| 1. |
- Leebens-Mack, James H., et al.
(author)
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One thousand plant transcriptomes and the phylogenomics of green plants
- 2019
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In: Nature. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 574:7780, s. 679-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Green plants (Viridiplantae) include around 450,000-500,000 species(1,2) of great diversity and have important roles in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Here, as part of the One Thousand Plant Transcriptomes Initiative, we sequenced the vegetative transcriptomes of 1,124 species that span the diversity of plants in a broad sense (Archaeplastida), including green plants (Viridiplantae), glaucophytes (Glaucophyta) and red algae (Rhodophyta). Our analysis provides a robust phylogenomic framework for examining the evolution of green plants. Most inferred species relationships are well supported across multiple species tree and supermatrix analyses, but discordance among plastid and nuclear gene trees at a few important nodes highlights the complexity of plant genome evolution, including polyploidy, periods of rapid speciation, and extinction. Incomplete sorting of ancestral variation, polyploidization and massive expansions of gene families punctuate the evolutionary history of green plants. Notably, we find that large expansions of gene families preceded the origins of green plants, land plants and vascular plants, whereas whole-genome duplications are inferred to have occurred repeatedly throughout the evolution of flowering plants and ferns. The increasing availability of high-quality plant genome sequences and advances in functional genomics are enabling research on genome evolution across the green tree of life.
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| 2. |
- Wikström, Jakob D., et al.
(author)
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Hormone-induced mitochondrial fission is utilized by brown adipocytes as an amplification pathway for energy expenditure
- 2014
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In: EMBO Journal. - : Wiley. - 0261-4189 .- 1460-2075. ; 33:5, s. 418-436
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Adrenergic stimulation of brown adipocytes (BA) induces mitochondrial uncoupling, thereby increasing energy expenditure by shifting nutrient oxidation towards thermogenesis. Here we describe that mitochondrial dynamics is a physiological regulator of adrenergically-induced changes in energy expenditure. The sympathetic neurotransmitter Norepinephrine (NE) induced complete and rapid mitochondrial fragmentation in BA, characterized by Drp1 phosphorylation and Opa1 cleavage. Mechanistically, NE-mediated Drp1 phosphorylation was dependent on Protein Kinase-A (PKA) activity, whereas Opa1 cleavage required mitochondrial depolarization mediated by FFAs released as a result of lipolysis. This change in mitochondrial architecture was observed both in primary cultures and brown adipose tissue from cold-exposed mice. Mitochondrial uncoupling induced by NE in brown adipocytes was reduced by inhibition of mitochondrial fission through transient Drp1 DN overexpression. Furthermore, forced mitochondrial fragmentation in BA through Mfn2 knock down increased the capacity of exogenous FFAs to increase energy expenditure. These results suggest that, in addition to its ability to stimulate lipolysis, NE induces energy expenditure in BA by promoting mitochondrial fragmentation. Together these data reveal that adrenergically-induced changes to mitochondrial dynamics are required for BA thermogenic activation and for the control of energy expenditure.
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| 3. |
- Abreu-Vieira, Gustavo, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Adrenergically-stimulated blood flow in brown adipose tissue is not dependent on thermogenesis : Regulation of brown adipose tissue blood flow
- 2015
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In: American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism. - : American Physiological Society. - 0193-1849 .- 1522-1555. ; 308:9, s. E822-E829
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis relies on blood flow to be supplied with nutrients and oxygen, and for the distribution of the generated heat to the rest of the body. It is therefore fundamental to understand the mechanisms by which blood flow is regulated and its relation to thermogenesis. Here we present high-resolution laser-Doppler imaging (HR-LDR) as a novel method for noninvasive, in vivo measurement of BAT blood flow in mice. Using HR-LDR, we found that norepinephrine stimulation increases BAT blood flow in a dose-dependent manner, and that this response is profoundly modulated by environmental temperature acclimation. Surprisingly, we found that mice lacking uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) have fully preserved BAT blood flow response to norepinephrine, despite failing to perform thermogenesis. BAT blood flow was not directly correlated to systemic glycaemia, but glucose injections could transiently increase tissue perfusion. Inguinal white adipose tissue, also known as a brite/beige adipose tissue, was also sensitive to cold acclimation and similarly increased blood flow in response to norepinephrine. In conclusion, using a novel non-invasive method to detect BAT perfusion, we demonstrate that adrenergically-stimulated BAT blood flow is qualitatively and quantitatively fully independent of thermogenesis, and is therefore not a reliable parameter for the estimation of BAT activation and heat generation.
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| 4. |
- Abreu-Vieira, Gustavo, et al.
(author)
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Cidea improves the metabolic profile through expansion of adipose tissue
- 2015
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In humans, Cidea (cell death-inducing DNA fragmentation factor alpha-like effector A) is highly but variably expressed in white fat, and expression correlates with metabolic health. Here we generate transgenic mice expressing human Cidea in adipose tissues (aP2-hCidea mice) and show that Cidea is mechanistically associated with a robust increase in adipose tissue expandability. Under humanized conditions (thermoneutrality, mature age and prolonged exposure to high-fat diet), aP2-hCidea mice develop a much more pronounced obesity than their wild-type littermates. Remarkably, the malfunctioning of visceral fat normally caused by massive obesity is fully overcome-perilipin 1 and Akt expression are preserved, tissue degradation is prevented, macrophage accumulation is decreased and adiponectin expression remains high. Importantly, the aP2-hCidea mice display enhanced insulin sensitivity. Our data establish a functional role for Cidea and suggest that, in humans, the association between Cidea levels in white fat and metabolic health is not only correlative but also causative.
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| 5. |
- Abreu-Vieira, Gustavo, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Novel thiazolidinediones distinguish between (UCP1-independent) antidiabetic effects (MSDC-0602) and adipogenic and browning-inducing effects (MSDC-0160) of classical thiazolidinediones (rosiglitazone)
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Thiazolinediones (TZDs), also called glitazones, are a class of drugs traditionally used forimproving glucose tolerance in type II diabetes mellitus. The beneficial effects ofthiazolidinedione are believed to be caused by the drug binding to the nuclear receptor PPARγ,which in turn triggers a general adipogenic program in white adipose tissue, and apparentthermogenic recruitment of brown and brite/beige fat. Here, we present a comparison of thephysiological effects of three thiazolidinediones (rosiglitazone, MSDC-0602, and MSDC-0160)in C57BL/6 mice fed high-fat diet and housed at thermoneutrality. Rosiglitazone and MSDC-0160 caused the classically-described thiazolidinedione effects of increased fat mass,hyperphagia, and increased UCP1 levels in brown adipose tissue. MSDC-0602 and rosiglitazoneimproved glucose tolerance but MSDC-0602 did not induce increased fat mass, hyperphagia, orincreased UCP1 levels in brown fat. The beneficial effects of thiazolidinediones were fullypresent even in UCP1-KO mice, providing evidence for a dissociation between thiazolidinedioneinducedadipose tissue browning and their antidiabetic effects. We conclude that even structurallysimilar thiazolidinediones can act through distinct pathways, and that the glucose-loweringeffects of this class do not seem to rely on PPAR-γ-induced browning of adipose tissues.
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| 6. |
- Alvarez-Crespo, Mayte, et al.
(author)
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Essential role of UCP1 modulating the central effects of thyroid hormones on energy balance
- 2016
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In: Molecular metabolism. - : Elsevier BV. - 2212-8778. ; 5:4, s. 271-282
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Classically, metabolic effects of thyroid hormones (THs) have been considered to be peripherally mediated, i.e. different tissues in the body respond directly to thyroid hormones with an increased metabolism. An alternative view is that the metabolic effects are centrally regulated. We have examined here the degree to which prolonged, centrally infused triiodothyronine (T3) could in itself induce total body metabolic effects and the degree to which brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis was essential for such effects, by examining uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) KO mice. Methods: Wildtype and UPC1 KO mice were centrally-treated with T3 by using minipumps. Metabolic measurements were analyzed by indirect calorimetry and expression analysis by RT-PCR or western blot. BAT morphology and histology were studied by immunohistochemistry. Results: We found that central T3-treatment led to reduced levels of hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and elevated body temperature (0.7 degrees C). UCP1 was essential for the T3-induced increased rate of energy expenditure, which was only observable at thermoneutrality and notably only during the active phase, for the increased body weight loss, for the increased hypothalamic levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) and for the increased food intake induced by central T3-treatment. Prolonged central T3-treatment also led to recruitment of BAT and britening/beiging (browning) of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT). Conclusions: We conclude that UCP1 is essential for mediation of the central effects of thyroid hormones on energy balance, and we suggest that similar UCP1-dependent effects may underlie central energy balance effects of other agents.
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| 7. |
- Amemiya, Chris T., et al.
(author)
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The African coelacanth genome provides insights into tetrapod evolution
- 2013
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 496:7445, s. 311-316
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The discovery of a living coelacanth specimen in 1938 was remarkable, as this lineage of lobe-finned fish was thought to have become extinct 70 million years ago. The modern coelacanth looks remarkably similar to many of its ancient relatives, and its evolutionary proximity to our own fish ancestors provides a glimpse of the fish that first walked on land. Here we report the genome sequence of the African coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae. Through a phylogenomic analysis, we conclude that the lungfish, and not the coelacanth, is the closest living relative of tetrapods. Coelacanth protein-coding genes are significantly more slowly evolving than those of tetrapods, unlike other genomic features. Analyses of changes in genes and regulatory elements during the vertebrate adaptation to land highlight genes involved in immunity, nitrogen excretion and the development of fins, tail, ear, eye, brain and olfaction. Functional assays of enhancers involved in the fin-to-limb transition and in the emergence of extra-embryonic tissues show the importance of the coelacanth genome as a blueprint for understanding tetrapod evolution.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Boulet, Nathalie, et al.
(author)
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Thermogenic recruitment of brown and brite/beige adipose tissues is not obligatorily associated with macrophage accretion or attrition
- 2021
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In: American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism. - : American Physiological Society. - 0193-1849 .- 1522-1555. ; 320:2, s. E359-E378
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cold- and diet-induced recruitment of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) are dynamic processes, and the recruited state attained is a state of dynamic equilibrium, demanding continuous stimulation to be maintained. An involvement of macrophages, classical proinflammatory (M1) or alternatively activated anti-inflammatory (M2), is presently discussed as being an integral part of these processes. If these macrophages play a mediatory role in the recruitment process, such an involvement would have to be maintained in the recruited state. We have, therefore, investigated whether the recruited state of these tissues is associated with macrophage accretion or attrition. We found no correlation (positive or negative) between total UCP1 mRNA levels (as a measure of recruitment) and proinflammatory macrophages in any adipose depot. We found that in young chow-fed mice, cold-induced recruitment correlated with accretion of anti-inflammatory macrophages; however, such a correlation was not seen when cold-induced recruitment was studied in diet-induced obese mice. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory macrophage accretion was mediated via β1/β2-adrenergic receptors; yet, in their absence, and thus in the absence of macrophage accretion, recruitment proceeded normally. We thus conclude that the classical recruited state in BAT and inguinal (brite/beige) WAT is not paralleled by macrophage accretion or attrition. Our results make mediatory roles for macrophages in the recruitment process less likely.NEW & NOTEWORTHY A regulatory or mediatory role—positive or negative—for macrophages in the recruitment of brown adipose tissue is presently discussed. As the recruited state in the tissue is a dynamic process, maintenance of the recruited state would need persistent alterations in macrophage complement. Contrary to this expectation, we demonstrate here an absence of alterations in macrophage complement in thermogenically recruited brown—or brite/beige—adipose tissues. Macrophage regulation of thermogenic capacity is thus less likely.
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| 10. |
- Cannon, Barbara, et al.
(author)
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A PERKy way to make mitochondrial cristae
- 2021
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In: Trends in endocrinology and metabolism. - : Elsevier BV. - 1043-2760 .- 1879-3061. ; 32:7, s. 417-419
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PERK protein, that is canonically associated with the response to endoplasmic reticulum stress, may be acquiring a new role as a regulator of the growth of mitochondrial cristae. This role is pertinent not only to the recruitment of brown adipose tissue thermogenic capacity but probably also to directing cristae formation in highly metabolically active organs such as the heart.
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