Biology subjects

Mahmoudian, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Mahmoudian, M..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

Data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry enables reproducible characterization of microbiota function

Metaproteomics is an emerging research area which aims to reveal the functionality of microbial communities - unlike the increasingly popular metagenomics providing insights only on the functional potential. So far, the common approach in metaproteomics has been data-dependent acquisition mass spectrometry (DDA). However, DDA is known to have limited reproducibility and dynamic range with samples of complex microbial composition. To overcome these limitations, we introduce here a novel approach utilizing data-independent acquisition (DIA) mass spectrometry, which has not been applied in metaproteomics of complex samples before. For robust analysis of the data, we introduce an open-source software package diatools, which is freely available at Docker Hub and runs on various operating systems. Our highly reproducible results on laboratory-assembled microbial mixtures and human fecal samples support the utility of our approach for functional characterization of complex microbiota. Hence, the approach is expected to dramatically improve our understanding on the role of microbiota in health and disease.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2018

A crowdsourced analysis to identify ab initio molecular signatures predictive of susceptibility to viral infection

Respiratory viruses are highly infectious; however, the variation of individuals physiologic responses to viral exposure is poorly understood. Most studies examining molecular predictors of response focus on late stage predictors, typically near the time of peak symptoms. To determine whether pre- or early post-exposure factors could predict response, we conducted a community-based analysis to identify predictors of resilience or susceptibility to several respiratory viruses (H1N1, H3N2, Rhinovirus, and RSV) using peripheral blood gene expression profiles collected from healthy subjects prior to viral exposure, as well as up to 24 hours following exposure. This analysis revealed that it is possible to construct models predictive of symptoms using profiles even prior to viral exposure. Analysis of predictive gene features revealed little overlap among models; however, in aggregate, these genes were enriched for common pathways. Heme Metabolism, the most significantly enriched pathway, was associated with higher risk of developing symptoms following viral exposure.

immunology↗