Navigation Links
Gut microbes' partnership helps body extract energy from food, store it as fat

dramatically affected gene activity in B. thetaiotaomicron, shifting its appetite to a more abundant class of polysaccharides known as fructans. Commonly found in Western diet, fructans are used as food sweeteners. This taste change increased B. thetaiotaomicron's ability to produce energy for itself, and to make energy available in forms that the mouse could absorb and use.

The result was that mice colonized with both organisms had significantly more fat than animals colonized with either microbe alone. M. smithii also benefited ?thanks to B. thetaioatomicron, it received increased amounts of formate, a product of polysaccharide fermentation that it covets and uses.

"The presence M. smithii improved the overall efficiency of the digestive system," Gordon says. "It remains to be established whether we can intentionally manipulate this gut archaeon to improve digestive health. It will also be interesting to see if levels of M. smithii in the gut microbial community vary in obese versus lean individuals."

Gordon says the results emphasize the need to consider the nutrient value of the foods we consume in the context of the digestive capacity of our individual gut microbial communities. To help address such questions, Gordon and his colleagues are completing the sequence of the M. smithii genome and sequencing the genomes of many other members of the normal human gut microbial community. This effort is part of a human gut "microbiome" project.

"We believe that this project is a logical extension of the human genome project ?one designed to define the microbial side of ourselves," Gordon says. "This project should help answer a number of fundamental questions, including: How different are our individual gut microbiomes? How are our gut microbiomes evolving as a function of changes in our diet, lifestyle and environment? And can we use this knowledge to improve our personal health, including, for example, optimizing the performance of
'"/>

Source:Washington University School of Medicine


Page: 1 2 3 4

Related biology news :

1. Wisconsin scientists discover a master key to microbes pathogenic lifestyles
2. MITs ocean model precisely mimics microbes life cycles
3. Nonlinear Dynamics announces more details of its global partnership with PerkinElmer
4. New partnership to clear landmines for African Elephants
5. Jumping gene helps explain immune systems abilities
6. Protein helps regulate the genes of embryonic stem cells
7. Scientists reveal the shape of a protein that helps retroviruses break into cells
8. Thai spice helps cut blood sugar swings
9. Chemists synthesize molecule that helps body battle cancers, malaria
10. Ancient DNA helps clarify the origins of two extinct New World horse species
11. Massey Cancer Center researcher helps to identify a piece of the cancer puzzle
Post Your Comments:
(Date:12/17/2009)... agreement in Copenhagen to fund reduced emissions from ... if investments simultaneously target sites that are both ... published today in the journal Conservation Letters ... as Brazil and parts of East Africa unless ... Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... Knowledge and Innovation Community (Climate-KIC)" is a major initiative ... program brings together the expertise of world class partners ... Europe,s innovation capacity to meet the climate change challenge ... a new low-carbon society. In responding to this challenge, ... produce, distribute, and consume goods, and to how we ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... intricate network of interactions. Today,s techniques, however, can ... outside the cells. Since molecular concentrations are much ... suspect that the kinetics of molecular reactions in ... expected the cellular reaction speed to be higher," ... novel optical approach showed that depending on ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):New report underlines multiple benefits but also new challenges to biodiversity-rich sites 2New report underlines multiple benefits but also new challenges to biodiversity-rich sites 3Innovation boost to tackle climate change 2Innovation boost to tackle climate change 3Looking for the heartbeat of cellular networks 2Sex With a Partner Makes Evolutionary Sense 3A Study 59931 1Sex With a Partner Makes Evolutionary Sense 3A Study 59931 2Zargis Cleared as Apple iPhone Developer 3B Medical Applications for Smartphones Planned 59929 1Zargis Cleared as Apple iPhone Developer 3B Medical Applications for Smartphones Planned 59929 2Senetek Implements New Corporate Communication Policy 59927 1Senetek Implements New Corporate Communication Policy 59927 2
... The November 2007 issue of the Journal of the American ... of interest. Below is a summary of some of this ... of a Journal article, e-mail media@eatright.org . , ... and Human Development , The Journal of the American Dietetic ...
... change the way we manage the marine environment. New research ... (1 November 2007) in Nature, shows how damaged Caribbean reefs ... Coral reefs conjure up images of rich, colourful ecosystems yet ... by seaweed. The research team wanted to test whether reefs ...
... the table. , Now, scientists at North Carolina State University ... are more sensitive to alcohol than others. And the results ... After genetically modifying fruit flies to be either extremely sensitive ... the NC State scientists found that a number of fruit ...
Other Biology News:Highlights from the November 2007 Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2Coral reefs will be permanently damaged without urgent action 2Lush or lightweight? 2
(Date:12/17/2009)... November, even as the overall unemployment rate edged down slightly. Additionally, ... , ... (Vocus) December 17, 2009 -- November was ... which is to say, there were no major unexpected layoffs announced ... the Pfizer acquisition of Wyeth. Meanwhile, healthcare employment continued rising in ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... as fact among historians, journalists and politicians, and has ... of the U.S. Congress: British forces used chemical weapons ... But that claim has never been fully squared with ... at Colgate University. According to Douglas,s research, forthcoming in ... History , no such incident ever occurred. , ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... after the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) signed the ... Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Thales ... research laboratory, the three parties are meeting again ... (CINTRA) Laboratory at NTU. , Located at ... to harness the latest in science and technology ...
(Date:12/16/2009)... VEGAS, Dec. 16 Cord Blood America, ... blood stem cell preservation company ( http://www.cordblood-america.com ... of stem cells, a biological insurance policy, to ... has reduced its debt by a total of ... of 2009 and total debt eliminated for the ...
Breaking Biology Technology:The MedZilla Report for November 2009 - Healthcare Employment Up, And No Major Bad News for Pharma, Either 2The MedZilla Report for November 2009 - Healthcare Employment Up, And No Major Bad News for Pharma, Either 3Despite claims, UK did not gas Iraqis in the 1920s, new research finds 2Despite claims, UK did not gas Iraqis in the 1920s, new research finds 3Despite claims, UK did not gas Iraqis in the 1920s, new research finds 4New Singapore-French nanotech lab opens at NTU 2New Singapore-French nanotech lab opens at NTU 3Cord Blood America Says 2009 Debt Reduction Tops $10 Million 2Cord Blood America Says 2009 Debt Reduction Tops $10 Million 3
... (Amex:,SGN) announced that The United States Patent and ... entitled "Electrode For, And,Method Of, Indicating Signal Characteristics ... which covers 56 patent claims, is one of,several ... years., Dr. Budimir S. Drakulic, Signalife,s Chief ...
... Incorporated (Nasdaq:,VICL) today announced that, by invitation of ... Vice President of Vaccine Research,presented on "DNA Vaccines ... Influenza Workshop (Bangkok, Thailand -- November 28-30)., ... includes about 300,000,military personnel from the Army, Navy, ...
... America, Inc.,(OTC Bulletin Board: CBAI), the umbilical cord ... on bringing the life,saving potential of stem cells ... has completed a private placement with,institutional investors of ... of 20%, in an aggregate principal amount of ...
Other Biology Technology:U.S. Patent 7,299,083 Awarded to Signalife 2Vical Presentation at Military Pandemic Influenza Workshop 2Cord Blood America Announces Financing 2Cord Blood America Announces Financing 3
Recognizes NSCL1. The molecular weight of the protein is 14,616 Daltons....
Secure-Seal™ spacer, one well, 20 mm diameter, 0.12 mm deep *set of 100*...
Rat Antibody to Mouse TCR VB8.1,8.2:FITC Recognises the V beta 8.1 and V beta 8.2 determinants of the murine T cell receptor. Specificity: mouse TCR VB8.1 and 8.2...
KAI 1 (G-2)...
Biology Products: