Project description:These samples are a part of a study investigating microbial responses to cover crop root exudates. We utilized 4 cover crop species (each with unique root exudate profiles), collected the pure root exudates, and applied them to soil mirocosms. metaG, metaT, metaP, and targeted and untargeted metabolomics were applied to assess the microbial responses.
Project description:These samples are a part of a study investigating microbial responses to cover crop root exudates. We utilized 4 cover crop species (each with unique root exudate profiles), collected the pure root exudates, and applied them to soil mirocosms. metaG, metaT, metaP, and targeted and untargeted metabolomics were applied to assess the microbial responses.
Project description:Drosophila melanogaster was used to investigate the influence of microbiota-derived intestinal flora and its metabolites on host transcriptional regulation by adding sodium butyrate to a sterile diet for constructing a sterile Drosophila model. In order to further investigate the effects of sodium butyrate on Drosophila melanogaster at the molecular mechanism level, we detected the abundance and composition of midgut microbial colonies based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, and analyzed the overall structure and metabolic activities of host transcriptional networks by combining transcriptome and non-target metabolomics data.
Project description:Integrating Metagenomics and Metabolomics to Study the Gut Microbiome and Host Relationship in Sports Across Different Energy Systems
Project description:The gut microbiome is an emerging factor in the neurobiology of disease. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity is essential for proper brain function. However, the role the initial microbiome plays in BBB and brain development is unclear. In this study, we colonized germ-free pregnant mice with human full-term- or preterm-infant-derived gut microbiota, thereby establishing these communities in the resulting offspring. We discovered that mice harboring a full-term-associated microbiome exhibited stronger memory and learning capabilities and dramatically decreased early-life BBB permeability when compared to those with a prematurity-associated microbiome. Whole-brain single-cell RNA sequencing revealed downregulation of synaptic signaling genes in BBB cell types of mice with the prematurity-associated microbiome, indicating that microbiome maturity influences BBB transcriptional programs that support cognitive development. Comprehensive metagenomics and metabolomics uncovered bacterial populations and genomic pathways corresponding with decreased levels of circulating long-chain acylcarnitines and lysophosphatidylcholines in mice with the full-term-associated microbiome. Our findings highlight the microbiome as a therapeutic target for improving long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes due to its effect on the early-life BBB.
Project description:Molecular pathology of Colorectal Cancer: Investigating the role of novel molecular profiles, microRNA’s and their targets in Colorectal Cancer progression
Project description:Despite the existence of a number of studies investigating the effect of insect meal on the growth performance of broilers, knowledge about the metabolic effects of insect meal in broilers is still scarce. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of partial replacement of soybean meal with Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae meal on the liver transcriptome, the plasma metabolome and the cecal microbiome in broilers. For the study, 72 male one-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were divided into three groups (n = 12) and fed three different diets with either 0% (HI0), 7.5% (HI7.5) or 15% (HI15) defatted HI meal for 35 d. While body weight (BW) gain, feed intake, and feed:gain ratio did not differ between groups, breast muscle weight, carcass yield and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of 12 amino acids were higher in group HI15 than in group HI0 (P > 0.05). Indicators of α-diversity (Chao1 and Observed) in the cecal digesta were higher in groups HI15 and HI7.5 than in group HI0 (P < 0.05). The abundance of 5 families and 18 genera, all of which belonged to the Firmicutes phylum, in the cecal digesta differed among groups (P < 0.05). Concentrations of butyric acid, valeric acid and isobutyric acid in the cecal digesta were lower in group HI15 than in the other two groups (P > 0.05), whereas those of total and other short-chain fatty acids were not different between groups. Liver transcriptomics revealed a total of 70 and 61 differentially expressed transcripts between groups HI15 vs. HI0 and between groups HI7.5 vs HI0, respectively, (P > 0.05). Targeted metabolomics identified 138 metabolites, most of which were triglyceride species, being different between the three groups (FDR < 0.05). According to this study, dietary inclusion of HI larvae meal has no detrimental impact but increases breast muscle weight and carcass weight in broilers suggesting that HI larvae meal can be recommended as a sustainable alternative protein source for broilers.