Genetic analysis for sow stayability at different parities in purebred Landrace and Large White pigs

Genetic parameters for sow stayability were estimated from farrowing records of 10,295 Landrace sows and 8192 Large White sows. The record for sow stayability from parity k to parity k + 1 (k = 1, …, 6) was 0 when a sow had a farrowing record at parity k but not at parity k + 1, and 1 when a sow had both records. Heritability was estimated by using single-trait linear and threshold animal models. Genetic correlations among parities were estimated by using two-trait linear–linear and single-trait random regression linear animal models. Genetic correlations with litter traits at birth were estimated by using a two-trait linear–linear animal model. Heritability estimates by linear model analysis were low (0.065–0.119 in Landrace & 0.061–0.157 in Large White); those by threshold model analysis were higher (0.136–0.200 & 0.110–0.283). Genetic correlations among parities differed between breeds and models. Genetic correlation between sow stayability and number born alive was positive in many cases, implying that selection for number born alive does not reduce sow stayability. The results seem to be affected by decisions on culling made by farmers.     

马鹿的起源进化与遗传多样性研究进展

马鹿是非常重要的物种资源,由于栖息地的流失和人为干扰进行近亲繁殖等导致野生马鹿数量急剧减少,而家养马鹿多经过改良,因此马鹿的纯种数量锐减。对马鹿进行分子遗传学研究不仅可以加深人们对马鹿起源和物种形成的认识,还能帮助开展遗传多样性保护研究。随着高通量测序技术、分子生物学和生物信息学的迅速发展,马鹿的起源进化研究已发展到全基因组水平,并取得了一定的成果。马鹿的起源进化研究从最初对体态外貌和染色体核型的研究逐渐发展到对DNA序列与生理指标的研究。文章回顾了近年来国内外对马鹿起源进化和遗传多样性方面的研究,从起源时间、起源地和迁徙路线等方面揭示了马鹿的演化历史,介绍了父系、母系和常染色体研究方面分析了马鹿遗传多样性选取的不同分子标记,为进一步揭示马鹿种群的遗传变异、分化情况、迁徙路线和系统发育关系等提供基础信息,同时为马鹿遗传资源的利用和保护以及马鹿产业的良性发展提供重要的借鉴与参考。     

绵羊(ATAG)n四碱基微卫星位点的筛选及其在亲子鉴定中的应用

本试验旨在筛选绵羊高度多态性四碱基微卫星遗传标记,建立适用于绵羊亲子关系鉴定的实验体系。试验以小尾寒羊为主要研究对象,从已有的绵羊参考基因组序列出发,基于全基因组序列筛选法共筛选出53个（ATAG）_n四碱基重复微卫星位点,然后通过基因分型数据共筛选出30个扩增效果好、多态信息含量（PIC）丰富的四碱基重复微卫星位点;30个位点的基因分型结果表明,共扩增出253个等位基因,平均等位基因数为8.433,等位基因数均>5,多态信息含量在0.566~0.898,观测杂合度（Ho）范围在0.548~0.903,期望杂合度（He）范围在0.631~0.921,平均期望杂合度为0.776;哈代-温伯格平衡检验30个位点均处于遗传平衡状态。随后根据PCR的扩增效率从获得的30个多态性位点中筛选出22个微卫星位点用于亲权排除概率的计算,根据多态信息含量的大小由高到低依次增加位点数进行组合。结果表明,在两个亲本的基因型均未知的情况下,标记位点数为15个时,累积排除概率可达到99.99%,其中单个位点的第一非亲排除率（non-exclusion probability of the first parent,NE-1P）介于0.321~0.663之间。利用建立的亲子鉴定体系对16只具有系谱记录的小尾寒羊样本进行检测,结果共鉴定出4个具有高置信度的绵羊家系,鉴定结果与系谱记录完全一致。本试验为绵羊分子系谱的构建、亲子鉴定以及保障绵羊育种工作的正常开展奠定重要基础。     

松辽黑猪OAS1基因多态性及其与繁殖性状的关联分析

为探究寡腺苷酸合成酶1（oligoadenylate synthase 1,OAS1）基因多态性与松辽黑猪繁殖性状的关联性,试验选取130头松辽黑猪母猪为研究对象,利用Sanger直接测序法测序查找OAS1基因外显子1~8的SNP位点,使用SPSS 19.0软件分析OAS1基因SNP位点与松辽黑猪繁殖性状的关联性。结果显示,在松辽黑猪OAS1基因外显子2、3和6上共检测到33个突变位点;其中在外显子2的110 bp处存在1个SNP位点（G110C）,存在3种基因型：GG、GC和CC;在外显子3的176 bp处存在1个SNP位点（C176T）,存在3种基因型：CC、CT和TT;在外显子6的145 bp处存在1个SNP位点（C145T）,存在3种基因型：CC、CA和AA;在166 bp处存在1个SNP位点（G166A）,存在3种基因型：GG、GA和AA;在206 bp处存在1个SNP位点（A206G）,存在3种基因型：AA、AG和GG。卡方适合性检验结果显示,松辽黑猪OAS1基因G110C突变位点符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态,C176T、C145A、G166A和G206A位点均偏离Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态。群体遗传参数分析结果显示,各SNPs位点遗传杂合度均位于中等水平,为中度多态（0.25<PIC<0.5）。关联分析结果发现,G110C位点GC基因型个体总产仔数、产活仔数和断奶仔猪数均显著高于GG基因型个体（P<0.05）;C176T位点CT基因型个体断奶仔猪数显著高于CC基因型个体（P<0.05）;C145T位点CC基因型个体总产仔数和产活仔数均显著高于AA基因型个体（P<0.05）;G166A位点GA基因型个体断奶仔猪数显著高于GG基因型个体（P<0.05）;A206G位点GG基因型个体总产仔数和产活仔数显著高于AA基因型个体（P<0.05）。结果表明,OAS1基因外显子区存在突变位点,对松辽黑猪部分繁殖性状有显著性影响。     

基于RAGA的PPC模型在黑土区玉米调亏灌溉评价中的应用

调亏灌溉作为一种行之有效的节水灌溉方式,对黑土区农业水资源的可持续高效利用具有重要意义。而调亏灌溉方案的优劣取决于它的综合效果,难以直观评价。以2013年在黑龙江省红星农场进行的玉米调亏灌溉技术效应的试验研究为基础,选取了8个评价指标,采用投影寻踪分类模型(PPC),利用基于实数编码的加速遗传算法(RAGA)优化其投影方向,根据投影函数值得到各评价指标对综合评价的贡献大小对不同调亏处理的各项指标进行排序。结果表明:苗期水分调亏程度为田间持水量60%的处理为最佳调亏灌溉方案,产量和水分利用效率比适宜调亏灌溉处理分别提高了2.11%和6.42%。研究结果可为黑土区玉米灌溉管理提供科学依据。     

The genetic diversity and structure of 18 sheep breeds exposed to isolation and selection

The phylogenetic layout of the genotyped (30 microsatellite) 18 sheep breeds in this study demands and provides the opportunity to evaluate both neutral and adaptive components of genetic diversity in a naturally and artificially selected and subdivided sheep population. Seven Pramenka strains from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia characterized by a very low intensity of artificial selection, preserved the highest neutral genetic variability. Eight central and north‐western European breeds under considerable artificial isolation and selection preserved the lowest genetic variability. Only combinations of various phylogenetic parameters offer a reasonable explanation for underlying evolutionary forces working in the investigated island and mainland sheep breeds under variable natural and artificial selection. More than 60% of total genetic, diversity was allocated to virtually unselected Pramenka strains, and an additional 25% to native moderately selected Graue Gehoernte Heidschnucke and intensively selected Ostfriesische Milchschafe. Some economically very important breeds and strains did not contribute to a pool with maximal genetic diversity, while they play an important role in the cultural heritage of respective countries.     

新麦草遗传多样性等位酶分析

采用不连续系统的聚丙烯酰胺垂直板凝胶电泳(VPAGE)对新疆新麦草的5个天然居群和1个栽培种遗传多样性和居群结构进行了分析.测定的6个酶系统中,确定了9个等位酶位点,多态位点百分率平均值为90.48%,平均等位基因数为2.920 7,平均预期杂合值为0.542 7.总的基因多样性中,86%存在于居群内,14%来自居群间.聚类分析以遗传距离D=0.14为分界线将6份材料明显地分为2组.研究表明,新麦草具有丰富的遗传多样性,其多样性可能与生境、人工驯化、风媒异交等因素有关.     

Using genetic tools to inform conservation of fragmented populations of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across their range in China

A herd of 15 Chinese elephants attracted international attention during their 2021 northward trek, motivating the government to propose establishment of an Asian elephant national park. However, planning is hampered by a lack of genetic information on the remaining populations in China. We collected DNA from 497 dung samples from all 5 populations encompassing the entire range of elephants in China and used mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to investigate their genetic and demographic structure. We identified 237 unique genotypes (153 females, 84 males), representing 81% of the known population. However, the effective population size was small (28, range 25–32). Historic demographic contraction appeared to account for low haplotype diversity (H_d = 0.235), but moderate nucleotide and nuclear diversity (π = 0.6%, H_e = 0.55) was attributable to post-bottleneck recovery involving recent population expansion plus historical gene exchange with elephants in Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. The 5 populations fell into 3 clusters, with Nangunhe elephants differing consistently from the other 4 populations (F_ST = 0.23); elephants from Mengyang, Simao, and Jiangcheng belonged to a single population (henceforth, MSJ), and differed from the Shangyong population (F_ST = 0.11). Interpopulation genetic variation reflected isolation by distance and female-biased dispersal. Chinese elephants should be managed as 2 distinct units: Nangunhe and another combining Shangyong and MSJ; their long-term viability will require restoring gene flow between Shangyong and MSJ, and between elephants in China and neighboring countries. Our results have the potential to inform conservation planning for an iconic megafaunal species.     

Genetic and non-genetic factors influencing KLH binding natural antibodies and specific antibody response to Newcastle disease in Kenyan chicken populations

This study aimed at investigating the influence of genetic and non-genetic factors on immune traits to inform on possibilities of genetic improvement of disease resistance traits in local chicken of Kenya. Immune traits such as natural and specific antibodies are considered suitable indicators of an individual's health status and consequently, used as indicator traits of disease resistance. In this study, natural antibodies binding to Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH-NAbs) was used to measure general disease resistance. Specific antibodies binding to Newcastle disease virus (NDV-IgG) post vaccination was used to measure specific disease resistance. Titers of KLH-NAbs isotypes (KLH-IgM, KLH-IgG and KLH-IgA) and NDV-IgG were measured in 1,540 chickens of different ages ranging from 12 to 56 weeks. A general linear model was fitted to determine the effect of sex, generation, population type, phylogenetic cluster, line, genotype and age on the antibody traits. A multivariate animal mixed model was fitted to estimate heritability and genetic correlations among the antibody traits. The model constituted of non-genetic factors found to have a significant influence on the antibody traits as fixed effects, and animal and residual effects as random variables. Overall mean (±SE) concentration levels for KLH-IgM, KLH-IgG, KLH-IgA and NDV-IgG were 10.33 ± 0.04, 9.08 ± 0.02, 6.00 ± 0.02 and 10.12 ± 0.03, respectively. Sex, generation and age (linear covariate) significantly (p < 0.05) influenced variation across all the antibody traits. Genotype effects (p < 0.05) were present in all antibody traits, apart from KLH-IgA. Interaction between generation and line was significant (p < 0.05) in KLH-IgM and NDV-IgG while nesting phylogenetic cluster within population significantly (p < 0.05) influenced all antibody traits, apart from KLH-IgA. Heritability estimates for KLH-IgM, KLH-IgG, KLH-IgA and NDV-IgG were 0.28 ± 0.08, 0.14 ± 0.06, 0.07 ± 0.04 and 0.31 ± 0.06, respectively. There were positive genetic correlations (0.40–0.61) among the KLH-NAbs while negative genetic correlations (−0.26 to −0.98) were observed between the KLH-NAbs and NDV-IgG. Results from this study indicate that non-genetic effects due to biological and environmental factors influence natural and specific antibodies and should be accounted for to reduce bias and improve accuracy when evaluating the traits. Subsequently, the moderate heritability estimates in KLH-IgM and NDV-IgG suggest selection possibilities for genetic improvement of general and specific immunity, respectively, and consequently disease resistance. However, the negative correlations between KLH-NAbs and NDV-IgG indicate the need to consider a suitable approach that can optimally combine both traits in a multiple trait selection strategies.