Genetic Variance and Covariance Patterns of Growth and Survival in Northern Pinus sylvestris

The amount of additive genetic and environmental variance for tree height and field survival, and the genetic relationship between the traits were estimated using data from half-sib progenies of Swedish and Finnish Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) plus-trees, assessed in 18 single-tree plot progeny trials. The progeny trials were established in northern Sweden and comprised 9-13-yr-old, Finnish polycross progenies or Swedish open-pollinated progenies. In total across the trials, 71?630 individual trees from 888 families were included in the study. At the overall level, the additive genetic coefficient of variation ranged between 3.1 and 16.3% for height and between 0 and 27.9% for survival, with averages of 9.5% and 14.2%, respectively. Narrow-sense heritabilities were moderate to low, with averages across trials of 0.11 for height and 0.06 for survival. At the within-population level, estimates of genetic correlation between height and survival were mostly large and positive, with an arithmetic mean and standard error across trials of 0.47±0.39.     

Genetic Variation in Bovine Neutrophil Sensitivity to Glucocorticoid Challenge

Blood neutrophils use CD62L and CD18 adhesion molecules to contact and migrate rapidly through blood vessels in defense against infections in underlying tissues. Previous work showed that glucocorticoid hormones repress expression of CD62L and CD18, causing neutrophilia and increased mastitis susceptibility in dairy cows. The aim of this study was to determine whether bovine neutrophil sensitivity to glucocorticoids exhibits genetic variability. Test animals included 60 pedigreed Holstein bulls treated on 3 consecutive days with a synthetic glucocorticoid (dexamethasone) and five untreated control bulls. Five indicator traits of neutrophil glucocorticoid sensitivity were monitored, including circulating neutrophil counts and two measures on each of CD62L and CD18 expression. Random regression models with treatment-specific serial correlation were used to estimate genetic and non-genetic sources of variation before, during and after glucocorticoid administration. Significant genetic variation was observed for neutrophil CD18 expression, with longitudinal heritability estimates ranging from 0.10 to 0.54 and influenced by dexamethasone. Significant genetic variation was also observed for blood neutrophil counts (heritability estimates ranging from 0.11 to 0.24) but was not influenced by dexamethasone administration. Estimated genetic correlations between circulating neutrophil counts and various indicators of CD62L and CD18 expression were large and negative (-0.44 to - 0.78). These results imply significant genetic variability and pleiotropic effects for neutrophil traits that are important for stress-induced disease susceptibility in dairy cattle and might be exploited by genetic selection.