Project description:Abusive head trauma (AHT) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in infants. We explored novel AHT biomarkers via untargeted proteomics of peripheral postmortem blood (PMB) specimens collected during medico-legal autopsies of infants. The panel of PMB biomarkers was confirmed in antemortem serum samples as a potential signature capable of being applied to living patients to support AHT screening and improve their prognosis through early medical care.
Project description:N-glycosylation is one of the most abundant and conserved protein modifications in eukaryotes. This modification serves various important functions, such as protein folding and cellular attachment, but also modulation of a protein’s function. Recently, it has been shown that N-glycosylation of proteins plays a vital role in insect development and survival, which makes it an interesting target for pest control. Despite the importance of protein N-glycosylation in insects, not much is known about insect N-glycoproteomes. Here, we report on the N-glycoproteomes of three major pest insects spanning different insect orders; Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera), Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera) and Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera). The number of identified N-glycosylation sites ranged from 889 in T. castaneum, to 941 in D. melanogaster and 1,338 in A. pisum. Comparison between the different insect species revealed both conserved and species-specific glycoproteins. The functionality of the insect glycoproteins together with the conservation of the N-glycosites throughout evolution are discussed. This information can help in the elaboration of novel pest insect control strategies based on interference in insect glycosylation.
Project description:Kinetoplastids are a group of parasite species, several of which cause important diseases in human and livestock. Nearly all of these pathogenic species are transmitted by insect vectors, in which the parasites undergo a specific developmental program. One shared event undergone by multiple species is adherence to insect tissue. This adhesion occurs by means of a hemidesmosome-like structure that is thus far uncharacterized. We have used the monoxenous parasite Crithidia fasciculata, which exclusively infects mosquitoes, to study this process of parasite adhesion in the insect. We have transcriptionally profiled adherent and swimming forms of the parasite that have been generated in vitro, and compared these profiles to the adhesive form in the mosquito. Using a dual-RNAseq approach, we have also identified several genes that are differentially regulated in infected versus uninfected mosquitoes, including several immune genes. This indicates that the mosquito is responding to the presence of the parasites.
Project description:Streptococcus agalactiae (Lancefield’s group B Streptococcus, GBS) is a major bacterial species of genus Streptococcus and has medical and veterinary importance by affecting mainly humans (Maione et al., 2005; Johri et al., 2006), cattle (Keefe, 1997) and fish (Mian et al., 2009). The GBS is the most important pathogen for the Nile tilapia, a global commodity of the aquaculture sector, causing outbreaks of septicemia and meningoencephalitis (Hernández et al., 2009; Mian et al., 2009).
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that play critical roles in regulating post transcriptional gene expression. Gall midges encompass a large group of insects that are of economic importance and also possess fascinating biological traits. The gall midge Mayetiola destructor, commonly known as the Hessian fly, is a model organism for studying gall midge biology and insect – host plant interactions. In this study, we systematically analyzed miRNAs from the Hessian fly. Deep-sequencing a Hessian fly larval transcriptome led to the identification of 89 miRNA species that are either identical or very similar to known miRNAs from other insects, and 184 novel miRNAs that have not been reported from other species. Microarray analyses revealed the expression of miRNA genes was strictly regulated during Hessian fly larval development and abundance of many miRNA genes were affected by host genotypes. The identification of a large number of miRNAs for the first time from a gall midge provides a foundation for further studies of miRNA functions in gall midge biology and behavior.
Project description:Hymenolepis spp. (H. diminuta, H. nana and H. microstoma) are rodent-hosted tapeworms (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda) that have been used as laboratory and teaching models since the 1950s, and consequently much of our understanding of the basic physiology, biochemistry and anatomy of tapeworms in general stems from research using these species. As representatives of the order Cyclophyllidea, they are closely related to species with significant medical and economic importance such as Taenia and Echinococcus spp., but unlike these may be maintained in vivo using only laboratory mice and flour beetles (n.b. Echinoccous spp. are hosted by foxes and Taenia spp. are hosted by pigs or cows). This effort brings a classical laboratory model into the genomic age, allowing researchers in silico access to its genome and expressed gene transcripts and thereby greatly expediting research directed at understanding the genetic basis of tapeworm biology.
Project description:Abstract. The adhesion of bacteria to medical implants and formation of biofilms is a growing healthcare problem that accounts for a significant proportion of hospital-acquired infections globally. Insects, including cicada and dragonfly, have evolved nanoprotrusions-protruding arrays on their wings that rupture bacteria on contact. This has inspired the design of antibacterial implant surfaces with insect wing mimetic nanopillarsarrays . Here we characterise the physiological and morphological responses of bacteria to dragonfly wing mimetic nanowirenanopillars arrays, with the aim of determining the mechanistic basis for antibacterial activity. Dragonfly wing mimetic nanowirenanopillars arrays induce deformation and penetration of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial envelopes, but do not rupture or lyse bacteria. NanowireNanopillars also have capacity to impede bacterial division and trigger reactive oxygen species production oxidative stress responses, leading to the increased abundance of oxidative stress proteins. NanowireNanopillar-induced oxidative stress represents a novel antibacterial mechanism of biomimetic nanotopographies .arrays Better understanding of this could prove invaluable for enhancing the bactericidal performance of nanotextured materials for next generation antibacterial medical implants