Saturated Fats: A Perspective from Lactation and Milk Composition

For recommendations of specific targets for the absolute amount of saturated fat intake, we need to know what dietary intake is most appropriate? Changing agricultural production and processing to lower the relative quantities of macronutrients requires years to accomplish. Changes can have unintended consequences on diets and the health of subsets of the population. Hence, what are the appropriate absolute amounts of saturated fat in our diets? Is the scientific evidence consistent with an optimal intake of zero? If not, is it also possible that a finite intake of saturated fats is beneficial to overall health, at least to a subset of the population? Conclusive evidence from prospective human trials is not available, hence other sources of information must be considered. One approach is to examine the evolution of lactation, and the composition of milks that developed through millennia of natural selective pressure and natural selection processes. Mammalian milks, including human milk, contain 50% of their total fatty acids as saturated fatty acids. The biochemical formation of a single double bond converting a saturated to a monounsaturated fatty acid is a pathway that exists in all eukaryotic organisms and is active within the mammary gland. In the face of selective pressure, mammary lipid synthesis in all mammals continues to release a significant content of saturated fatty acids into milk. Is it possible that evolution of the mammary gland reveals benefits to saturated fatty acids that current recommendations do not consider

High-throughput sequencing of plasma microRNA in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to regulate many biological processes and their dysregulation has been associated with a variety of diseases including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). The recent discovery of stable and reproducible miRNA in plasma has raised the possibility that circulating miRNAs may serve as novel diagnostic markers. The objective of this study was to determine the role of plasma miRNA in CFS/ME. RESULTS: Using Illumina high-throughput sequencing we identified 19 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in the plasma of CFS/ME patients in comparison to non-fatigued controls. Following RT-qPCR analysis, we were able to confirm the significant up-regulation of three miRNAs (hsa-miR-127-3p, hsa-miR-142-5p and hsa-miR-143-3p) in the CFS/ME patients. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to identify circulating miRNAs from CFS/ME patients and also to confirm three differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in CFS/ME patients, providing a basis for further study to find useful CFS/ME biomarkers

A DNA barcode database of Australia’s freshwater macroinvertebrate fauna

Macroinvertebrates are widely used for monitoring freshwater ecosystems. In most monitoring programs, identifications take substantial time and expense. Methods that improve the speed, accuracy and cost-effectiveness of macroinvertebrate identification would benefit such programs. Increasingly, DNA barcodes are being used to provide accurate species-level identifications and have the potential to change how macroinvertebrates are routinely identified. Herein we discuss the need for DNA barcodes of freshwater macroinvertebrates with particular reference to Australia. We examine the use of DNA barcodes for species identification and compare DNA barcoding efforts of macroinvertebrates from Australia with those globally. We consider the role of high-throughput sequencing of DNA barcodes in freshwater bioassessment and its potential use in biosurveillance. Finally, we outline a strategy for developing a comprehensive national DNA barcode database for Australian freshwater macroinvertebrates and present the initial efforts in creating this database.</jats:p

Development of internal COI primers to improve and extend barcoding of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacini)

Accurate species-level identifications underpin many aspects of basic and applied biology; however, identifications can be hampered by a lack of discriminating morphological characters, taxonomic expertise or time. Molecular approaches, such as DNA “barcoding” of the cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene, are argued to overcome these issues. However, nuclear encoding of mitochondrial genes (numts) and poor amplification success of suboptimally preserved specimens can lead to erroneous identifications. One insect group for which these molecular and morphological problems are significant are the dacine fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacini). We addressed these issues associated with COI barcoding in the dacines by first assessing several “universal” COI primers against public mitochondrial genome and numt sequences for dacine taxa. We then modified a set of four primers that more closely matched true dacine COI sequence and amplified two overlapping portions of the COI barcode region. Our new primers were tested alongside universal primers on a selection of dacine species, including both fresh preserved and decades-old dry specimens. Additionally, Bactrocera tryoni mitochondrial and nuclear genomes were compared to identify putative numts. Four numt clades were identified, three of which were amplified using existing universal primers. In contrast, our new primers preferentially amplified the “true” mitochondrial COI barcode in all dacine species tested. The new primers also successfully amplified partial barcodes from dry specimens for which full length barcodes were unobtainable. Thus we recommend these new primers be incorporated into the suites of primers used by diagnosticians and quarantine labs for the accurate identification of dacine species. © 2018 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science

Characteristics of miRNA-Seq subset of CFS/ME and non-fatigued control participants.

<p>* Denotes statistical significance set at <i>P</i><0.05.</p><p>The blood characteristics of the participants chosen for sequencing analysis.</p><p>Characteristics of miRNA-Seq subset of CFS/ME and non-fatigued control participants.</p

Top 25 most abundant miRNAs identified.

1<p>The base mean is the mean of the counts for each miRNA divided by the size factor for each condition (as calculated by DESeq).</p><p>Top 25 most abundant miRNAs identified.</p