Identification of recombination hotspots and quantitative trait loci for recombination rate in layer chickens

Background: The frequency of recombination events varies across the genome and between individuals, which may be related to some genomic features. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of recombination events and to identify QTL(quantitative trait loci) for recombination rate in two purebred layer chicken lines.Methods: A total of 1200 white-egg layers(WL) were genotyped with 580 K SNPs and 5108 brown-egg layers(BL)were genotyped with 42 K SNPs(single nucleotide polymorphisms). Recombination events were identified within half-sib families and both the number of recombination events and the recombination rate was calculated within each0.5 Mb window of the genome. The 10% of windows with the highest recombination rate on each chromosome were considered to be recombination hotspots. A BayesB model was used separately for each line to identify genomic regions associated with the genome-wide number of recombination event per meiosis. Regions that explained more than 0.8% of genetic variance of recombination rate were considered to harbor QTL.Results: Heritability of recombination rate was estimated at 0.17 in WL and 0.16 in BL. On average, 11.3 and 23.2 recombination events were detected per individual across the genome in 1301 and 9292 meioses in the WL and BL,respectively. The estimated recombination rates differed significantly between the lines, which could be due to differences in inbreeding levels, and haplotype structures. Dams had about 5% to 20% higher recombination rates per meiosis than sires in both lines. Recombination rate per 0.5 Mb window had a strong negative correlation with chromosome size and a strong positive correlation with GC content and with CpG island density across the genome in both lines. Different QTL for recombination rate were identified in the two lines. There were 190 and 199 non-overlapping recombination hotspots detected in WL and BL respectively, 28 of which were common to both lines.Conclusions: Differences in the recombination rates, hotspot locations, and QTL regions associated with genomewide recombination were observed between lines, indicating the breed-specific feature of detected recombination events and the control of recombination events is a complex polygenic trait.     

The effect of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside （AICAR） on fatty acid oxidation in hepatocytes isolated from neonatal p~glets

In the present study, the effect of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR) on long-chain fatty acid oxidation by hepatocytes isolated from suckled neonatal pig liver (a low ketogenic and lipogenic tissue) was tested. Incubation of hepatocytes with AICAR (0.5 mM) in the presence of 1 mM of carnitine and 10 mM of glucose for 1 hour at 37°C had no significant effect on total [1-14C]-palmitate (0.5 mM) oxidation (14CO2 and 14C-Acid soluble products (ASP)). Consistent with the fatty acid oxidation, carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity and inhibition of its activity by malonyl-CoA (10 μM) assayed in cell homogenate also remained constant. However, addition of AICAR to the hepatocytes decreased 14CO2 production by 18% compared to control (p < 0.06). The reduction of labeled carboxylic carbon accumulated in CO2 caused a significant difference in distribution of oxidative products between 14CO2 and 14C-ASP (p < 0.03) compared with the control. It was also noticed that acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) was increased by AICAR (p < 0.03), indicating that ACC might drive acetyl-CoA toward fatty acid synthesis pathway and induce an increase in distribution of fatty acid carbon to 14C-ASP. Addition of insulin to hepatocyte incubations with AICAR did not change the oxidative product distribution between CO2 and ASP, but further promoted ACC activity. The increased ACC activity was 70% higher than in the control group when citrate was absent in the reaction medium and was 30% higher when citrate was present in the medium. Our results suggest that AICAR may affect the distribution of metabolic products from fatty acid oxidation by changing ACC activity in hepatocyte isolated from suckled neonatal piglets; however, the basis for the increase in ACC activity elicited by AICAR is not apparent.     

SSR markers for marker assisted selection of root-knot nematode (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Meloidogyne incognita</Emphasis>) resistant plants in cotton (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gossypium hirsutum</Emphasis> L)

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) cultivars highly resistant to the southern root-knot nematode (RKN) [Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood] are not available. Resistant germplasm lines are available; however, the difficulty of selecting true breeding lines has hindered applied breeding and no highly resistant cultivars are available to growers. Recently, molecular markers on chromosomes 11 and 14 have been associated with RKN resistance, thus opening the way for marker assisted selection (MAS) in applied breeding. Our study aimed to determine the utility of these markers for MAS. Cross one was RKN resistant germplasm M240 RNR × the susceptible cultivar, FM966 and is representative of the initial cross a breeder would make to develop a RKN resistant cultivar. Cross two consists of Clevewilt 6 × Mexico Wild (PI563649), which are the two lines originally used to develop the first highly RKN resistant germplasm. Mexico Wild is photoperiodic. We phenotyped the F₂ of cross one for gall index and number of RKN eggs per plant and genotyped each plant for CIR 316 (chromosome 11) and BNL 3661 (chromosome 14). From this, we verified that MAS was effective, and the QTL on chromosome 14 was primarily associated with a dominant RKN resistance gene affecting reproduction. In the first F₂ population of cross two, we used MAS to identify 11 plants homozygous for the markers on chromosomes 11 and 14, and which also flowered in long days. Progeny of these 11 plants were phenotyped for RKN gall index and egg number and confirmed as RKN highly resistant plants. Generally about 7–10 generations of RKN phenotyping and progeny testing were required to develop the original RKN highly resistant germplasms. Our results show that commercial breeders should be able to use the markers in MAS to rapidly develop RKN resistant cultivars.     

Is Life Necessary?

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution -     

Climate Change,Pollution Droughts and Agriculture

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution -     

Urinary Bladder incarceration and Infarction by an Intra-Abdominal Fat Pad in a Virginia Opossum (Didelphis Virginiana)

A 2.5-year-old, female opossum had acute stranguria. Based on radiography and ultrasonographic examination a cystic structure was identified in the caudal abdomen associated with bilateral hydroureter and hydronephrosis. This structure contained a neutrophilic fluid, determined to be urine. There was a neutrophilic leukocytosis. Serum chemistry values were within normal limits. The opossum was euthanized. An intra-abdominal fat pad incarceration of the urinary bladder above the trigone was present, resulting in complete obstruction of the urinary bladder and partial obstruction of the ureters. Vessels to the bladder were involved in the incarceration which resulted in vascular compromise and infarction of the bladder. Mild to moderate hydroureter and hydronephrosis were present.     

Structures of the bacterial ribosome in classical and hybrid states of tRNA binding

During protein synthesis, the ribosome controls the movement of tRNA and mRNA by means of large-scale structural rearrangements. We describe structures of the intact bacterial ribosome from Escherichia coli that reveal how the ribosome binds tRNA in two functionally distinct states, determined to a resolution of ~3.2 angstroms by means of x-ray crystallography. One state positions tRNA in the peptidyl-tRNA binding site. The second, a fully rotated state, is stabilized by ribosome recycling factor and binds tRNA in a highly bent conformation in a hybrid peptidyl/exit site. The structures help to explain how the ratchet-like motion of the two ribosomal subunits contributes to the mechanisms of translocation, termination, and ribosome recycling.     

Prevalence of gastric ulcers in endurance horses--a preliminary report

Gastric endoscopy was performed at the end of a 50 or 80 km endurance ride. Gastric ulceration was evident in 67% of the horses with ulcers on the squamous region of the stomach found in 57% of the horses and active bleeding of the glandular mucosa in 27%. Three horses (10%) had lesions only on the glandular mucosa. Values of albumin, creatinine and glucose were higher in horses without gastric lesions. We conclude that horses from endurance competitions have a high prevalence of gastric ulceration that is similar to that observed in performance horses. However the severity of ulceration is less severe than has been reported in Thoroughbred race horses in active training. Owners should be aware of the high prevalence of gastric ulceration in horses that perform in endurance competitions. The high incidence of active bleeding from the glandular mucosa of the stomach in these horses requires further investigation.