Candidate gene expression and intramuscular fat content in pigs

Seventy-two pigs of three genetic groups (Brazilian indigenous breed Piau, Commercial line and Crossbred) of both sexes were slaughtered at four live weights (30, 60, 90 and 120 kg). Intramuscular fat (IMF) content in Longissimus dorsi muscle of each animal was extracted and correlated with candidate gene mRNA expression (ATN1, EEF1A2, FABP3, LDLR, MGP, OBSCN, PDHB, TRDN and RYR1). Within slaughter weight of 120 kg, Piau and Crossbred pigs showed higher IMF content (p < 0.05) than commercial animals, with 2.48, 2.08 and 1.00% respectively. Barrows presented higher values of IMF (p < 0.05) than gilts (1.54 and 1.30% respectively). Gene expression of EEF1A2, FABP3, LDLR, OBSCN, PDHB, TRDN and RYR1 were correlated with IMF (p < 0.05) using the whole dataset. For Piau data only, expression of FABP3, LDLR, MGP, OBSCN, PDHB, TRDN and RYR1 showed correlation with IMF (p < 0.05). Genes that have important roles in lipid transportation inside the cell (FABP3) and tissues (LDLR) showed correlation with IMF of, respectively, 0.68 and 0.63 using the whole data set, and 0.90 and 0.91 using data from Piau animals. The highly positive correlation of the LDLR and FAPB3 expression with IMF content may confirm that these genes are important for fat deposition in the porcine L. dorsi muscle.     

Building phenotype networks to improve QTL detection: a comparative analysis of fatty acid and fat traits in pigs

Models in QTL mapping can be improved by considering all potential variables, i.e. we can use remaining traits other than the trait under study as potential predictors. QTL mapping is often conducted by correcting for a few fixed effects or covariates (e.g. sex, age), although many traits with potential causal relationships between them are recorded. In this work, we evaluate by simulation several procedures to identify optimum models in QTL scans: forward selection, undirected dependency graph and QTL-directed dependency graph (QDG). The latter, QDG, performed better in terms of power and false discovery rate and was applied to fatty acid (FA) composition and fat deposition traits in two pig F2 crosses from China and Spain. Compared with the typical QTL mapping, QDG approach revealed several new QTL. To the contrary, several FA QTL on chromosome 4 (e.g. Palmitic, C16:0; Stearic, C18:0) detected by typical mapping vanished after adjusting for phenotypic covariates in QDG mapping. This suggests that the QTL detected in typical mapping could be indirect. When a QTL is supported by both approaches, there is an increased confidence that the QTL have a primary effect on the corresponding trait. An example is a QTL for C16:1 on chromosome 8. In conclusion, mapping QTL based on causal phenotypic networks can increase power and help to make more biologically sound hypothesis on the genetic architecture of complex traits.     

猪TLR4基因在F18大肠杆菌抗性型和敏感型资源群体间的差异表达分析

本研究旨在检测TLR4基因mRNA在猪各个组织的分布以及在F18大肠杆菌抗性型和敏感型群体间差异表达水平,为探讨该基因在免疫识别和F18大肠杆菌抗性中发挥的作用提供理论依据。本试验运用SYBR GreenⅠ实时荧光定量PCR技术进行定量测定。首先,各取8头35日龄F18大肠杆菌抗性型和敏感型苏太仔猪组织样,包括心脏、肝脏、脾脏等11个组织,提取总RNA,以GAPDH基因为内参基因,进行实时荧光定量PCR。对TLR4基因mR-NA进行均一化处理,利用荧光阈值(Ct值)计算TLR4基因mRNA在各个组织以及F18大肠杆菌抗性型和敏感型群体间表达量。结果显示,TLR4 mRNA在猪各种组织中广泛表达,在肺、淋巴结、肾脏和脾脏等免疫器官中表达量较高,F18大肠杆菌敏感型的TLR4基因表达量普遍高于抗性型个体的表达量,在各个组织中(除胃外)TLR4表达量差异倍数从1.083到2.980不等;在肺、淋巴结、肾脏和胸腺组织中,F18大肠杆菌敏感型的TLR4基因表达量显著高于抗性型个体的表达量(P<0.05)。本研究结果表明,TLR4基因通过天然免疫识别机制对猪F18大肠杆菌病等革兰氏阴性疾病有一定的影响,TLR4基因表达量...     

贵州香猪睾丸发育中支持细胞和生精细胞数量变化观察

为了解香猪睾丸发育过程中生殖细胞和支持细胞数变化规律,用手术取出30,40,50,70,90和110日龄(每个年龄组n=3～4)香猪右侧睾丸,经中性多聚甲醛固定,石蜡包埋,组织切片采用免疫组化SP法,用单克隆抗体GATA-4检测睾丸支持细胞的特异生长转录因子-4,经DAB显色、苏木素复染。光镜下核呈棕色者为支持细胞,核呈蓝色者则为生殖细胞;经显微照相并用Scion image软件测量生精小管及管壁面积。结果:30～110日龄睾丸支持细胞数维持在稳定水平(P>0.05),而生殖细胞数随日龄增加而增多,70日龄生殖细胞数快速增多(P<0.05),持续到110日龄。同样,从70日龄开始睾丸生精小管和管壁面积显著性增大(P<0.05)。香猪睾丸支持细胞快速增殖发生在30日龄前,而生殖细胞数随着日龄的增长而增多。     

合作猪γ-IFN基因外显子4多态性分析

为了研究合作猪γ-IFN基因的多态性,确定其等位基因数、核苷酸多态位点,各等位基因是否符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态、多态信息含量、有效等位基因数和杂合度,采用PCR-SSCP方法检测了138头合作猪γ-IFN基因外显子4的等位基因,并克隆、测序群体内变异产生的各等位基因序列,就基因型和等位基因单倍型序列数据开展分析。序列比对分析发现5个核苷酸多态位点,其中5 284 bp(A→G)、5 341 bp(G→A)、5 371 bp(A→G)为新发现突变位点。试验群体发现4种基因型AA、AB、AC和AD,其中A等位基因频率为0.963 8,为优势等位基因。经χ2适合性检验,该群体处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态(P>0.05)。γ-IFN基因遗传多态指数中,杂合度(He)、多态信息含量(PIC)、有效等位基因数(Ne)均较低,表明合作猪γ-IFN基因比较保守。     

耕作与轮作方式对黑土有机碳和全氮储量的影响

土壤有机碳(SOC)及全氮(TN)对土壤肥力、作物产量、农业可持续发展以及全球碳、氮循环等都具有重要影响。为探索不同耕作和轮作方式对耕层黑土SOC和TN储量的影响,本文以吉林省德惠市进行了8 a的田间定位试验中层黑土为研究对象,对免耕、垄作和秋翻三种耕作方式及玉米-大豆轮作和玉米连作两种轮作方式下SOC和TN在各土层的含量变化进行了分析,并采用等质量土壤有机质储量计算方法,对比分析了不同处理对0～30 cm SOC和TN储量的影响。结果表明,与试验开始前相比,玉米-大豆轮作系统中,秋翻下SOC和TN储量均有所降低;免耕显著增加了0～5 cm SOC及TN含量,但SOC在亚表层亏损,导致其储量并未增加;而垄作处理下SOC及TN含量在0～5、5～10 cm的均显著增加,0～30 cm储量亦分别增加了4.9%和10.7%。玉米连作系统的两种耕作处理(免耕和秋翻)下SOC和TN储量均有所增加,且TN储量增幅均高于玉米-大豆轮作系统,其中免耕下TN储量增幅是玉米-大豆轮作的3.2倍。所有处理下C/N均呈降低趋势,其中垄作0～5 cm C/N由12.05降至11.04,降低幅度分别是免耕和秋翻的3.2和2.8倍。综上可知,对质地黏重排水不良的中层黑土,玉米-大豆轮作系统下免耕并不是促进SOC固定的有效形式,而垄作则促进了黑土SOC和TN的积累,这不仅有利于土壤肥力的改善,而且是使农田黑土由CO2"源"变为"汇"的有效形式之一。与玉米-大豆轮作相比,玉米连作下三种耕作方式都有利于SOC和TN积累。     

Efficacy of road removal for restoring wildlife habitat: Black bear in the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA

Forest roads reduce habitat quality for wildlife, in part by increasing susceptibility to hunting and poaching. Road removal is an increasingly common strategy for restoring habitat; however, little is known about responses of wildlife to road removal versus other methods of road closure. We assessed effects of different types of road closure (gated, barriered, and recontoured) on black bear (Ursus americanus) frequency and habitat on 18 open and closed road pairs in the western USA. Over 4 years, 44 bears were photographed during 3545 camera-trap days. Bear frequency was significantly higher (2.4 versus 0.6/100 days, respectively) and human frequency was significantly lower (2.4 versus 361.6/100 days, respectively) on closed than on open roads. Additionally, abundance of fall foods was higher (23.9% and 12.8%, respectively) and line-of-sight (a measure of habitat security) shorter (54.9 versus 69.4 m, respectively) on closed compared to open roads. Bears were detected on closed but not on open roads during daytime, suggesting avoidance of humans. Among-road-treatment differences included significantly higher frequency of bears on recontoured than on gated or barriered roads (4.6, 1.6, and 0.5/100 days, respectively), and significantly higher cover of fall bear foods on recontoured than on gated or barriered roads (39.3%, 12.1% and 16.4%, respectively). Frequency of bears was negatively correlated with frequency of humans and line-of-sight distance and positively correlated with abundance of fall foods and hiding cover. Results suggest that while all types of road closure benefit sensitive wildlife, removal by recontour may be the most effective strategy for restoring habitat.     

施用猪粪对土壤Zn形态和菜心Zn含量的影响

采用盆栽试验的方法,研究施用猪粪对土壤和菜心Zn含量的影响,以为蔬菜安全施用畜禽粪便提供依据.结果表明,土壤全Zn、有效态Zn和菜心Zn含量均随猪粪施用量和施用茬数的增加而提高,连续2茬施用猪粪达到40g/kg时,土壤全Zn含量和菜心Zn含量分别达到266.42和21.03mg/kg,超过国家土壤质量二级标准(pH≤6...     

基于脊腹线波动的猪呼吸急促症状视频分析

预警呼吸急促症状的病猪时,人工连续监控方式存在效率低下问题,为实现自动预警,通过机器视觉方法,捕获猪的脊腹线轮廓,证实自动计算的脊腹线起伏频数和人工计算频数强相关性。通过6个训练有素的人,对10头含有或无呼吸急促症状的猪打分（5分制）,并拍摄分辨率为320像素×240像素、猪自由站立在视频窗口中的侧视视频。在Matlab仿真平台,采用图像灰度化、背景减法、脊腹线段提取、脊腹线波动描述子计算后,自动捕获的波动频数和人工计算的相比较,所有测量值的平均相关系数为0.947,猪和视频窗口面积比在0.35～0.75之间时,脊腹线波动识别精度高于85%,且其波动频率与猪的人工呼吸急促症状估分值呈线性正相关。视觉技术用于呼吸急促的病猪预警有应用价值。     

民猪生殖器官PRLR基因表达发育变化

试验以民猪为试验材料,长白猪为对照组,分别在1、2.5、4、6、8月龄时进行卵巢、输卵管和子宫取样,对促乳素受体（PRLR）基因表达的发育性变化规律进行研究。结果表明,生殖器官中PRLR的表达量与生殖器官的解剖指标存在正相关。PRLR在1、2.5、4、6和8月龄的民猪和长白猪的卵巢、输卵管和子宫中均有表达。民猪和长白猪卵巢PRLR mRNA表达水平从1月龄至8月龄呈现逐渐上升趋势,在8月龄达到最高水平,民猪卵巢PRLRmRNA表达水平显著高于长白猪（P〈0.05）。民猪和长白猪输卵管PRLR mRNA表达量随月龄增加呈上升趋势,在8月龄达到最高水平,品种间差异不显著。民猪子宫PRLR mRNA表达量随月龄增加而升高,在6月龄达到最高水平,8月龄显著下降（P〈0.05）,长白猪子宫PRLR mRNA表达量随月龄增加而升高,在8月龄达到最高水平,品种间在6月龄差异显著（P〈0.05）。