Publications by authors named "S H Zeisel"
Article Synopsis
- Ancestrally admixed populations, like the South African Cape Coloured (SACC), are underrepresented in genetic studies of complex diseases, which typically focus on European-descent populations, leading to a lack of understanding of their unique genetic features.
- The study examined the genetic admixture and its associations with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in the SACC population, using data from two longitudinal birth cohorts that looked at prenatal alcohol exposure effects on development.
- Findings revealed a high prevalence of rare genetic variants and significant associations between ancestry profiles and FASD outcomes, suggesting that the SACC population could provide insights for identifying disease-associated genetic loci in FASD and potentially other conditions.
Betaine has important roles in preimplantation mouse embryos, including as an organic osmolyte that functions in cell volume regulation in the early preimplantation stages and as a donor to the methyl pool in blastocysts. The origin of betaine in oocytes and embryos was largely unknown. Here, we found that betaine was present from the earliest stage of growing oocytes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAncestrally admixed populations are underrepresented in genetic studies of complex diseases, which are still dominated by European-descent populations. This is relevant not only from a representation standpoint but also because of admixed populations' unique features, including being enriched for rare variants, for which effect sizes are disproportionately larger than common polymorphisms. Furthermore, results from these populations may be generalizable to other populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDietary choline is needed to maintain normal health, including normal liver function in adults. Fatty liver induced by a choline-deficient diet has been consistently observed in human and animal studies. The effect of insufficient choline intake on hepatic fat accumulation is specific and reversible when choline is added to the diet.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCholine availability regulates neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in the developing cerebral cortex. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying this process and demonstrated that choline regulates the transcription factor SOX4 in neural progenitor cells. Specifically, we found that low choline intake during neurogenesis reduces SOX4 protein levels, causing the downregulation of EZH2, a histone methyltransferase.
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