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Napier KR, Hooper AJ, Ng DM, Render L, Bell DA, Pang J, Watts GF, Bellgard MI, Burnett JR. Design, development and deployment of a web-based patient registry for rare genetic lipid disorders. Pathology 2020; 52:447-452. [PMID: 32276786 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Rare genetic lipid disorders comprise all the monogenic disorders of lipoprotein metabolism with the exception of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). The creation and maintenance of patient registries is critical for disease monitoring, improving clinical best practice, facilitating research and enabling the development of novel therapeutics, but very few disease-specific rare genetic lipid disorder registries currently exist. Our aim was to design, develop and deploy a web-based patient registry for rare genetic lipid disorders. The Rare Genetic Lipid Disorders Registry is based on the FH Australasia Network (FHAN) Registry, which has been operating since 2015. The Rare Genetic Lipid Disorders Registry was deployed utilising the open-source Rare Disease Registry Framework (RDRF), which enables the efficient customisation and sustainable deployment of web-based registries. The Registry has been designed to capture longitudinal data on 13 rare genetic lipid disorders, with the ability to add more if required in the future. Recruitment of volunteers into the Registry is currently through the Royal Perth Hospital Lipid Disorders Clinic in Western Australia. Although in essence a clinic-based patient registry, the web-based design allows for expansion and distribution across Australia and beyond. Data collated by the Registry may ultimately improve the diagnosis, management and treatment of these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R Napier
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Amanda J Hooper
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Royal Perth Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital Network, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - David M Ng
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Lee Render
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Damon A Bell
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Royal Perth Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital Network, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia; Lipid Disorders Clinic, Cardiometabolic Service, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Jing Pang
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Gerald F Watts
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia; Lipid Disorders Clinic, Cardiometabolic Service, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Matthew I Bellgard
- eResearch Office, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - John R Burnett
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Royal Perth Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital Network, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
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Napier KR, Hooper AJ, Ng DM, Render L, Bell DA, Pang J, Watts GF, Bellgard MI, Burnett JR. A web-based registry for rare genetic lipid disorders. Pathology 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2018.12.302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Tones M, Cross M, Simons C, Napier KR, Hunter A, Bellgard MI, Heussler H. Research protocol: The initiation, design and establishment of the Global Angelman Syndrome Registry. J Intellect Disabil Res 2018; 62:431-443. [PMID: 29633452 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder affecting between 1 in 15 000 and 1 in 24 000 individuals. The condition results in severe developmental and expressive language delays, motor impairments and a unique behavioural phenotype consisting of excessive laughter, smiling and sociability. While many studies have contributed knowledge about the causes and natural history of the syndrome, large scale longitudinal studies are required to advance research and therapeutics for this rare syndrome. METHOD This article describes the protocol for the Global Angelman Syndrome Registry, and some initial findings. Due to the rarity of AS and the variability in symptom presentation, the registry team will strive for complete case ascertainment. Parents and caregivers will submit data to the registry via a secure internet connection. The registry consists of 10 modules that cover patient demographics; developmental, diagnostic, medical and surgical history, behaviour and development, epilepsy, medications and interventions and sleep. RESULTS Since its launch at https://angelmanregistry.info in September 2016, almost 470 individuals with AS have been signed up to the registry worldwide: 59% are from North and South America, 23% are from Europe, 17% are from the Asia Pacific region and 1% are from the Middle East or Africa. The majority of registrants are children, with only 16% aged over 20 years. Most participants indicated a chromosome deletion (76%), with fewer participants indicating a mutation, uniparental disomy or imprinting defect (20%). CONCLUSION Findings indicate a need to consider recruitment strategies that target caregivers of older children and adults, and parents and caregivers from non-English speaking backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Tones
- Developmental Paediatric Group, Mater Medical Research Institute, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - M Cross
- Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Australia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - C Simons
- Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Australia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - K R Napier
- Murdoch University, Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - A Hunter
- Murdoch University, Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - M I Bellgard
- eResearch Directorate, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - H Heussler
- Centre for Children's Health Research University of Queensland, Australia
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Blouin AG, Chooi KM, Warren B, Napier KR, Barrero RA, MacDiarmid RM. Grapevine virus I, a putative new vitivirus detected in co-infection with grapevine virus G in New Zealand. Arch Virol 2018; 163:1371-1374. [DOI: 10.1007/s00705-018-3738-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Fung E, Hill K, Hogendoorn K, Glatz RV, Napier KR, Bellgard MI, Barrero RA. De novo assembly of honey bee RNA viral genomes by tapping into the innate insect antiviral response pathway. J Invertebr Pathol 2018; 152:38-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Napier KR, Tones M, Simons C, Heussler H, Hunter AA, Cross M, Bellgard MI. A web-based, patient driven registry for Angelman syndrome: the global Angelman syndrome registry. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2017; 12:134. [PMID: 28764722 PMCID: PMC5540301 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-017-0686-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterised by severe global developmental delays, ataxia, loss of speech, epilepsy, sleep disorders, and a happy disposition. There is currently no cure for AS, though several pharmaceutical companies are anticipating drug trials for new therapies to treat AS. The Foundation for Angelman Therapeutics (FAST) Australia therefore identified a need for a global AS patient registry to identify patients for recruitment for clinical trials.The Global AS Registry was deployed in September 2016 utilising the Rare Disease Registry Framework, an open-source tool that enables the efficient creation and management of patient registries. The Global AS Registry is web-based and allows parents and guardians worldwide to register, provide informed consent, and enter data on individuals with AS. 286 patients have registered in the first 8 months since deployment.We demonstrate the successful deployment of the first patient-driven global registry for AS. The data generated from the Global AS Registry will be crucial in identifying patients suitable for clinical trials and in informing research that will identify treatments for AS, and ultimately improve the lives of individuals and their families living with AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R. Napier
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150 Australia
| | - Megan Tones
- Mater Research, Centre for Children’s Health Research, South Brisbane, QLD 4101 Australia
| | - Chloe Simons
- Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Australia, Salisbury, QLD 4107 Australia
| | - Helen Heussler
- Mater Research, University of Queensland, Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD 4101 Australia
| | - Adam A. Hunter
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150 Australia
| | - Meagan Cross
- Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Australia, Salisbury, QLD 4107 Australia
| | - Matthew I. Bellgard
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150 Australia
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Napier KR, Pang J, Lamont L, Walker CE, Dawkins HJS, Hunter AA, Bockxmeer FMV, Watts GF, Bellgard MI. A Web-Based Registry for Familial Hypercholesterolaemia. Heart Lung Circ 2017; 26:635-639. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2016.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Bellgard MI, Walker CE, Napier KR, Lamont L, Hunter AA, Render L, Radochonski M, Pang J, Pedrotti A, Sullivan DR, Kostner K, Bishop W, George PM, O'Brien RC, Clifton PM, Bockxmeer FMV, Nicholls SJ, Hamilton-Craig I, Dawkins HJ, Watts GF. Design of the Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Australasia Network Registry: Creating Opportunities for Greater International Collaboration. J Atheroscler Thromb 2017; 24:1075-1084. [PMID: 28344196 PMCID: PMC5656770 DOI: 10.5551/jat.37507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the most common and serious monogenic disorder of lipoprotein metabolism that leads to premature coronary heart disease. There are over 65,000 people estimated to have FH in Australia, but many remain undiagnosed. Patients with FH are often undertreated, but with early detection, cascade family testing and adequate treatment, patient outcomes can improve. Patient registries are key tools for providing new information on FH and enhancing care worldwide. The development and design of the FH Australasia Network Registry is a crucial component in the comprehensive model of care for FH, which aims to provide a standardized, high-quality and cost-effective system of care that is likely to have the highest impact on patient outcomes. Informed by stakeholder engagement, the FH Australasia Network Registry was collaboratively developed by government, patient and clinical networks and research groups. The open-source, webbased Rare Disease Registry Framework was the architecture chosen for this registry owing to its open-source standards, modular design, interoperability, scalability and security features; all these are key components required to meet the ever changing clinical demands across regions. This paper provides a high level blueprint for other countries and jurisdictions to help inform and map out the critical features of an FH registry to meet their particular health system needs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caroline E Walker
- Office of Population Health Genomics, Public Health Division, Department of Health, Government of Western Australia
| | | | - Leanne Lamont
- Office of Population Health Genomics, Public Health Division, Department of Health, Government of Western Australia
| | - Adam A Hunter
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch
| | - Lee Render
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch
| | | | - Jing Pang
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia
| | - Annette Pedrotti
- Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Family Support Group of Western Australia
| | | | | | - Warrick Bishop
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania
| | | | | | - Peter M Clifton
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia
| | - Frank M Van Bockxmeer
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Royal Perth Hospital.,School of Surgery, University of Western Australia
| | - Stephen J Nicholls
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Adelaide
| | | | - Hugh Js Dawkins
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch.,Office of Population Health Genomics, Public Health Division, Department of Health, Government of Western Australia.,Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University of Technology.,School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia
| | - Gerald F Watts
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia.,Lipid Disorders Clinic, Cardiometabolic Service, Royal Perth Hospital
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Bellgard MI, Napier KR, Bittles AH, Szer J, Fletcher S, Zeps N, Hunter AA, Goldblatt J. Design of a framework for the deployment of collaborative independent rare disease-centric registries: Gaucher disease registry model. Blood Cells Mol Dis 2017; 68:232-238. [PMID: 28190666 PMCID: PMC5729019 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Orphan drug clinical trials often are adversely affected by a lack of high quality treatment efficacy data that can be reliably compared across large patient cohorts derived from multiple governmental and country jurisdictions. It is critical that these patient data be captured with limited corporate involvement. For some time, there have been calls to develop collaborative, non-proprietary, patient-centric registries for post-market surveillance of aspects related to orphan drug efficacy. There is an urgent need for the development and sustainable deployment of these ‘independent’ registries that can capture comprehensive clinical, genetic and therapeutic information on patients with rare diseases. We therefore extended an open-source registry platform, the Rare Disease Registry Framework (RDRF) to establish an Independent Rare Disease Registry (IRDR). We engaged with an established rare disease community for Gaucher disease to determine system requirements, methods of data capture, consent, and reporting. A non-proprietary IRDR model is presented that can serve as autonomous data repository, but more importantly ensures that the relevant data can be made available to appropriate stakeholders in a secure, timely and efficient manner to improve clinical decision-making and the lives of those with a rare disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew I Bellgard
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia; Western Australian Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; Convenor of the Australian Bioinformatics Facility, Bioplatforms Australia, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Kathryn R Napier
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Alan H Bittles
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Jeffrey Szer
- Clinical Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Sue Fletcher
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia; Western Australian Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Nikolajs Zeps
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Adam A Hunter
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Jack Goldblatt
- Genetic Services & Familial Cancer Program of Western Australia, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.
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Barrero RA, Napier KR, Cunnington J, Liefting L, Keenan S, Frampton RA, Szabo T, Bulman S, Hunter A, Ward L, Whattam M, Bellgard MI. An internet-based bioinformatics toolkit for plant biosecurity diagnosis and surveillance of viruses and viroids. BMC Bioinformatics 2017; 18:26. [PMID: 28077064 PMCID: PMC5225587 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-016-1428-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Detection and preventing entry of exotic viruses and viroids at the border is critical for protecting plant industries trade worldwide. Existing post entry quarantine screening protocols rely on time-consuming biological indicators and/or molecular assays that require knowledge of infecting viral pathogens. Plants have developed the ability to recognise and respond to viral infections through Dicer-like enzymes that cleave viral sequences into specific small RNA products. Many studies reported the use of a broad range of small RNAs encompassing the product sizes of several Dicer enzymes involved in distinct biological pathways. Here we optimise the assembly of viral sequences by using specific small RNA subsets. Results We sequenced the small RNA fractions of 21 plants held at quarantine glasshouse facilities in Australia and New Zealand. Benchmarking of several de novo assembler tools yielded SPAdes using a kmer of 19 to produce the best assembly outcomes. We also found that de novo assembly using 21–25 nt small RNAs can result in chimeric assemblies of viral sequences and plant host sequences. Such non-specific assemblies can be resolved by using 21–22 nt or 24 nt small RNAs subsets. Among the 21 selected samples, we identified contigs with sequence similarity to 18 viruses and 3 viroids in 13 samples. Most of the viruses were assembled using only 21–22 nt long virus-derived siRNAs (viRNAs), except for one Citrus endogenous pararetrovirus that was more efficiently assembled using 24 nt long viRNAs. All three viroids found in this study were fully assembled using either 21–22 nt or 24 nt viRNAs. Optimised analysis workflows were customised within the Yabi web-based analytical environment. We present a fully automated viral surveillance and diagnosis web-based bioinformatics toolkit that provides a flexible, user-friendly, robust and scalable interface for the discovery and diagnosis of viral pathogens. Conclusions We have implemented an automated viral surveillance and diagnosis (VSD) bioinformatics toolkit that produces improved viruses and viroid sequence assemblies. The VSD toolkit provides several optimised and reusable workflows applicable to distinct viral pathogens. We envisage that this resource will facilitate the surveillance and diagnosis viral pathogens in plants, insects and invertebrates. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12859-016-1428-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto A Barrero
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
| | - Kathryn R Napier
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.,Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra, ACT, 2617, Australia
| | - James Cunnington
- Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mickleham, VIC, 3064, Australia
| | - Lia Liefting
- Ministry for Primary Industries, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Sandi Keenan
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant Food and Research Limited, Better Border Biosecurity, Lincoln, 7608, New Zealand
| | - Rebekah A Frampton
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant Food and Research Limited, Better Border Biosecurity, Lincoln, 7608, New Zealand
| | - Tamas Szabo
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Simon Bulman
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant Food and Research Limited, Better Border Biosecurity, Lincoln, 7608, New Zealand
| | - Adam Hunter
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Lisa Ward
- Ministry for Primary Industries, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Mark Whattam
- Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mickleham, VIC, 3064, Australia
| | - Matthew I Bellgard
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
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Napier KR, Fleming PA, McWhorter TJ. Mistletoebirds and Xylose: Australian Frugivores Differ in Their Handling of Dietary Sugars. Physiol Biochem Zool 2014; 87:445-55. [DOI: 10.1086/675493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Napier KR, McWhorter TJ, Nicolson SW, Fleming PA. Sugar preferences of avian nectarivores are correlated with intestinal sucrase activity. Physiol Biochem Zool 2013; 86:499-514. [PMID: 23995481 DOI: 10.1086/672013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Nectar-feeding birds generally demonstrate preference for hexose solutions at low sugar concentrations, switching to sucrose/no preference at higher concentrations. Species vary in the concentration at which the switch from hexose preference occurs; this could reflect physiological constraints that would also influence nectar selection when foraging. We recorded concentration-dependent sugar type preferences in three opportunistic/generalist Australian nectarivorous species: Dicaeum hirundinaceum, Zosterops lateralis, and Lichenostomus virescens. All three preferred hexoses up to sugar concentrations of 0.25 mol L(-1) and switched to sucrose/no preference for higher concentrations. Using these and literature records, we investigated physiological mechanisms that may explain the concentration dependence of sugar type preferences and compared diet preference data with foraging records. We measured sucrase activity in Z. lateralis and L. virescens as well as three specialized nectarivorous species (Anthochaera carunculata, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, and Trichoglossus haematodus) for comparison with published concentration-dependent sugar preference data. Sucrase activity varied between these species ([Formula: see text]). The minimum diet concentration at which birds show no sugar preference was significantly correlated with sucrase activity for the 11 species analyzed ([Formula: see text]). Birds with the lowest sucrase activity showed hexose preference at higher diet concentrations, and birds with the greatest sucrase activity showed either no hexose preference or hexose preference on only the most dilute diets. Foraging data compiled from the literature also support the laboratory analyses; for example, T. haematodus (preference for hexose over a wide range of diet concentrations, low sucrase activity) also feed primarily on hexose nectars in the wild. Intestinal sucrase activity is likely to contribute to diet selectivity in nectarivorous bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R Napier
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
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Purchase C, Napier KR, Nicolson SW, McWhorter TJ, Fleming PA. Gastrointestinal and renal responses to variable water intake in whitebellied sunbirds and New Holland honeyeaters. J Exp Biol 2013; 216:1537-45. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.075176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Summary
Nectarivores face a constant challenge in terms of water balance, experiencing water loading or dehydration when switching between food plants or between feeding and fasting. To understand how whitebellied sunbirds and New Holland honeyeaters meet the challenges of varying preformed water load, we used the elimination of Intramuscular-injected [14C]-L-glucose and 3H2O to quantify intestinal and renal water handling on diets varying in sugar concentration. Both sunbirds and honeyeaters showed significant modulation of intestinal water absorption, allowing excess water to be shunted through the intestine on dilute diets. Despite reducing their fractional water absorption, both species showed linear increases in water flux and fractional body water turnover as water intake increased (both afternoon and morning), suggesting that the modulation of fractional water absorption was not sufficient to completely offset dietary water loads. In both species, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was independent of water gain (but was higher for the afternoon), as was renal fractional water reabsorption (measured in the afternoon). During the natural overnight fast, both sunbirds and honeyeaters arrested whole kidney function. Evaporative water loss in sunbirds was variable but correlated with water gain. Both sunbirds and honeyeaters appear to modulate intestinal water absorption as an important component of water regulation to help deal with massive preformed water loads. Shutting down GFR during the overnight fast is another way of saving energy for osmoregulatory function. Birds maintain osmotic balance on diets varying markedly in preformed water load by varying both intestinal water absorption and excretion through the intestine and kidneys.
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Napier KR, McWhorter TJ, Fleming PA. A Comparison of Pharmacokinetic Methods for In Vivo Studies of Nonmediated Glucose Absorption. Physiol Biochem Zool 2012; 85:200-8. [DOI: 10.1086/664669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Napier KR, McWhorter TJ, Fleming PA. Mechanism and rate of glucose absorption differ between an Australian honeyeater (Meliphagidae) and a lorikeet (Loriidae). J Exp Biol 2008; 211:3544-53. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.020644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
Efficient mechanisms of glucose absorption are necessary for volant animals as a means of reducing mass during flight: they speed up gut transit time and require smaller volume and mass of gut tissue. One mechanism that may be important is absorption via paracellular (non-mediated) pathways. This may be particularly true for nectarivorous species which encounter large quantities of sugar in their natural diet. We investigated the extent of mediated and non-mediated glucose absorption in red wattlebirds Anthochaera carunculata (Meliphagidae) and rainbow lorikeets Trichoglossus haematodus (Loriidae) to test the hypothesis that paracellular uptake accounts for a significant proportion of total glucose uptake in these species. We found that routes of glucose absorption are highly dynamic in both species. In lorikeets, absorption of l-glucose(non-mediated uptake) is slower than that of d-glucose (mediated and non-mediated uptake), with as little as 10% of total glucose absorbed by the paracellular pathway initially (contrasting previous indirect estimates of∼0%). Over time, however, more glucose may be absorbed via the paracellular route. Glucose absorption by both mediated and non-mediated mechanisms in wattlebirds occurred at a faster rate than in lorikeets, and wattlebirds also rely substantially on paracellular uptake. In wattlebirds, we recorded higher bioavailability of l-glucose (96±3%)compared with d-glucose (57±2%), suggesting problems with the in vivo use of radiolabeled d-glucose. Further trials with 3-O-methyl-d-glucose revealed high bioavailability in wattlebirds (90±5%). This non-metabolisable glucose analogue remains the probe of choice for measuring uptake rates in vivo, especially in birds in which absorption and metabolism occur extremely rapidly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R. Napier
- School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University,Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Todd J. McWhorter
- School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University,Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Patricia A. Fleming
- School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University,Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
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Napier KR, Purchase C, McWhorter TJ, Nicolson SW, Fleming PA. The sweet life: diet sugar concentration influences paracellular glucose absorption. Biol Lett 2008; 4:530-3. [PMID: 18559309 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2008.0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Small birds and bats face strong selection pressure to digest food rapidly in order to reduce digesta mass carried during flight. One mechanism is rapid absorption of a high proportion of glucose via the paracellular pathway (transfer between epithelial cells, not mediated by transporter proteins). Intestinal paracellular permeability to glucose was assessed for two nectarivorous passerines, the Australian New Holland honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) and African white-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris talatala) by measuring the bioavailability of radiolabelled, passively absorbed L-glucose. Bioavailability was high in both species and increased with diet sugar concentration (honeyeaters, 37 and 81% and sunbirds, 53 and 71% for 250 and 1,000 mmoll-1 sucrose diets, respectively). We conclude that the relative contribution of paracellular to total glucose absorption increases with greater digesta retention time in the intestine, and paracellular absorption may also be modulated by factors such as intestinal lumen osmolality and interaction with mediated glucose uptake. The dynamic state of paracellular absorption should be taken into account in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R Napier
- School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
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