Genetic variability and relationships in nine South African cattle breeds using microsatellite markers

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Genetic variability within and between breeds allows adaptation to a changing environment and consequently prepares producers for the future. Eleven...     

The Occurrence of Rust Resistance Gene Ur-13 in Common Bean Cultivars and Lines

Summary For the past 10 years, the Andean-type Phaseolus vulgaris cultivar Kranskop has played an important role in South African bean production and breeding. Kranskop shares an ancestor with the internationally important Andean-type rust differential cultivar Redlands Pioneer. The Ur-13 gene in Kranskop and Redlands Pioneer gives protection to numerous internationally reported races of Uromyces appendiculatus and it is imperative to retain this gene in local breeding programmes.In this study, three co-dominant SCAR markers (SE_AACM_ACC430/405, SE_ACAM_CTT310/288 and SE_AAGM_CGT436 Hha I_186/250) were used to trace the origin of Ur-13, and its presence in 71 germplasm accessions, including the international rust differential lines and additional sources of already characterized genes, as well as 78 breeding lines.Each marker was present in approximately 30% of the accessions tested. Only accessions belonging to the Kranskop or Redlands groups contained all three markers. Contrary to expectations, the first two markers, as well as Ur-13, appeared to have originated from a Middle-American-type parent of the Redlands group, California Small White 643, whereas the third marker probably came from the Andean-type cultivar Brown Beauty. This has important implications for the new set of differential lines, as Redlands Pioneer can no longer be regarded as a representative of the Andean gene pool. The markers, in particular SE_AACM_ACC430/405, will be useful in tracing Ur-13 in large seeded breeding material, except where lines such as Mexico 309, PI 181996 and A 286 are used as donors of additional rust resistance genes, as these have the positive alleles of both SE_AACM_ACC430/405 and SE_ACAM_CTT310/288.Part of a Ph.D thesis submitted by the first author to the Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State.     

Effect of proline‐enriched abalone feed on selected metabolite levels of slow‐growing adult Haliotis midae

Abalone is currently considered South Africa's most successfully produced aquaculture export product, with a 76% share of the total value generated by the aquaculture sector. A major risk factor for this sector is slow growth rates experienced during farming. Abalone feeds are often supplemented with amino acids in an attempt to enhance abalone growth. This is a first investigation of the effect of added proline to standard abalone feed, on the metabolite profile of slow‐growing abalone. A targeted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry metabolomics research approach was followed to recognise the metabolic response of abalone showing slower growth performance. The addition of proline to the standard abalone diet was found to serve as a substrate for amino acid catabolism in slower growing abalone, by means of proline breakdown to assist with energy production via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Other amino acids and urea cycle intermediates, that is, arginine, asparagine, ornithine and creatine further support energy production via the action of protein catabolism in slow‐growing abalone. Additionally, the importance of understanding how abalone respond metabolically to modified feed highlights the use of metabolomics to answer abalone aquaculture farming questions.