Project description:Cancer cachexia has been linked to gut bacterial alterations, but alterations of gut viruses, mostly bacteriophages, have not yet been explored. We performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing of DNA from stool samples of 78 cachectic and 42 non-cachectic cancer patients. K-mer-based matching to reference databases revealed abundance variations of bacteria and viruses. Beyond bacterial alterations, cachectic patients exhibited significantly lower bacteriophage abundance, predominantly affecting Caudovirales and Siphoviridae species (double-stranded DNA) but also Inoviridae and Microviridae families (single-stranded DNA).
Project description:Some insects can redirect plant development to form unique organs called galls, which provide these insects with unique, enhanced food and protection from enemies and the elements. Many galls resemble flowers or fruits, suggesting that elements of reproductive development may be involved. We addressed this possibility using RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to quantify the transcriptional responses of wild grapevine (Vitis riparia Michx.) leaves to a galling parasite, phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae (Fitch 1855)). If development of reproductive structures is part of gall formation, we expected to find significantly elevated expression of genes involved in flower and/or fruit development in developing galls as opposed to ungalled leaves. We found that reproductive gene ontology classes were significantly enriched in developing galls, and that expression of many putative genes involved in flower formation was significantly increased, particularly in later gall stages. The patterns of gene expression found in galls suggest that phylloxera exploits vascular cambium to provide meristematic tissue and redirects leaf development towards formation of carpels. The phylloxera leaf gall, and perhaps other similar galls, appears to be phenotypically and transcriptionally convergent on the plant carpel.
Project description:The human gut is colonized by trillions of microorganisms that influence human health and disease through the metabolism of xenobiotics, including therapeutic drugs and antibiotics. The diversity and metabolic potential of the human gut microbiome have been extensively characterized, but it remains unclear which microorganisms are active and which perturbations can influence this activity. Here, we use flow cytometry, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and metatranscriptomics to demonstrate that the human gut contains distinctive subsets of active and damaged microorganisms, primarily composed of Firmicutes, which display marked temporal variation. Short-term exposure to a panel of xenobiotics resulted in significant changes in the physiology and gene expression of this active microbiome. Xenobiotic-responsive genes were found across multiple bacterial phyla, encoding novel candidate proteins for antibiotic resistance, drug metabolism, and stress response. These results demonstrate the power of moving beyond DNA-based measurements of microbial communities to better understand their physiology and metabolism. RNA-Seq analysis of the human gut microbiome during exposure to antibiotics and therapeutic drugs.