Biology subjects

May, J. C.

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

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Spatiochemical Investigation of Potential Biocontrol Agents Against Phytophthora capsici Infection in Tomato

Biological control agents can offer an eco-friendly and more sustainable alternative to conventional chemical pesticides, providing protection against destructive pathogens, such as Phytophthora capsici, while reducing potential environmental harm associated with synthetic pesticide use in agricultural production systems. This work demonstrates the biocontrol effectiveness of various Bacillus species, including Bacillus vallismortis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus subtilis, against the widespread plant pathogen, Phytophthora capsici. Our studies showed that Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus subtilis promote plant growth and provide protection against Phytophthora capsici in both in vitro and in vivo greenhouse studies, while Bacillus vallismortis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens were effective in vitro but not in vivo. Specifically, Bacillus thuringiensis was observed to both hinder the growth of Phytophthora capsici and enhance plant resilience to this oomycete pathogen. To probe the molecular interactions between biocontrol agent and pathogen, a dual culture of Bacillus thuringiensis and Phytophthora capsici was analyzed in situ using a mass spectrometry imaging workflow that implemented desorption electrospray ionization. This imaging approach spatially investigated the complex biochemical interactions that serve as the molecular foundation for the effectiveness of these biological control agents in crop protection, including antagonistic interactions that may be fundamental to their method of action. Herein, we demonstrate the benefits of biological control agent application in tomato cultivation, including enhanced pathogen control and plant growth, and showcase the strengths of desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry imaging when applied to the spatially-resolved molecular characterization of agriculturally relevant microorganisms.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2023

ATP10A promotes endothelial cell insulin sensitivity and protects against diet-induced dyslipidemia in female mice

Genetic association studies have linked ATP10A and closely related type IV P-type ATPases (P4-ATPases) to insulin resistance and vascular complications, such as atherosclerosis. ATP10A translocates phosphatidylcholine and glucosylceramide across cell membranes, and these lipids or their metabolites play important roles in signal transduction pathways regulating metabolism. However, the influence of ATP10A on lipid metabolism in mice has not been explored. Here, we generated gene-specific Atp10A knockout mice and show that Atp10A-/- mice fed a high-fat diet did not gain excess weight relative to wild-type littermates. However, Atp10A-/-mice displayed female-specific dyslipidemia characterized by elevated plasma triglycerides, free fatty acids and cholesterol, as well as altered VLDL and HDL properties. We also observed increased circulating levels of several sphingolipid species along with reduced levels of eicosanoids and bile acids. The Atp10A-/- mice also displayed hepatic insulin resistance without perturbations to whole-body glucose homeostasis. Thus, ATP10A has a sex-specific role in regulating plasma lipid composition and maintaining hepatic liver insulin sensitivity in mice.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Accelerating Strain Engineering using Desorption Electrospray Ionization-Imaging Mass Spectrometry and Untargeted Molecular Analysis of Intact Microbial Colonies.

Progress in the fields of genomic and biologic sciences has yielded microbial bioprocesses for the advanced production of chemicals. While biomanufacturing has the potential to address global demands for renewable fuels and chemicals, engineering microbial cell factories that can compete with synthetic chemical processes remains a challenge. Optimizing strains for enhanced chemical production is no longer limited by reading and writing DNA, rather it is impeded by the lack of high-throughput platforms for characterizing the metabolic phenotypes resulting from specific gene editing events. To address this issue, we have developed a desorption electrospray ionization- imaging mass spectrometry (DESI-IMS) screening assay that is conducive to both multiplexed sampling and untargeted analyses. This technology bridges the gap between genomic and metabolomic timescales by simultaneously characterizing the chemical output of various engineered Escherichia coli strains rapidly and directly under ambient conditions. The developed method was used to phenotype four E. coli strains on the basis of measured metabolomes, which were validated via PCR genotyping. Untargeted DESI-IMS phenotyping suggests multiple strategies for future engineering which include: (i) relative amounts of specific biosynthetic products, (ii) identification of secondary products, and (iii) the metabolome of engineered organisms. In sum, we present a workflow to accelerate strain engineering by providing rapid, untargeted, and multiplexed analyses of microbial metabolic phenotypes.

bioengineering↗