Clostridium amazonense sp. nov. an obliqately anaerobic bacterium isolated from a remote Amazonian community in Peru.

A strictly anaerobic Gram-stain positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium designated NE08V(T), was isolated from a fecal sample of an individual residing in a remote Amazonian community in Peru. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed the organism belonged to the genus Clostridium and is most closely related to Clostridium vulturis (97.4% sequence similarity) and was further characterized using biochemical and chemotaxonomic methods. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso C13:0 and C16:0 with a genomic DNA G + C content of 31.6 mol%. Fermentation products during growth with PYG were acetate and butyrate. Based on phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic information, strain NE08V was identified as representing a novel species of the genus Clostridium, for which the name Clostridium amazonense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NE08V(T) (DSM 23598(T) = CCUG 59712(T)).

Possible positive selection for an arsenic-protective haplotype in humans.

BACKGROUND: Arsenic in drinking water causes severe health effects. Indigenous people in the South American Andes have likely lived with arsenic-contaminated drinking water for thousands of years. Inhabitants of San Antonio de los Cobres (SAC) in the Argentinean highlands generally carry an AS3MT (the major arsenic-metabolizing gene) haplotype associated with reduced health risks due to rapid arsenic excretion and lower urinary fraction of the monomethylated metabolite. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized an adaptation to high-arsenic living conditions via a possible positive selection for protective AS3MT variants and compared AS3MT haplotype frequencies among different indigenous groups. METHODS: Indigenous groups we evaluated were a) inhabitants of SAC and villages near Salta in northern Argentina (n = 346), b) three Native American populations from the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP; n = 25), and c) five Peruvian populations (n = 97). The last two groups have presumably lower historical exposure to arsenic. RESULTS: We found a significantly higher frequency of the protective AS3MT haplotype in the SAC population (68.7%) compared with the HGDP (14.3%, p < 0.001, Fisher exact test) and Peruvian (50.5%, p < 0.001) populations. Genome-wide microsatellite (n = 671) analysis showed no detectable level of population structure between SAC and Peruvian populations (measure of population differentiation FST = 0.006) and low levels of structure between SAC and HGDP populations (FST < 0.055 for all pairs of populations compared). CONCLUSIONS: Because population stratification seems unlikely to explain the differences in AS3MT haplotype frequencies, our data raise the possibility that, during a few thousand years, natural selection for tolerance to the environmental stressor arsenic may have increased the frequency of protective variants of AS3MT. Further studies are needed to investigate this hypothesis.

Relación del polimorfismo C-514T del gen de la lipasa hepática con indicadores nutricionales y lipoproteínas en una muestra poblacional peruana: una perspectiva nutrigenética / Relation of the hepatic lipase gene C-514T polymorphism with nutritional indicators and lipoproteins in a peruvian population sample: a nutrigenetic perspective

Introducción: Las enfermedades cardiovasculares son una de las principales causas de muerte en todo el mundo. El promotor del gen de la lipasa hepática presenta un polimorfismo funcional C-514T que se relaciona con la actividad de la enzima, la variación de los niveles de lipoproteínas y un posible riesgo para desarrollar enfermedades cardiovasculares. Objetivos: Establecer la relación del polimorfismo C-514T del promotor del gen de la lipasa hepática con indicadores nutricionales y los niveles de lipoproteínas plasmáticas en una muestra de peruanos saludables. Diseño: Estudio descriptivo, transversal, asociativo. Lugar: Centro de Investigación de Bioquímica y Nutrición Alberto Guzmán Barrón, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Participantes: Noventiuna personas sanas de ambos sexos, cuyas edades fluctuaban entre 18 y 58 años, voluntarios con consentimiento informado. Intervenciones: Extracción del ADN genómico a partir de muestras sanguíneas según metodología estándar. Toma de medidas antropométricas, estableciéndose los indicadores nutricionales, determinación del perfil lipídico por el método enzimático. Análisis del polimorfismo C-514T mediante la técnica de PCR/RFLP, con primers específicos y digestión con la enzima de restricción NlaIII, detectándose los fragmentos de RFLP por electroforesis en gel de poliacrilamida (PAGE) y tinción con nitrato de plata. Principales medidas de resultados: Frecuencias genotípicas y alélicas del gende la lipasa hepática y relación con parámetros lipídicos y nutricionales. Resultados: Se encontró las frecuencias genotípicas CC=0,143; CT=0,593 y TT = 0,264, siendola distribución consistente con el equilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg (X2 =3,8024, g.l.=1, p = 0,086). Las frecuencias alélicas fueron alelo C = 0,4395 y el alelo T = 0,5605. Los niveles de colesterol, HDLc, LDLc, TG y los promedios de pliegue subcutáneo, el IMC y el porcentaje de grasa en los genotipos CC, CT y TT.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are major causes de death in the world. The hepatic lipase (HL) gene promoter region presents a C-514T functional polymorphism related to enzyme activity, variation of lipoproteins levels and possible cardiovascular disease risk. Objectives: To determine the association of HL gene promoter region polymorphism with both nutritional indicators and lipoproteins levels in a healthy Peruvian sample. Design: Descriptive, transversal, associative study. Setting: Alberto Guzman Barron Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Participants: Ninety healthy male and female volunteers aged 18 to 58 years. Interventions: Genomic DNA was obtained from serum samples according to standard methodology. Anthropometric measurements and lipid profile byenzymatic methods were performed. Polymorphism C-514T in the HL gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were digested with NlaIII and fragments separated by polyacrilamyde gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and stained with silver nitrate. Main outcome measures: HL gene genotypes and alleles frequencies and relation with both lipid and nutritional parameters. Results: We found genotype frequencies CC=0,143; CT=0,593 and TT = 0,264, consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (X2 =3,8024, g.l. = 1, p = 0,086). Alleles frequencies were C allele = 0,4395 and T allele = 0,5605. HDLc, LDLc, TAG cholesterol levels and subcutaneous fold, BMI and fat percentage averages in CC, CT and TT genotypes did not show significant differences (p > 0,05). Nevertheless, when T allele was analyzed alone (genotypes CT and TT) according to age and sex there were significant differences (p < 0,05) in some parameters.

Polimorfismo val108/158Met en el gen dopaminérgico catecol o-metil transferasa (COMT) en una población mixta peruana y su importancia para los estudios neuropsiquiátricos / Val108/158Met polymorphism in the catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) dopaminergic gene in mestizo Peruvian population and its importance in neuropsychiatric studies

Introducción: El gen dopaminérgico catecol-o-metil transferasa (COMT), tiene un polimorfismo funcional Val108/158Met que da lugar a variantes de la enzima que cataliza la o-metilación de las catecolaminas activas, participando en el metabolismo de las drogas y neurotransmisores, como la L-dopa, norepinefrina, epinefrina y dopamina y, por consiguiente, puede asociarse a condiciones neuropsiquiátricas. Objetivos: Determinar las frecuencias genotípicas y alélicas del polimorfismo Val108/158Met del gen COMT en sujetos saludables de una población mixta peruana y establecer las implicancias para el estudio genético de enfermedades y otras condiciones neuropsiquiátricas. Diseño: Estudio descriptivo, observacional, transversal. Lugar: Centro de Investigación de Bioquímica y Nutrición æAlberto Guzmán BarrónÆ. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Participantes: Ciento seis personas, hombres y mujeres, clínicamente saludables, sin enfermedades neurológicas ni mentales u otra patología similar, voluntarios con consentimiento informado, sin relación de parentesco, todos residentes en Lima, cuyas edades fluctuaban entre los 18 y 50 años. Intervenciones: Extracción del ADN genómico a partir de células de epitelio bucal, según metodología estándar. Amplificación mediante la PCR con primers específicos y digestión con la enzima de restricción NlaIII. Detección de fragmentos de restricción de longitud polimórfica (RFLP) por electroforesis en gel de poliacrilamida al 6 por ciento, teñido con nitrato de plata. Principales medidas de resultados: Frecuencias genotípicas y alélicas del gen COMT en población mixta peruana. Resultados: Se encontró las frecuencias genotípicas Met/Met=0,0661, Val/Met=0,5094 y Val/Val=0,4245, siendo la distribución consistente con el equilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg (X2 =3,0317, g.l.=1, p mayor que 0,05). Las frecuencias alélicas encontradas fueron alelo Val=0,68 y el alelo Met=0,32. Conclusiones: El genotipo heterocigoto...

Introduction: Dopaminergic catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) gene has a functional polymorphism Val108/158Met that originates enzyme variants that catalyze o-methylation of active catecholamines and participates in drugs and neurotransmitters metabolism including L-dopa, norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine and thus may be associated to neuropsychiatric conditions. Objectives: To determine COMT gene genotypes and alleles frequencies in mestizo Peruvian population healthy subjects and its importance in neuropsychiatric genetic studies. Design: Descriptive, observational, transversal study. Setting: Alberto Guzman Barron Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Participants: One hundred and six healthy subjects, male and female volunteers with informed consent, without family relationship or mental and neurological disorders as determined by clinical assessment, all Lima residents, aged between 18 and 50 years. Interventions: Genomic DNA was extracted from buccal epithelium cells to 106 individuals seemingly healthy, previous informed consent, using standard methodology. We typed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the relevant region followed by digestion with N1aIII enzyme and polyacrilamyde gel electrophoresis and silver nitrate stain. Main outcomes measures: COMT gene genotypes and alleles frequencies in mixed Peruvian population. Results: We found frequencies Met/Met genotype=0,0661, Val/Met genotype=0,5094, and Val/Val genotype=0,4245, distribution consistent with Hardy Weinberg expectations (X2 = 3,0317, g.l.=1, p major 0,05). Alleles frequencies were Val allele=0,679 and Met allele=0,321. Conclusions: Val/Met heterozygote and Val allele were significantly more common in the mixed Peruvian population. In gene-gene interaction and gene environment Val108/158Met polymorphism must be considered in neuropsychiatric genetic studies in both mixed and native populations.

Mitochondrial DNA and the peopling of South America.

The initial peopling of South America is largely unresolved, in part because of the unique distribution of genetic diversity in native South Americans. On average, genetic diversity estimated within Andean populations is higher than that estimated within Amazonian populations. Yet there is less genetic differentiation estimated among Andean populations than estimated among Amazonian populations. One hypothesis is that this pattern is a product of independent migrations of genetically differentiated people into South America. A competing hypothesis is that there was a single migration followed by regional isolation. In this study we address these hypotheses using mtDNA hypervariable region 1 sequences representing 21 South American groups and include new data sets for four native Peruvian communities from Tupe, Yungay, and Puno. An analysis of variance that compared the combined data from western South America to the combined data from eastern South America determined that these two regional data sets are not significantly different. As a result, a migration from a single source population into South America serves as the simplest explanation of the data.