Journal
CELL
Volume 156, Issue 4, Pages 759-770Publisher
CELL PRESS
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.01.047
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Funding
- National Institutes of Health [DK068429]
- NIH [AG041605]
- AHA Founders Affiliate Predoctoral Fellowship
- Ontario Early Researcher Award
- Canadian Foundation for Innovation
- Ontario Leader's Opportunity Fund
- Canadian Institutes for Health Research
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
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Diet greatly influences gene expression and physiology. In mammals, elucidating the effects and mechanisms of individual nutrients is challenging due to the complexity of both the animal and its diet. Here, we used an interspecies systems biology approach with Caenorhabditis elegans and two of its bacterial diets, Escherichia coli and Comamonas aquatica, to identify metabolites that affect the animal's gene expression and physiology. We identify vitamin B12 as the major dilutable metabolite provided by Comamonas aq. that regulates gene expression, accelerates development, and reduces fertility but does not affect lifespan. We find that vitamin B12 has a dual role in the animal: it affects development and fertility via the methionine/S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM) cycle and breaks down the short-chain fatty acid propionic acid, preventing its toxic buildup. Our interspecies systems biology approach provides a paradigm for understanding complex interactions between diet and physiology.
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