Parasite manipulation of host phenotypes inferred from transcriptional analyses in a trematode-amphipod system.

Manipulation of host phenotypes by parasites is hypothesized to be an adaptive strategy enhancing parasite transmission across hosts and generations. Characterizing the molecular mechanisms of manipulation is important to advance our understanding of host-parasite coevolution. The trematode (Levinseniella byrdi) is known to alter the colour and behaviour of its amphipod host (Orchestia grillus) presumably increasing predation of amphipods which enhances trematode transmission through its life cycle.

Longitudinal analysis of the impact of oral contraceptive use on the gut microbiome.

Evidence has linked exogenous and endogenous sex hormones with the human microbiome. The longitudinal effects of oral contraceptives (OC) on the human gut microbiome have not previously been studied. We sought to examine the longitudinal impact of OC use on the taxonomic composition and metabolic functions of the gut microbiota and endogenous sex steroid hormones after initiation of OC use.

Body weight at 10 years of age and change in body composition between 8 and 10 years of age were related to survival in a longitudinal study of 39 Labrador retriever dogs.

Background: Overweight and obesity have been adversely associated with longevity in dogs but there is scarce knowledge on the relation between body composition and lifespan. We aimed to investigate the effects of body composition, and within-dog changes over time, on survival in adult Labradors using a prospective cohort study design. The dogs had a median age of 6.

Microscopic Colitis Is Characterized by Intestinal Dysbiosis.

The critical role of the gut microbiome in microscopic colitis (MC) is evident by the observation that fecal diversion is associated with resolution of mucosal inflammation while restoration of fecal stream is associated with recurrence of disease. Characterization of the composition and function of the gut microbiome in MC therefore could provide insights into disease pathogenesis.

Viruses control dominant bacteria colonizing the terrestrial deep biosphere after hydraulic fracturing.

The deep terrestrial biosphere harbours a substantial fraction of Earth's biomass and remains understudied compared with other ecosystems. Deep biosphere life primarily consists of bacteria and archaea, yet knowledge of their co-occurring viruses is poor. Here, we temporally catalogued viral diversity from five deep terrestrial subsurface locations (hydraulically fractured wells), examined virus-host interaction dynamics and experimentally assessed metabolites from cell lysis to better understand viral roles in this ecosystem.

Coupled laboratory and field investigations resolve microbial interactions that underpin persistence in hydraulically fractured shales.

Hydraulic fracturing is one of the industrial processes behind the surging natural gas output in the United States. This technology inadvertently creates an engineered microbial ecosystem thousands of meters below Earth's surface. Here, we used laboratory reactors to perform manipulations of persisting shale microbial communities that are currently not feasible in field scenarios.

Exceptional longevity and potential determinants of successful ageing in a cohort of 39 Labrador retrievers: results of a prospective longitudinal study.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the longevity and causes of mortality in 39 (12 males, 27 females) pedigree adult neutered Labrador retrievers with a median age of 6.5 years at the start of the study and kept under similar housing and management conditions. Body condition score was maintained between two and four on a 5-point scale by varying food allowances quarterly.

Efficacy of an essential fatty acid-enriched diet in managing canine atopic dermatitis: a randomized, single-blinded, cross-over study.

Evidence suggests that high-quality diets enriched with essential fatty acids (EFA) and other nutrients can ameliorate canine atopic dermatitis (AD). This study compared such a diet (Eukanuba Veterinary Diets Dermatosis FP) with a home-cooked equivalent (fish and potato) in a randomised, single-blinded, cross-over trial. Twenty dogs with perennial AD were randomly assigned to receive either the test (group A) or the control diet (group B) for 1 month, followed by the contrasting diet for a further month.

Biochemical properties and inhibitors of (N-)WASP.

The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) is an effector of the Rho GTPase Cdc42 and a key component of signaling pathways that regulate the actin cytoskeleton. WASP is regulated by a number of ligands, and the mechanisms by which these act are beginning to be understood through detailed biochemical analyses. Here we describe the protocols we use to study WASP proteins, including the methods we use to purify signaling components and the assays we use to quantitatively characterize the biochemical and biophysical properties of WASP, its activation by Cdc42, and its inhibition by the small molecule wiskostatin.

Dynamics and fluidity of amyloid fibrils: a model of fibrous protein aggregates.

A previous experimentally defined model for the fibril formed from the core residues of the beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptides of Alzheimer's disease, 10YEVHHQKLVFFAEDVGSNKGAIIGLM, Abeta(10-35) using spectroscopic and scattering analyses reports on the average structure, benefiting immensely from the homogeneous assembly of Abeta(10-35). However, the energetic constraints that contribute to fibril dynamics and stability remain poorly understood. Here we perform molecular dynamics simulations to extend the structural assignment by providing evidence for a dynamic average ensemble with transient backbone H-bonds and internal solvation contributing to the inherent stability of amyloid fibrils.

Metal switch for amyloid formation: insight into the structure of the nucleus.

The role of Zn2+ in pre-organizing Abeta(10-21) amyloid formation is shown to preferentially alter the relative rate of fibril nucleation and to have little influence on fibril propagation. Fibril morphology, as determined by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), was unchanged in the presence and absence of Zn2+ in Abeta(10-21), as well as in a series of site-specifically altered variants. The metal-independence of the Abeta(10-21)H13Q peptide suggested that the increase in nucleation rate in Abeta(10-21) is due to Zn2+-mediated inter-sheet interactions, involving both histidine 13 and histidine 14.