Project description:Negative energy balance (NEB) is an altered metabolic state in high yielding cows that occurs during the first few weeks postpartum when energy demands for lactation and maintenance exceed the energy supply from dietary intake. NEB can, in turn, lead to metabolic disorders and to reduced fertility. Alterations in the expression of more than 700 hepatic genes have previously been reported in a study of NEB in postpartum dairy cows. miRNAs (microRNA) are known to mediate many alterations in gene expression post transcriptionally. To study the hepatic miRNA content of postpartum dairy cows, including their overall abundance and differential expression, in mild NEB (MNEB) and severe NEB (SNEB) short read RNA sequencing was carried out.
Project description:Oxygen limitation is regarded as a useful strategy to improve enzyme production by mycelial fungus like Aspergillus niger. However, the intracellular metabolic response of A. niger to oxygen limitation is still obscure. To address this, the metabolism of A. niger was studied using multi-omics integrated analysis based on the latest GEMs (genome-scale metabolic model), including metabolomics, fluxomics and transcriptomics. Upon sharp reduction of the oxygen supply, A. niger metabolism shifted to higher redox level status, as well as lower energy supply, characterized by the accumulation of intermediates from the TCA cycle, down-regulation of genes for fatty acid synthesis and a rapid decrease of the specific growth rate. The gene expression of the glyoxylate bypass was activated, consistent with the increasing flux, which was assumed to reduce the NADH formation from TCA cycle and benefit maintenance of the cellular redox balance under hypoxic conditions. In addition, the relative fluxes of the EMP pathway were increased, which possibly relieved the energy demand for cell metabolism.
Project description:Phenylpropanoids are derived from phenylalanine and comprise an important class of plant secondary metabolites that include specialized bioactives with medicinal properties, important phytonutrients, a broad range of natural colours, phytoanticipins, phytoalexins and phytoestrogens. A number of transcription factors have been used to upregulate specific branches of phenylpropanoid metabolism, but by far the most effective has been the fruit-specific expression of AtMYB12 in tomato, which resulted in an astonishing 10% of fruit dry weight accumulating as flavonoids and hydroxycinnamates. We show that AtMYB12 not only increases the demand of flavonoid biosynthesis, but also increases the supply of carbon from primary metabolism, and the supply of energy and reducing power, by upregulating glycolysis, the TCA cycle, the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, fuelling the shikimate and phenylalanine biosynthetic pathways to supply more aromatic amino acids for secondary metabolism. AtMYB12 directly activates at least some genes encoding enzymes of primary metabolism. The enhanced supply of precursors, energy and reducing power achieved by AtMYB12 expression can be harnessed to engineer high levels of novel phenylpropanoids in tomato fruit, offering an effective production system for bioactives and other high value ingredients.
Project description:The adaptive mechanisms in response to excess energy supply are still poorly known in humans. Our aims were to define metabolic responses and changes in gene expression in skeletal muscle of healthy volunteers during fat overfeeding.
Project description:The adaptive mechanisms in response to excess energy supply are still poorly known in humans. Our aims were to define metabolic responses and changes in gene expression in adipose tissue of healthy volunteers during fat overfeeding.
Project description:Phenylpropanoids are derived from phenylalanine and comprise an important class of plant secondary metabolites that include specialized bioactives with medicinal properties, important phytonutrients, a broad range of natural colours, phytoanticipins, phytoalexins and phytoestrogens. A number of transcription factors have been used to upregulate specific branches of phenylpropanoid metabolism, but by far the most effective has been the fruit-specific expression of AtMYB12 in tomato, which resulted in an astonishing 10% of fruit dry weight accumulating as flavonoids and hydroxycinnamates. We show that AtMYB12 not only increases the demand of flavonoid biosynthesis, but also increases the supply of carbon from primary metabolism, and the supply of energy and reducing power, by upregulating glycolysis, the TCA cycle, the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, fuelling the shikimate and phenylalanine biosynthetic pathways to supply more aromatic amino acids for secondary metabolism. AtMYB12 directly activates at least some genes encoding enzymes of primary metabolism. The enhanced supply of precursors, energy and reducing power achieved by AtMYB12 expression can be harnessed to engineer high levels of novel phenylpropanoids in tomato fruit, offering an effective production system for bioactives and other high value ingredients.