Biology subjects

McCall, L.-I.

Publications and source records attributed to McCall, L.-I..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Repository-scale Co- and Re-analysis of Tandem Mass Spectrometry Data

Metabolomics data are difficult to find and reuse, even in public repositories. We, therefore, developed the Reanalysis of Data User (ReDU) interface (https://redu.ucsd.edu/), a community- and data-driven approach that solves this problem at the repository scale. ReDU enables public data discovery and co- or re-analysis via uniformly formatted, publicly available MS/MS data and metadata in the Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking Platform (GNPS), consistent with findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) principles.1

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2019

3D mapping of host-parasite-microbiome interactions reveals metabolic determinants of tissue tropism and disease tolerance in Chagas disease

Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi protozoa. Over 8 million people worldwide are T. cruzi-positive, 20-30% of which will develop cardiomyopathy, megaoesophagus and/or megacolon. The mechanisms leading to gastrointestinal (GI) symptom development are however poorly understood. To address this issue, we systematically characterized the spatial impact of experimental T. cruzi infection on the microbiome and metabolome across the GI tract. The largest microbiota perturbations were observed in the proximal large intestine in both acute and chronic disease, with chronic-stage effects also observed in the cecum. Strikingly, metabolomic impact of acute-to-chronic stage transition differed depending on the organ, with persistent large-scale effects of infection primarily in the oesophagus and large intestine, providing a potential mechanism for GI pathology tropism in CD. Infection particularly affected acylcarnitine and lipid metabolism. Building on these observations, treatment of infected mice with carnitine-supplemented drinking water prevented acute-stage mortality with no changes in parasite burden. Overall, these results identified a new mechanism of disease tolerance in CD, with potential for the development of new therapeutic regimens. More broadly, these results highlight the potential of spatially-resolved metabolomic approaches to provide insight into disease pathogenesis, with translational applications for infectious disease drug development.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Characterization of the workplace chemical exposome using untargeted LC-MS/MS: a case study

Western people now spend close to 90% of their time indoors, one-quarter of which occurs at their place of employment. As such, interactions between employees and the workplace built environment have significant potential impact on employee health and safety. However, the range of workers daily chemical exposures is still poorly understood. Likewise, the influence of workers themselves and of worker behavior on the chemical composition of the workplace is still unknown. In this case study, we used untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to compare the chemical signatures of three different types of workplaces: scientific research buildings, office buildings, and one mixed-purpose building. Our results identified differential signatures of public building surfaces based on building purpose, sampling location and surface materials. Overall, these results are helping define the influence of human behavior on the workplace chemical environment and identify the chemical hazards to which people are exposed throughout their workday. HighlightsO_LIImplementation of untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to study workplace chemical exposures. C_LIO_LIShared chemical signatures were identified based on building purpose. C_LIO_LIDifferential chemical signatures were identified based on surface material and sampling location. C_LIO_LIAnnotated molecules include pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, food chemicals, constituents of paints and stains, and cleaning products. C_LI

biochemistry↗