Project description:Microbiome DNA from the adhering fraction of a sheep rumen. The RSTs were generated using an improved version of SARST (referred to as iSARST) from the microbiome DNA extracted from the adhering fraction of the rumen content taken from a sheep. The iSARST method is going to be submitted to Nature Biotechnology for publication. Keywords: other
Project description:The gut microbiome is a malleable microbial community that can remodel in response to various factors, including diet, and contribute to the development of several chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis. We devised an in vitro screening protocol of the mouse gut microbiome to discover molecules that can selectively modify bacterial growth. This approach was used to identify cyclic D,L-α-peptides that remodeled the Western diet (WD) gut microbiome toward the low-fat-diet microbiome state. Daily oral administration of the peptides in WD-fed LDLr-/- mice reduced plasma total cholesterol levels and atherosclerotic plaques. Depletion of the microbiome with antibiotics abrogated these effects. Peptide treatment reprogrammed the microbiome transcriptome, suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β), rebalanced levels of short-chain fatty acids and bile acids, improved gut barrier integrity and increased intestinal T regulatory cells. Directed chemical manipulation provides an additional tool for deciphering the chemical biology of the gut microbiome and might advance microbiome-targeted therapeutics.
Project description:Microbiome DNA from the adhering fraction of a sheep rumen. The RSTs were generated using an improved version of SARST (referred to as iSARST) from the microbiome DNA extracted from the adhering fraction of the rumen content taken from a sheep. The iSARST method is going to be submitted to Nature Biotechnology for publication. Keywords: other
Project description:Investigation of the cellular adjustments required for life on air by M. gorgona MG08, M. rosea SV97, and M. palsarum NE2 by comparing the proteomes of the three strains when exposed to air (~1.9 p.p.m.v. CH4) and when exposed to high CH4 concentrations (~1000 p.p.m.v. CH4) in air
Project description:Skin bacteria impact melanoma related pathways Melanoma represents the most lethal form of skin cancer, with rising numbers of annual incidences worldwide. In an effort to identify new risk factors that promote melanoma development, the contribution of the skin microbiome gained increasing attention. Previous studies already demonstrated an altered composition of the skin microbiome on melanoma sites. Yet, the underlying mechanisms of the interplay between the microbiome and melanoma progression remain elusive. We established a novel co-culture system capable to study host microbiome interactions during melanoma progression in situ. This system consists of a commercial 3D melanoma skin model colonized with skin bacteria obtained from a skin swab of a healthy volunteer. The models showed a stable co-colonization over a period of 12 days, with Streptococcus being the most abundant genus on the last day of cultivation. Transcriptome profiles revealed significant differences in colonized models compared to control. In particular, pathways involved in melanoma progression, like RAF/MAP and PI3K kinase, were upregulated in colonized models. This correlates with the augmented release of the cytokines VEGF, PIGF, and GM-CSF as well as the typical melanoma markers MIA and S100B. Furthermore, the data were supported by an active epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colonized skin models. Taken together, the bacterial community seems to promote the progression of melanoma in our established system, hence we provide an elegant method to elucidate the microbiome’s impact on cancer development in situ.