolomics data collected for high biomass fecal and saliva samples on quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer to validate a standardized method for sample accession, DNA and metabolite extraction using single tubes (Matrix tubes).
Project description:Piezo1 is a stretch-gated ion channel required for mechanosensation in many organ systems. Recent provocative findings describe a new role for Piezo1 in the gut, suggesting that it is a sensor of microbial single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) rather than mechanical force. If true, this would redefine the scope of Piezo biology. Here, we sought to replicate the central finding that fecal ssRNA is a natural agonist of Piezo1. While we observed that fecal extracts and ssRNA stimulate calcium influx in certain cell lines, this response was independent of Piezo1. Additionally, sterilized dietary extracts devoid of gut biome RNA showed similar cell line-specific stimulatory activity to fecal extracts. Together, our data highlight potential confounds inherent to gut-derived extracts, exclude Piezo1 as a receptor for ssRNA in the gut, and support a dedicated role for Piezo channels in mechanosensing.
Project description:Daily quantitative microbiome profiling on 713 fecal samples from 20 Belgian women over six weeks, combined with extensive anthropometric measurements, blood panels, dietary data, and stool characteristics.
Project description:Prevalence of obesity and associated diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are increasing. Underlying mechanisms, especially in humans, are unclear. Bariatric surgery provides the unique opportunity to obtain biopsies and portal vein blood-samples.
Methods
The BARIA Study aims to assess how microbiota and their metabolites affect transcription in key tissues and clinical outcome in obese subjects and how baseline anthropometric and metabolic characteristics determine weight loss and glucose homeostasis after bariatric surgery. We phenotype patients undergoing bariatric surgery (predominantly laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass), before weight loss, with biometrics, dietary and psychological questionnaires, mixed meal test (MMT) and collect fecal-samples and intra-operative biopsies from liver, adipose tissues and jejunum. We aim to include 1500 patients. A subset (approximately 25%) will undergo intra-operative portal vein blood-sampling. Fecal-samples are analyzed with shotgun metagenomics and targeted metabolomics, fasted and postprandial plasma-samples are subjected to metabolomics, and RNA is extracted from the tissues for RNAseq-analyses. Data will be integrated using state-of-the-art neuronal networks and metabolic modeling. Patient follow-up will be ten years.