The future of genetic engineering to provide essential dietary nutrients and improve growth performance in aquaculture: Advantages and challenges

Advancements in gene technology in recent years have been driving the aquaculture industry forward. Improvements in growth performance, feed efficiency, and omega‐3 content are goals of the industry that could capitalize on applications of genetic engineering. One of the major challenges in the industry is to reduce the use of fish meal and oil, to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of aquaculture. The recent development of genetically engineered feed ingredients is one potential solution to the looming problem of fish meal and oil dependency. Furthermore, the development of transgenic fish has potential to improve production efficiency and other future desirable characteristics that relate to feed utilization and product quality. New gene technologies are beginning to revolutionize how we produce our food, and in aquaculture, will ultimately reduce pressure on wild fish stocks, help to preserve natural aquatic ecosystems, and improve nutritional profiles of farmed fish for human consumption. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the current applications of genetic engineering technology to improve aquaculture through nutrition, including the development and use of transgenic feed ingredients, transgenic fish, and ultimately their impacts on nutrition, product quality, and consumers.     

Secondary Stress Responses in Juvenile Brazilian Flounder,Paralichthys orbignyanus,throughout and after Exposure to Sublethal Levels of Ammonia and Nitrite

This study investigated the secondary stress responses of Paralichthys orbignyanus exposed to ammonia and nitrite and after recovery. Fish were exposed to 0.12, 0.28, and 0.57 mg NH₃‐N/L, or 5.72, 10.43, and 15.27 mg NO₂‐N/L for 10 d followed by the same time length for recovery. Ammonia‐ and nitrite‐free water was used as a control treatment. Blood samples were collected after 1, 5, and 10 d of exposure and after recovery. Fish exposed to ammonia presented lower and higher glucose levels after 10 d of exposure and recovery, respectively. Ammonia induced initial and transient ionic disturbances and metabolic alkalosis. Nitrite exposure caused hyperglycemia, increased plasma K⁺ levels, and respiratory alkalosis, whereas metabolic acidosis was observed after recovery. Increased proportion of monocytes and/or granulocytes and reduced number of lymphocytes were demonstrated in fish exposed to 0.28 mg NH₃‐N/L (Day 1) and 10.43 mg NO₂‐N/L (Day 5) and after recovery in the 0.28 and 0.57 mg NH₃‐N/L treatments. Exposure to ammonia decreased the proportion of granulocytes on Day 5. In conclusion, exposure to concentrations at 0.12 mg NH₃‐N/L and 5.72 mg NO₂‐N/L provoked physiological disorders in Brazilian flounder. Nonetheless, fish exposed to 5.72 mg NO₂‐N/L following a 10‐d recovery period showed complete resumption of homeostasis.     

Zinc biofortification of maize (Zea mays L.): Status and challenges

Zn deficiency is one of the leading health problems in children and women of developing countries. Different interventions could be used to overcome malnutrition, but biofortification is most impactful, convenient, sustainable and acceptable intervention. Maize is one of the major crops grown and consumed in the regions with prevalent Zn malnutrition; therefore, this is suitable target for Zn biofortification. Zn biofortification of maize could be achieved through agronomic and genetic approaches. Discussion of agronomic approaches with genetic approaches is prerequisite because soils in developing countries are deficit of Zn and availability of Zn in soils is mandatory for estimating the genetic responses of maize genotypes through genetic approaches. Seed priming, foliar and soil applications are agronomic tools for biofortification, but solo and combined applications of these treatments have different effects on Zn enrichment. Genetic approaches include the increase of Zn bioavailability or increase of kernel Zn concentration. Zn bioavailability could be increased by reducing the anti‐nutritional factors or by increasing the bioavailability enhancers. Kernel Zn concentration could be improved through hybridization and selections, whereas genetically engineered attempts for improving Zn uptake from soil, loading in xylem, remobilization in grains and sequestration in endosperm can further improve the kernel Zn concentration. Key challenges associated with dissemination of Zn biofortified maize are also under discussion in this draft. Current review emphasized all of above‐mentioned contents to provide roadmap for the development of Zn biofortified maize genotypes to curb the global Zn malnutrition.     

Development of a core set of KASP markers for assaying genetic diversity in Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis Makino

Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are rapid, economical and reliable genotyping tools. Non‐heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis Makino) is now an economically important vegetable crop worldwide. In this study, 1,167 SNPs were evaluated for 7polymorphism among 70 representative non‐heading Chinese cabbage inbred lines using a Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) genotyping assay. On the basis of identified polymorphisms and the results of a principal component analysis, we selected 50 core SNPs that were balanced sufficiently to provide adequate information for genetic identification. The core SNPs were used for construction of a neighbour‐joining dendrogram that separated the 70 inbred lines into four main groups and several subgroups corresponding to Caixin, Heiyebaicai, Huangxinwu, Naibaicai, Taitsai, Pak‐choi, and Wutatsai. This categorization was superior to that achieved using a dataset of 479 polymorphic SNPs. To confirm the utility of the core SNP markers in genetic identification, we tested their stability and resolution using 162 commercial hybrid cultivars. The SNPs, which represent a cost‐effective, accurate marker set for germplasm analysis and cultivar identification, are suitable for molecular marker‐assisted breeding in non‐heading Chinese cabbage.     

东北地区水稻纹枯病菌致病性及遗传多样性分析

为明确东北地区水稻纹枯病菌致病性及其群体遗传多样性,将2018年采自东北三省13个水稻主产区的病样分离纯化,共获得176个立枯丝核菌菌株。采用离体叶片接种法测定菌株致病力,利用SRAP分子标记技术分析其遗传多样性。致病力测定结果表明,东北三省各地区菌株致病力存在分化现象,供试的176个菌株中,强致病力菌株占全部菌株23.3%;中等致病力菌株占61.9%;弱致病力菌株占14.8%。地理来源与致病力无明显相关性。根据UPGMA聚类分析,当相似系数为0.63时,176个菌株被划分为6个类群。聚类结果与地理来源具有相关性,但与致病力无明显相关性。利用16对SRAP引物分析176个立枯丝核菌菌株遗传多样性,共得到2 237个扩增条带,多态性频率为82.16%;基因多样度(h)、Shannon信息指数(I)分别为0.2827、0.4150。东北各地区立枯丝核菌群体间遗传距离与地理距离呈一定正相关。群体遗传分化系数Gst=0.3319,基因流Nm=1.0063,说明东北地区立枯丝核菌群体遗传分化度较高且群体间存在基因交流。AMOVA分析结果表明,群体内遗传分化为67.84%,遗传变异主要发生在群体内部。     

湿地松产脂量与生长及树冠性状多点遗传相关及通径分析

为研究湿地松生长及树冠性状与产脂量之间的遗传相关关系及其对产脂量的控制途径,以赣北、赣中和赣南等多种典型立地条件下的28年生湿地松家系试验林为研究对象,对112个湿地松家系进行产脂量、生长及树冠性状全林调查,并对测定数据进行分析。结果表明,除枝下高外,产脂量与生长及树冠性状均呈显著或极显著遗传正相关关系,遗传相关系数排名前四的性状分别为胸径(R=0.93)、树冠表面积(R=0.83)、冠长(R=0.78)和冠幅(R=0.73);通径分析中,胸径、树高、树冠表面积和冠幅通过直接和间接作用成为影响产脂量的主导因素,其决定系数贡献率分别为0.557、0.507、0.424和0.240;产脂量与生长、树冠性状的线性回归方程为:y=-0.255+0.040x_(DBH)+0.004x_(HGT)+0.006x_(CSA)+0.036x_(CW)(F=955.907^**, R²=0.559),模型的预估精度为99.64%。本试验结果明确了湿地松生长及树冠性状与产脂量之间的关系,其中,树高、胸径、冠幅和树冠表面积对产脂量影响较大;建立的产脂量多元回归模型具有一定的现实意义,实现了对树高、胸径和树冠表面积等性状的快速测定预估产脂量,为湿地松产脂量的科学、准确与高效预测提供了依据。     

灌浆期高温胁迫对不同品种小麦蛋白组分及面团揉混特性的影响

为研究灌浆期高温胁迫对不同品种小麦蛋白组分及面团揉混特性的影响,以济麦22(JM22)和新麦26(XM26)为材料,通过灌浆初期(S1)和灌浆中期(S2)在田间搭棚进行高温胁迫处理,以未进行高温胁迫的大田小麦作对照(CK),收获后对小麦淀粉黏滞谱、蛋白质组分含量和揉混参数等进行分析。结果表明,与各自CK相比,JM22的黏滞谱参数除回复值和糊化温度降低外,其余参数均升高,XM26的黏滞谱参数除峰值时间外均降低。S1和S2使JM22的峰值黏度、低谷黏度、崩解值、最终黏度、峰值时间分别较CK提高2.81%和18.63%、7.71%和19.51%、11.88%和21.15%、1.88%和12.22%、2.45%和4.08%,且S2均大于CK和S1,S1与CK差异不显著;S1和S2使XM26的峰值黏度、低谷黏度、最终黏度、回复值分别较CK降低12.95%和31.21%、1.81%和27.18%、2.50%和22.22%、3.57%和14.39%,其中,S2、S1与CK三者之间的峰值黏度均达显著水平。与CK相比,高温胁迫后JM22的蛋白质含量降低,而XM26升高。两品种各组分蛋白含量均发生改变,S1和S2使JM22谷蛋白含量减少4.52%和6.01%,S1和S2使XM26谷蛋白增加13.66%和17.27%,不可溶蛋白增加28.95%和34.80%,谷醇比也增加。高温处理对两品种面团揉混参数值也有一定影响,S1使JM22和XM26的峰值时间、峰值高度、8 min带宽分别较各自CK显著增加8.50%和42.80%、12.20%和2.80%、26.57%和68.30%,而S2的两品种只有峰值时间同时显著增加,分别增加9.60%和28.50%。本研究结果为优质专用小麦品质提升栽培技术提供了理论基础。     

软基水闸底板脱空动力学反演模型构建与试验验证

软基水闸极易因地基不均匀沉降、渗透变形等发生底板脱空现象，传统的无损检测方法难以在水下探测底板脱空，且不具实时性，其应用还存在一定局限性。该研究基于软基水闸室内物理模型，提出了一种软基水闸底板脱空动力学反演方法。首先，基于多参数变量的底板脱空范围数学模型，改进了反映软基水闸底板脱空参数与水闸动力学参数（模态参数）之间非线性映射关系的数学代理模型；其次，以水闸多测点多阶频率和振型变化率组合作为动力学敏感特征量，建立了软基水闸底板脱空参数反演的目标函数，并基于遗传算法对目标函数进行求解。最后，建立了软基水闸室内物理模型，并在模型中设置3种不同的底板脱空工况，采用软基水闸底板脱空动力学反演方法对软基水闸底板的脱空进行反演识别与模型验证。结果表明：基于动力学参数反演识别的水闸底板脱空区域趋势和脱空面积与模型实际脱空情况吻合较好，3种工况下水闸底板脱空面积反演结果与模型实际脱空面积的相对误差分别为7.47%、6.78%、6.90%，验证了该方法的可靠性，可望为软基水闸实际工程底板脱空隐患检测提供一种新的思路。     

略阳乌鸡体重和产蛋数性状遗传参数估计

【目的】略阳乌鸡是陕西省特有的家禽品种,该品种具有体型大、肉质好、氨基酸含量丰富、对林地散养适应性强的优点,但也存在生长缓慢,产蛋性能差的不足。为此,在系统测定略阳乌鸡生产性能的基础上,开展对体重和产蛋性状遗传参数的估计,阐明遗传效应对上述性状的调控作用及性状间的遗传关系,期望为这些性状的选育奠定理论基础。【方法】对略阳乌鸡蛋用系一世代71个半同胞家系799只公鸡和804只母鸡6、10、14、20周龄和开产日龄体重进行测定,以个体为单位记录从开产到31、35和40周龄产蛋数,以四分位数±1.5倍四分位距为界删除异常值,更正性别记录错误。以性别为固定效应,育种值为随机效应用单变量动物模型估计各性状遗传力,用双变量动物模型估计性状间遗传相关,用逆伽玛分布指定育种值和残差项方差先验分布,用贝叶斯算法执行130 000次迭代,弃去前30 000次迭代结果,以100为间隔抽取1 000个估计值获得方差和协方差后验分布,计算各性状遗传力和性状间遗传相关。用R语言PerformanceAnalytics软件包chart.Correlation命令计算性状间表型相关。【结果】略阳乌鸡6、10、14、20周龄公鸡体重为（0.56±0.07）、（1.07±0.13）、（1.56±0.19）、（1.97±0.21）kg,母鸡体重为（0.47±0.06）、（0.86±0.12）、（1.18±0.16）、（1.48±0.19）kg,开产体重为（1.68±0.23）kg;31、35和40周产蛋数为（31.2±11.5）、（42.5±16.7）和（54.7±20.4）枚。体重遗传力随年龄逐渐减小,分别为0.74、0.76、0.63、0.54和0.52,置信区间在0.25—0.33之间。产蛋数遗传力为0.27、0.25和0.26,置信区间在0.35—0.42之间。10、14、20周龄体重间维持中等偏上（0.52—0.68）的遗传相关性,但6周龄体重（0.21—0.52）和开产体重（0.21—0.46）与各时间点体重遗传相关性较弱。体重间遗传相关系数置信区间在0.13—0.34之间。在3个时间点产蛋数间遗传相关系数趋近于1,置信区间在0.03—0.06之间。体重和产蛋数间遗传相关系数均不显著。在时间维度上,各体重性状间表型相关系数在0.43—0.90之间（P<0.001）,产蛋数性状间表型相关系数在0.79—0.94之间（P<0.001）。6—20周龄体重与产蛋数间维持了弱（0.023—0.15）正相关关系,但开产体重与产蛋数存在弱负相关关系（-0.17—-0.14）。【结论】首次估计了略阳乌鸡品种特异性的遗传参数,发现略阳乌鸡体重性状主要受遗传效应调控,而产蛋数性状受环境影响更大,阐明了早期与晚期性状间、体重与产蛋数间的遗传关系,为早期选种和多性状育种奠定了理论基础。这些结果建议在略阳乌鸡群体中对体重性状表型选择有望取得良好效果,但对产蛋数性状应建立纯系利用杂种优势;体重和产蛋数间不存在负遗传相关关系,可同时对两个性状选育提高。