Mechanistic implications of the Mediterranean diet in patients with newly diagnosed Crohn's disease- multi-omic results from a prospective cohort.

Background: To decipher the mechanisms underlying the protective role of the Mediterranean diet (MED) in Crohn's disease (CD), we explored the implications of adherence to MED on CD course, inflammatory markers, microbial and metabolite composition.

Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed CD were recruited and followed prospectively. MED adherence was assessed by repeated food frequency questionnaires (FFQ), using a predefined IBDMED score, alongside validated MED adherence screeners.

Navigating a Fine Balance: Point-Mutant Cheater Viruses Disrupt the Viral Replication Cycle.

Cheater viruses cannot replicate on their own yet replicate faster than the wild type (WT) when the 2 viruses coinfect the same cell. Cheaters must possess dual genetic features: a defect, which leads to their inability to infect cells on their own, and a selective advantage over WT during coinfection. Previously, we have discovered 2 point-mutant cheaters of the MS2 bacteriophage.

A Haloarchaeal Transcriptional Regulator That Represses the Expression of CRISPR-Associated Genes.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas (CRISPR-associated proteins) systems provide acquired heritable protection to bacteria and archaea against selfish DNA elements, such as viruses. These systems must be tightly regulated because they can capture DNA fragments from foreign selfish elements, and also occasionally from self-chromosomes, resulting in autoimmunity. Most known species from the halophilic archaeal genus contain type I-B CRISPR-Cas systems, and the strongest hotspot for self-spacer acquisition by was a locus that contained a putative transposable element, as well as the gene , which was a very frequent target for self-targeting spacers.

Prebiotic Treatment in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)-A Randomized Pilot Trial.

Several studies show that gut microbiotas in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) differ from those in a healthy population, suggesting that this alteration plays a role in NAFLD pathogenesis. We investigated whether prebiotic administration affects liver fat content and/or liver-related and metabolic parameters. Patients with NAFLD and metabolic syndrome (age: 50 ± 11; 79% men) were randomized to receive either 16 g/day of prebiotic (ITFs-inulin-type fructans) ( = 8) or placebo (maltodextrin) ( = 11) for 12 weeks.

Using the pan-genomic framework for the discovery of genomic islands in the haloarchaeon .

In this study, we use pan-genomics to characterize the genomic variability of the widely dispersed halophilic archaeal species ). We include a multi-regional sampling of newly sequenced, high-quality draft genomes. The pan-genome graph of the species reveals 50 genomic islands that represent rare accessory genetic capabilities available to members.