报告题目1: The Integrative Genomics and Multi-Omics of of the Vaginal Microbiome with a focus on Pregnancy and Preterm Birth

报  告 人：Dr. Gregory A. Buck

Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Virginia Commonwealth University

 

报告题目2：Control Infectious Bacterial Pathogens By Genomics and Systems Biology

报  告 人：Prof. Ping Xu

Microbiology and Immunology Department

Virginia Commonwealth University,

 

报告时间：4月24日上午9:00-12:00

报告地点：闵行校区生物药学楼 树华多功能厅

联 系  人：张晓君 13761960889

 

 

微生物代谢国家重点实验室

上海交通大学生命科学技术学院

上海市微生物学会

 

Abstract

The Integrative Genomics and Multi-Omics of of the Vaginal Microbiome with a focus on Pregnancy and Preterm Birth.

Gregory A. Buck*, Jennifer M. Fettweis, Jerome F. Strauss III, Kimberly K. Jefferson and the Vaginal Microbiome Consortium at VCU.

The overall objective of the Vaginal Human Microbiome Project (VaHMP) Multi-Omic Microbiome Study-Pregnancy Initiative (MOMS-PI) project is to clarify the role(s) of the vaginal and related microbiomes in women’s urogenital health with a focus on pregnancy, preterm birth (PTB) and other adverse outcomes of pregnancy. The WHO estimates that there are approximately 12.9 million PTBs each year worldwide, with a mortality rate as high as 42%. Survivors often experience residual effects including neurological disorders, learning deficits and respiratory challenges. In the US, annual costs of PTBs are approximately $28 million, not to mention the devastating intangible impacts on the affected families. PTB has multiple etiologies, but most very PTBs (<32 weeks gestation) have infectious roots due to microbial invasion of the amiotic cavity. The actual causes of these infections are not clear, but it is thought that vaginal bacteria ascend through the cervix into the uterine cavity. Bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common pathogenic condition of the female urogenital tract, is associated with a decreased presence of Lactobacillus species and a concommitant increase in microbial diversity in the vagina. However, although BV has been associated with enhanced risk of PTB, the causes of this enhanced risk are unclear. The The VaHMP has collected and analyzed the vaginal microbiome profiles from over 6000 women in variou stages of health and disease. We have identified several, previously poorly characterized prokaryotic organisms that may play important roles in womens health. MOMS PI project is collecting longitudinal samples from up to 2000 pregnant women visitors to VCU Medical Center Facilities and clinics associated with the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth during and after pregnancy and from their neonates after delivery. Samples collected include vaginal, rectal, nares, skin, and buccal samples from the pregnant women, birth products and cord blood at delivery, and buccal, skin and stool (meconium) from the infants. Multi-omic analyses include 16S rRNA gene surveys for microbiome profiles, whole metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequencing, cytokine profiles and metabolomic screens. The dynamic flux of the microbiome, its products, and the host responses are recorded and integrated to identify associations with adverse outcomes of pregnancy. Preliminary data suggest associations of specific taxa and other measures with adverse outcomes in pregnancy.

This work was supported by grants from the NIH Common Fund Human Microbiome Project program through grants 8U54HD080784 and 1UH2/UH3AI08326 to G. Buck, K. Jefferson and J. Strauss. We thank the members of the Vaginal Microbiome Consortium at VCU (vmc.vcu.edu) for their dedication and hard work on this project. We also thank the Global Alliance for the Prevention of Prematurity and Stillbirth (Seattle Children’s Hospital) for their participation in launching the MOMS-PI project.

 

 

 

Control Infectious Bacterial Pathogens By Genomics and Systems Biology

Ping Xu  , Xiuchun Ge

Recent emerging and re-emerging infectious pathogens have significant impact on public health and global economy. Many new antibiotic resistant pathogens are becoming prevalent after decades of overdosed application of antibiotics. Identification of essential genes as drug targets to control these new and emerging pathogens become urgent topics. We recently identified comprehensive essential genes in Streptococcus sanguinis by genomics and systems biology. We assume that many genes work together through intracellular gene interactions and render extracellular biological phenotypes. Examination of both intracellular gene interactions and extracellular phenotypes will provide insights of the gene functions.  We constructed a gene interaction network for studying gene functions. We also deleted every coding gene in S. sanguinis genome and collected all essential genes. These essential genes were then linked and examined as a whole in the gene interaction network. This holistic analysis of the comprehensive set of essential genes demonstrated that essential genes were exclusively associated with only three basic categories of biological functions: maintenance of the cell envelope, energy production, and processing of genetic information. This clear picture of gene essentiality in bacterial pathogens is critical not only for identifying antibacterial drug targets but also for understanding the origins of life. A simple model has been established to identify essential genes for drug targets against different bacterial pathogens.