Publications by authors named "Isabella James"

Clostridioides difficile can transiently or persistently colonize the human gut, posing a risk for infections. This colonization is influenced by complex molecular and ecological interactions with the human gut microbiota. By investigating C.

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Environmental exposure to cold is increasingly being associated with changes in metabolism. We developed and tested the hypothesis that exposure to cold drives systemic effects in lipid metabolism. Specifically, (i) that energy storage and provision adapts to the cold by altering triglyceride distribution and (ii) that membranes adapt to cold conditions by becoming more unsaturated.

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can transiently or persistently colonize the human gut, posing a risk factor for infections. This colonization is influenced by complex molecular and ecological interactions with human gut microbiota. By investigating dynamics in human gut communities over hundreds of generations, we show patterns of stable coexistence, instability, or competitive exclusion.

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Article Synopsis
  • The amino acid isoleucine plays a significant role in metabolic health, with lower dietary levels linked to improved health in mice on a Western Diet.
  • The effects of isoleucine reduction vary by sex and strain in mice, showing a protective benefit against metabolic issues, while its increase can worsen health.
  • Findings reveal that a core molecular response to dietary isoleucine exists across different sexes and strains, highlighting its potential as a dietary strategy for better metabolic health in humans.
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Dietary protein is a critical regulator of metabolic health and aging. Low protein diets are associated with healthy aging in humans, and dietary protein restriction extends the lifespan and healthspan of mice. In this study, we examined the effect of protein restriction (PR) on metabolic health and the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the 3xTg mouse model of AD.

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Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a link between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the MBOAT7 gene and advanced liver diseases. Specifically, the common MBOAT7 variant (rs641738) associated with reduced MBOAT7 expression is implicated in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), and liver fibrosis. However, the precise mechanism underlying MBOAT7-driven liver disease progression remains elusive.

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Cold exposure is an environmental stress that elicits a rapid metabolic shift in endotherms and is required for survival. The liver provides metabolic flexibility through its ability to rewire lipid metabolism to respond to an increased demand in energy for thermogenesis. We leveraged cold exposure to identify novel lipids contributing to energy homeostasis and found that lysosomal bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP) lipids were significantly increased in the liver during acute cold exposure.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent genome-wide association studies have linked specific SNPs near the MBOAT7 gene to increased risk for advanced liver diseases like NAFLD and ALD, especially in people with chronic hepatitis infections.
  • The MBOAT7 gene is crucial for producing a specific lipid, and a common variant (rs641738) lowers its expression, which exacerbates liver disease progression.
  • Research shows that deleting MBOAT7 in liver cells leads to more severe alcohol-induced liver damage, highlighting how alterations in lipid metabolism can affect liver health in heavy drinkers.
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Dietary protein is a critical regulator of metabolic health and aging. Low protein diets are associated with healthy aging in humans, and many independent groups of researchers have shown that dietary protein restriction (PR) extends the lifespan and healthspan of mice. Here, we examined the effect of PR on metabolic health and the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the 3xTg mouse model of AD.

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Many of the diseases that plague society today are driven by a loss of protein quality. One method to quantify protein quality is to measure the protein folding stability (PFS). Here, we present a novel mass spectrometry (MS)-based approach for PFS measurement, iodination protein stability assay (IPSA).

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Many amyloid-driven pathologies have both genetic and stochastic components where assessing risk of disease development requires a multifactorial assessment where many of the variables are poorly understood. Risk of transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis is enhanced by age and mutation of the transthyretin (TTR) gene, but amyloidosis is not directly initiated by mutated TTR proteins. Nearly all of the 150+ known mutations increase dissociation of the homotetrameric protein structure and increase the probability of an individual developing a TTR amyloid disease late in life.

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