Biology subjects

Ellis, J. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Ellis, J. C..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Specific Bacterial Taxa and Their Metabolite, DHPS, Linked to Alzheimers Disease, Parkinsons Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are multifactorial disorders frequently associated with gut dysbiosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation; however, the pathophysiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. We investigated bacterial and metabolic dyshomeostasis in the gut microbiome associated with early disease stages across three NDDs, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimers Disease (AD), Parkinsons Disease (PD), and healthy controls (HC) and discovered a previously unrecognized link between a microbial-derived metabolite with an unknown role in human physiology, 2,3-dihydroxypropane-1-sulfonate (DHPS), and NDDs. DHPS was downregulated in AD, ALS, and PD, while Eubacterium and Desulfovibrio, capable of metabolizing this metabolite,1-4 were increased in all disease cohorts. Additionally, select taxa within the Clostridia class had strong negative correlations to DHPS suggesting a potential role in DHPS metabolism. Hydrogen sulfide is a catabolic product of DHPS,1,5 and hydrogen sulfide promotes inflammation,6-8 oxidative stress,9 mitochondrial damage,10 and gut dysbiosis,2,11 known hallmarks of NDD. These findings suggest that cryptic sulfur metabolism via DHPS is a missing link in our current understanding of NDD onset and progression. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to provide evidence of a conserved gut-brain axis linkage of specific bacterial taxa and their metabolism of DHPS shared by three neurodegenerative diseases.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Fecal microbiomics biomarkers for Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a naturally occurring prion disease in cervids that has been rapidly proliferating in the US. Here we investigated a potential link between CWD infection and gut microbiome by analyzing 50 fecal samples obtained from CWD-positive animals of different sexes from various regions in the US, compared to 50 CWD-negative controls using high throughput sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA and targeted metabolomics. Our analysis reveals promising trends in the gut microbiota that could potentially be CWD-dependent, including several bacterial taxa at each rank level, as well as taxa pairs, that can differentiate between CWD-negative and CWD-positive deer. At each rank level, these taxa and taxa pairs could facilitate identification of around 70% of both the CWD-negative and the CWD-positive samples. Our results provide a potential tool for diagnostics and surveillance of CWD in the wild, as well as conceptual advances in our understanding of the disease. ImportanceThis is a comprehensive study that tests the connection between the composition of the gut microbiome in deer in response to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). We analyzed 50 fecal samples obtained from CWD-positive animals compared to 50 CWD-negative controls to identify CWD-dependent changes in the gut microbiome, matched with the analysis of fecal metabolites. Our results show promising trends suggesting that fecal microbial composition can directly correspond to CWD disease status. These results point to microbial composition of the feces as a potential tool for diagnostics and surveillance of CWD in the wild, including non-invasive CWD detection in asymptomatic deer and deer habitats, and enable conceptual advances in our understanding of the disease.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Metagenomics for pathogen detection during a wildlife mortality event in songbirds

Mass mortality events in wildlife can be indications of an emerging infectious disease. During the spring and summer of 2021, hundreds of dead passerines were reported across the eastern US. Birds exhibited a range of clinical signs including swollen conjunctiva, ocular discharge, ataxia, and nystagmus. As part of the diagnostic investigation, high-throughput metagenomic next-generation sequencing was performed across three molecular laboratories on samples from affected birds. Many potentially pathogenic microbes were detected, with bacteria comprising the largest proportion; however, no singular agent was consistently identified, with many of the detected microbes also found in unaffected (control) birds, and thus considered to be subclinical infections. Congruent results across laboratories have helped drive further investigation into alternative causes including environmental contaminants and nutritional deficiencies. This work highlights the utility of metagenomic approaches in investigations of emerging diseases and provides a framework for future wildlife mortality events. Article Summary LineThe causative agent of a mass mortality event in passerines remains inconclusive after metagenomic high-throughput sequencing with results prompting further investigation into non-pathogenic causes.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2022

Bat Red Blood Cells express Nucleic Acid Sensing Receptors and bind RNA and DNA

Red blood cells (RBCs) demonstrate immunomodulatory capabilities through the expression of nucleic acid sensors. However, little is known about bat RBCs, and no studies have examined the immune function of bat erythrocytes. Here we show that bat RBCs express the nucleic acid-sensing Toll-like receptors TLR7 and TLR9 and bind the nucleic acid ligands, single-stranded RNA, and CpG DNA. Collectively, these data suggest that, like human RBCs, bat erythrocytes possess immune function and may be reservoirs for nucleic acids. These findings provide unique insight into bat immunity and may uncover potential mechanisms by which virulent pathogens in humans are concealed in bats.

immunology↗