| 1. |
- Kaput, J, et al.
(author)
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The case for strategic international alliances to harness nutritional genomics for public and personal health
- 2005
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In: The British journal of nutrition. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0007-1145 .- 1475-2662. ; 94:5, s. 623-632
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nutrigenomics is the study of how constituents of the diet interact with genes, and their products, to alter phenotype and, conversely, how genes and their products metabolise these constituents into nutrients, antinutrients, and bioactive compounds. Results from molecular and genetic epidemiological studies indicate that dietary unbalance can alter gene–nutrient interactions in ways that increase the risk of developing chronic disease. The interplay of human genetic variation and environmental factors will make identifying causative genes and nutrients a formidable, but not intractable, challenge. We provide specific recommendations for how to best meet this challenge and discuss the need for new methodologies and the use of comprehensive analyses of nutrient–genotype interactions involving large and diverse populations. The objective of the present paper is to stimulate discourse and collaboration among nutrigenomic researchers and stakeholders, a process that will lead to an increase in global health and wellness by reducing health disparities in developed and developing countries.
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| 2. |
- Santoro, Aurelia, et al.
(author)
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Combating inflammaging through a Mediterranean whole diet approach : The NU-AGE project's conceptual framework and design
- 2014
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In: Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. - Clare, Ireland : Elsevier BV. - 0047-6374 .- 1872-6216. ; 136-137, s. 3-13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The development of a chronic, low grade, inflammatory status named "inflammaging" is a major characteristic of ageing, which plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases. Inflammaging is both local and systemic, and a variety of organs and systems contribute inflammatory stimuli that accumulate lifelong. The NU-AGE rationale is that a one year Mediterranean whole diet (considered by UNESCO a heritage of humanity), newly designed to meet the nutritional needs of the elderly, will reduce inflammaging in fully characterized subjects aged 65-79 years of age, and will have systemic beneficial effects on health status (physical and cognitive). Before and after the dietary intervention a comprehensive set of analyses, including omics (transcriptomics, epigenetics, metabolomics and metagenomics) will be performed to identify the underpinning molecular mechanisms. NU-AGE will set up a comprehensive database as a tool for a systems biology approach to inflammaging and nutrition. NU-AGE is highly interdisciplinary, includes leading research centres in Europe on nutrition and ageing, and is complemented by EU multinational food industries and SMEs, interested in the production of functional and enriched/advanced traditional food tailored for the elderly market, and European Federations targeting policy makers and major stakeholders, from consumers to EU Food & Drink Industries.
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| 3. |
- Neville, S. L., et al.
(author)
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The structural basis of bacterial manganese import
- 2021
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In: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 2375-2548. ; 7:32
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Metal ions are essential for all forms of life. In prokaryotes, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) permeases serve as the primary import pathway for many micronutrients including the first-row transition metal manganese. However, the structural features of ionic metal transporting ABC permeases have remained undefined. Here, we present the crystal structure of the manganese transporter PsaBC from Streptococcus pneumoniae in an open-inward conformation. The type II transporter has a tightly closed transmembrane channel due to "extracellular gating" residues that prevent water permeation or ion reflux. Below these residues, the channel contains a hitherto unreported metal coordination site, which is essential for manganese translocation. Mutagenesis of the extracellular gate perturbs manganese uptake, while coordination site mutagenesis abolishes import. These structural features are highly conserved in metal-specific ABC transporters and are represented throughout the kingdoms of life. Collectively, our results define the structure of PsaBC and reveal the features required for divalent cation transport.
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| 4. |
- Fairweather, J. K., et al.
(author)
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Structural characterization by C-13-NMR spectroscopy of products synthesized in vitro by polysaccharide synthases using C-13-enriched glycosyl donors : application to a UDP-glucose:(1 -> 3)-beta-D-glucan synthase from blackberry (Rubus fruticosus)
- 2004
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In: Glycobiology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0959-6658 .- 1460-2423. ; 14:9, s. 775-781
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A simple and sensitive method for the characterization of products synthesized in vitro by polysaccharide synthases is described. it relies on the use of C-13-enriched nucleotide sugars as substrates and on the analysis of the newly synthesized polysaccharides by C-13-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The method was validated with a (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan synthase from blackberry, but it may be applied to the study of any glycosyltransferase. The chemical synthesis of UDP-D-[U-C-13]glucose was achieved in a classical procedure with an overall yield of 50%. A uniformly labeled (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan was synthesized from this substrate, using detergent extracts of blackberry cell membranes as a source of synthase. One hundred micrograms of product was sufficient for liquid and solid-state C-13-NMR spectroscopy analyses. The method is at least 100 times more sensitive than in the case of non-enriched polysaccharides. It allows the unequivocal identification and direct structural characterization of the products synthesized in vitro, as opposed to conventional methods that rely on the use of radioactive substrates and enzymatic hydrolysis of the polysaccharides with specific glycoside hydrolases. The method proves that the glycan analyzed was synthesized de novo because the final product is enriched in C-13. Information on the 3D organization of the polymer may also be obtained by solid-state NMR spectroscopy.
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| 5. |
- Kirk, KM, et al.
(author)
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The Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative: Study description and sample characteristics of the Australian and New Zealand arm
- 2017
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In: The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry. - : SAGE Publications. - 1440-1614 .- 0004-8674. ; 51:6, s. 583-594
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Anorexia nervosa is a severe psychiatric disorder with high mortality rates. While its aetiology is poorly understood, there is evidence of a significant genetic component. The Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative is an international collaboration which aims to understand the genetic basis of the disorder. This paper describes the recruitment and characteristics of the Australasian Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative sample, the largest sample of individuals with anorexia nervosa ever assembled across Australia and New Zealand.Methods:Participants completed an online questionnaire based on the Structured Clinical Interview Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) eating disorders section. Participants who met specified case criteria for lifetime anorexia nervosa were requested to provide a DNA sample for genetic analysis.Results:Overall, the study recruited 3414 Australians and 543 New Zealanders meeting the lifetime anorexia nervosa case criteria by using a variety of conventional and social media recruitment methods. At the time of questionnaire completion, 28% had a body mass index ⩽ 18.5 kg/m2. Fasting and exercise were the most commonly employed methods of weight control, and were associated with the youngest reported ages of onset. At the time of the study, 32% of participants meeting lifetime anorexia nervosa case criteria were under the care of a medical practitioner; those with current body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2were more likely to be currently receiving medical care (56%) than those with current body mass index ⩾ 18.5 kg/m2(23%). Professional treatment for eating disorders was most likely to have been received from general practitioners (45% of study participants), dietitians (42%) and outpatient programmes (42%).Conclusions:This study was effective in assembling the largest community sample of people with lifetime anorexia nervosa in Australia and New Zealand to date. The proportion of people with anorexia nervosa currently receiving medical care, and the most common sources of treatment accessed, indicates the importance of training for general practitioners and dietitians in treating anorexia nervosa.
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| 6. |
- Hrmova, M., et al.
(author)
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Mutated barley (1,3)-beta-D-glucan endohydrolases synthesize crystalline (1,3)-beta-D-glucans
- 2002
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In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 277:33, s. 30102-30111
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Barley (1,3)-beta-D-glucan endohydrolases (EC 3.2.1.39), inactivated by site-directed mutagenesis of their catalytic nucleophiles, show autocondensation glucosynthetic activity with alpha-laminaribiosyl fluoride and heterocondensation glycosynthetic activity with a-laminaribiosyl fluoride and 4'-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucopyranoside. The native enzyme is a retaining endohydrolase of the family 17 group and catalyzes glycosyl transfer reactions at high substrate concentrations. Catalytic efficiencies (k(cat) K-m(-1)) of mutants E231G, E231S, and E231A as glycosynthases are 28.9, 0.9, and 0.5 x 10(-4) M-1 s(-1), respectively. Glycosynthase reactions appear to be processive and proceed with pH optima of 6-8 and yields of up to 75%. Insoluble products formed during the glycosynthase reaction appear as lamellar, hexagonal crystals when observed by electron microscopy. Methylation, NMR, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight analyses show that the reaction products are linear (1,3)-beta-D-glucans with a degree of polymerization of 30-34, whereas electron and x-ray diffraction patterns indicate that these (1,3)-beta-D-glucan chains adopt a parallel, triple helical conformation. The (1,3)-beta-D-glucan triple helices are orientated perpendicularly to the plane of the lamellar crystals. The barley (1,3)-beta-D-glucan glycosynthases have considerable potential for tailored and high efficiency synthesis of (1,3)-beta-D-linked oligo- and polysaccharides, some of which could have immunomodulating activity, or for the coupling of (1,3)-beta-D-linked glucosyl residues onto other oligosaccharides or glycoproteins.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Porter, Richard T. J., et al.
(author)
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Techno-economic assessment of CO2 quality effect on its storage and transport : CO(2)QUEST An overview of aims, objectives and main findings
- 2016
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In: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control. - : Elsevier BV. - 1750-5836 .- 1878-0148. ; 54, s. 662-681
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper provides an overview of the aims, objectives and the main findings of the CO(2)QUEST FP7 collaborative project, funded by the European Commission and designed to address the fundamentally important and urgent issues regarding the impact of the typical impurities in CO2 streams captured from fossil fuel power plants and other CO2 intensive industries on their safe and economic pipeline transportation and storage. The main features and results recorded from some of the unique test facilities constructed as part of the project are presented. These include an extensively instrumented realistic-scale test pipeline for conducting pipeline rupture and dispersion tests in China, an injection test facility in France to study the mobility of trace metallic elements contained in a CO2 stream following injection near a shallow-water qualifier and fluid/rock interactions and well integrity experiments conducted using a fully instrumented deep-well CO2/impurities injection test facility in Israel. The above, along with the various unique mathematical models developed, provide the fundamentally important tools needed to define impurity tolerance levels, mixing protocols and control measures for pipeline networks and storage infrastructure, thus contributing to the development of relevant standards for the safe design and economic operation of CCS.
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| 9. |
- Fairweather-Tait, S, et al.
(author)
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The usefulness of in vitro models to predict the bioavailability of iron and zinc: A consensus statement from the HarvestPlus Expert Consultation
- 2005
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In: International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. - : Hogrefe Publishing Group. - 0300-9831 .- 1664-2821. ; 75:6, s. 371-374
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A combination of dietary and host-related factors determines iron and zinc absorption, and several in vitro methods have been developed as preliminary screening tools for assessing bioavailability. An expert committee has reviewed evidence for their usefulness and reached a consensus. Dialyzability (with and without simulated digestion) gives some useful information but cannot predict the correct magnitude of response and may sometimes predict the wrong direction of response. Caco-2 cell systems (with and without simulated digestion) have been developed for iron availability, but the magnitude of different effects does not always agree with results obtained in human volunteers, and the data for zinc are too limited to draw conclusions about the validity of the method. Caco-2 methodologies vary significantly between laboratories and require experienced technicians and good quality cell culture facilities to obtain reproducible results. Algorithms can provide semi-quantitative information enabling diets to be classified as high, moderate, or low bioavailability. While in vitro methods can be used to generate ideas and develop hypotheses, they cannot be used alone for important decisions concerning; food fortification policy, selection of varieties for plant breeding programs, or for new product development in the food industry. Ultimately human studies are required for such determinations.
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