RESUMO
Gut symbionts influence the physiology and behavior of their host, but the extent to which these effects scale to social behaviors is an emerging area of research. The use of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) as a model enables researchers to investigate the gut microbiome and behavior at several levels of social organization. Insight into gut microbial effects at the societal level is critical for our understanding of how involved microbial symbionts are in host biology. In this Commentary, we discuss recent findings in honeybee gut microbiome research and synthesize these with knowledge of the physiology and behavior of other model organisms to hypothesize how host-microbe interactions at the individual level could shape societal dynamics and evolution.
Assuntos
Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Abelhas , Animais , Comportamento SocialRESUMO
We have searched for genes predisposing to bipolar disorder (BP) by studying individuals with the most extreme form of the affected phenotype, BP-I, ascertained from the genetically isolated population of the Central Valley of Costa Rica (CVCR). The results of a previous linkage analysis on two extended CVCR BP-I pedigrees, CR001 and CR004, and of linkage disequilibrium (LD) analyses of a CVCR population sample of BP-I patients implicated a candidate region on 18p11.3. We further investigated this region by creating a physical map and developing 4 new microsatellite and 26 single-nucleotide polymorphism markers for typing in the pedigree and population samples. We report the results of fine-scale association analyses in the population sample, as well as evaluation of haplotypes in pedigree CR001. Our results suggest a candidate region containing six genes but also highlight the complexities of LD mapping of common disorders.
Assuntos
Transtorno Bipolar/genética , Mapeamento Cromossômico , Cromossomos Humanos Par 18 , Transtornos do Humor/genética , Alelos , Costa Rica , Feminino , Marcadores Genéticos , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Humanos , Masculino , Repetições de Microssatélites/genética , LinhagemRESUMO
Adeno-associated virus type2 (AAV-2) binds to heparan-sulfate proteoglycans on the cell surface. In vivo, attachment of viral particles to cells adjacent to the injection tract limits the distribution of AAV-2 when infused into the CNS parenchyma and heparin co-infusion might decrease the binding of AAV-2 particles to cells in the vicinity of the infusion tract. We have previously shown that heparin co-infusion combined with convection enhanced delivery enhances distribution of the GDNF family trophic factors (heparin-binding proteins) in the rat brain. In this work we show that heparin co-infusion significantly increases the volume of distribution of AAV-2 as demonstrated by immunoreactivity to the transgene product 6 days after infusion into the rat striatum.
Assuntos
Anticoagulantes/farmacologia , Encéfalo/efeitos dos fármacos , Dependovirus/efeitos dos fármacos , Técnicas de Transferência de Genes , Terapia Genética/métodos , Vetores Genéticos/efeitos dos fármacos , Heparina/farmacologia , Animais , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Encéfalo/virologia , Convecção , Corpo Estriado/efeitos dos fármacos , Corpo Estriado/metabolismo , Corpo Estriado/virologia , Dependovirus/fisiologia , Sistemas de Liberação de Medicamentos , Feminino , Lateralidade Funcional/efeitos dos fármacos , Lateralidade Funcional/fisiologia , Regulação Viral da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Regulação Viral da Expressão Gênica/fisiologia , Genes Reporter/genética , Vetores Genéticos/farmacologia , Proteína Glial Fibrilar Ácida/metabolismo , Imuno-Histoquímica , Neurônios/efeitos dos fármacos , Neurônios/metabolismo , Neurônios/virologia , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Timidina Quinase/genética , Timidina Quinase/metabolismoRESUMO
Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis has been promoted as a method of mapping disease genes, particularly in isolated populations, but has not yet been used for genome-screening studies of complex disorders. We present results of a study to investigate the feasibility of LD methods for genome screening using a sample of individuals affected with severe bipolar mood disorder (BP-I), from an isolated population of the Costa Rican central valley. Forty-eight patients with BP-I were genotyped for markers spaced at approximately 6-cM intervals across chromosome 18. Chromosome 18 was chosen because a previous genome-screening linkage study of two Costa Rican families had suggested a BP-I locus on this chromosome. Results of the current study suggest that LD methods will be useful for mapping BP-I in a larger sample. The results also support previously reported possible localizations (obtained from a separate collection of patients) of BP-I-susceptibility genes at two distinct sites on this chromosome. Current limitations of LD screening for identifying loci for complex traits are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research with these methods.