Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Cell 2021 Apr 4. Epub 2021 Apr 4.

Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713GZ, the Netherlands. Electronic address:

By following up the gut microbiome, 51 human phenotypes and plasma levels of 1,183 metabolites in 338 individuals after 4 years, we characterize microbial stability and variation in relation to host physiology. Using these individual-specific and temporally stable microbial profiles, including bacterial SNPs and structural variations, we develop a microbial fingerprinting method that shows up to 85% accuracy in classifying metagenomic samples taken 4 years apart. Application of our fingerprinting method to the independent HMP cohort results in 95% accuracy for samples taken 1 year apart. Read More

Enzymes 2020 12;48:243-275. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Department of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States. Electronic address:

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) are a family of essential "housekeeping" enzymes ubiquitous in the three major domains of life. ARSs uniquely connect the essential minimal units of both major oligomer classes-the 3-nucleotide codons of oligonucleotides and the amino acids of proteins. They catalyze the esterification of amino acids to the 3'-end of cognate transfer RNAs (tRNAs) bearing the correct anticodon triplet to ensure accurate transfer of information from mRNA to protein according to the genetic code. Read More

Nat Commun 2021 Apr 9;12(1):2130. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Institute of Medical Biology, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.

Mito-SEPs are small open reading frame-encoded peptides that localize to the mitochondria to regulate metabolism. Motivated by an intriguing negative association between mito-SEPs and inflammation, here we screen for mito-SEPs that modify inflammatory outcomes and report a mito-SEP named "Modulator of cytochrome C oxidase during Inflammation" (MOCCI) that is upregulated during inflammation and infection to promote host-protective resolution. MOCCI, a paralog of the NDUFA4 subunit of cytochrome C oxidase (Complex IV), replaces NDUFA4 in Complex IV during inflammation to lower mitochondrial membrane potential and reduce ROS production, leading to cyto-protection and dampened immune response. Read More

Appl Environ Microbiol 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Italy

Acyl coenzyme A (CoA) binding protein (ACBP), also called diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI) is a phylogenetically conserved protein that is expressed by all eukaryotic species as well as by some bacteria. Since elevated ACBP/DBI levels play a major role in the inhibition of autophagy, increase in appetite and lipoanabolism that accompany obesity, we wondered whether ACBP/DBI produced by the human microbiome might affect host weight. We found that the genomes of bacterial commensals rarely contain ACBP/DBI homologues, which are rather encoded by genomes of some pathogenic or environmental taxa that were not prevalent in human feces. Read More

Microbiome 2021 Apr 9;9(1):85. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

The Rowland Institute at Harvard, Harvard University, 100 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.

Background: The life cycles of many insect species include an obligatory or facultative diapause stage with arrested development and low metabolic activity as an overwintering strategy. Diapause is characterised by profound physiological changes in endocrine activity, cell proliferation and nutrient metabolism. However, little is known regarding host-microbiome interactions during diapause, despite the importance of bacterial symbionts for host nutrition and development. Read More