diversity
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPrions from Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Patients Propagate as Strain MixturessCJD occurrence is currently assumed to result from spontaneous and stochastic formation of a misfolded PrP nucleus in the brains of affected patients. This original nucleus then recruits and converts nascent PrPC into PrPSc, leading to the propagation of prions in the patient’s brain. Our study demonstrates the coexistence of two prion strains in the brains of a majority of the 23 sCJD patients investigated. The...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyImpact of Individual Traits, Saturated Fat, and Protein Source on the Gut MicrobiomeThe microbiome has proven to influence health and disease, but how combinations of external factors affect the microbiome is relatively unknown. Diet can cause changes, but this is usually achieved by altering macronutrient ratios and has not focused on dietary protein source or saturated fat intake levels. In addition, each individual’s unique microbiome profile can be an important factor during studies, and it has even been shown to...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceStructural and Nonstructural Genes Contribute to the Genetic Diversity of RNA VirusesWith the advent of advanced sequencing technology, studies of RNA viruses have shown that genetic diversity can contribute to both attenuation and virulence and the paradigm is that this is controlled by the error-prone RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Since wild-type yellow fever virus (YFV) strain Asibi has genetic diversity typical of a wild-type RNA virus, while 17D virus vaccine has limited diversity, it provides a unique...
- PerspectiveDrivers of Microbiome Biodiversity: A Review of General Rules, Feces, and Ignorance
The alpha diversity of ecologic communities is affected by many biotic and abiotic drivers and, in turn, affects ecosystem functioning. Yet, patterns of alpha diversity in host-associated microbial communities (microbiomes) are poorly studied and the appropriateness of general theory is untested.