Category Biology/Biotechnology

Model for the regulation of visceral fat ER stress in obesity. Induction of TRIP-Br2 and GATA3 during obesity via ER stress is critical for the visceral fat proinflammatory responses.

Researchers have long-known that visceral fat (which wraps around the internal organs) is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat (under the skin). But how visceral fat contributes to insulin resistance and inflammation has remained unknown. A study points blame at a regulatory molecule in cells called TRIP-Br2 that is produced in response to overeating’s stress on the machinery cells use to produce proteins.

In previous studies, in obese humans TRIP-Br2 was turned-up in visceral fat but not in subcutaneous fat...

Soy isoflavones and peptides may inhibit the growth of microbial pathogens that cause food-borne illnesses, according to a new study from Uni of Guelph researchers. Soybean derivatives are already a mainstay in food products, eg cooking oils, cheeses, ice cream, margarine, food spreads, canned foods and baked goods. The use of soy isoflavones and peptides to reduce microbial contamination could benefit the food industry, which currently uses synthetic additives to protect foods, says engineering professor Suresh Neethirajan, director of the BioNano Lab.

U of G researchers used microfluidics and high-throughput screening to run millions of tests in a short period. They found that soy can be a more effective antimicrobial agent than the current roster of synthetic chemicals...

Genetic correlations.

Genetic overlap between happiness, depression discovered. For the first time in history, researchers have isolated the parts of the human genome that could explain the differences in how humans experience happiness. These are the findings of a large-scale international study in over 298,000 people, conducted by VU Amsterdam professors Meike Bartels and Philipp Koellinger. They found 3 genetic variants for happiness, 2 variants that can account for differences in symptoms of depression, and eleven locations on the human genome that could account for varying degrees of neuroticism. The genetic variants for happiness are mainly expressed in the CNS and the adrenal glands and pancreatic system.

Manhattan plots of GWAS results.

Prior twin and family research using informat...

A three-day-old zebrafish head skeleton with newly differentiated cartilage cells (magenta) emerging from a pool of skeletal progenitor cells (green) (Image by Lindsey Barske)

Timing is everything when it comes to the development of the vertebrate face. In a new study USC Lindsey Barske from the lab of Gage Crump and her colleagues identify the roles of key molecular signals that control this critical timing.

Previous work from the Crump and other labs demonstrated that 2 types of molecular signals, called Jagged-Notch and Endothelin1 (Edn1), are critical for shaping the face. Loss of these signals results in facial deformities in both zebrafish and humans, revealing these as essential for patterning the faces of all vertebrates.

Using sophisticated genetic, genomic and imaging tools to st...