Molecular genetics of the adrenocortical axis and breeding for robustness

The concept of robustness refers to the combination of a high production potential and a low sensitivity to environmental perturbations. The importance of robustness-related traits in breeding objectives is progressively increasing toward the production of animals with a high production level in a wide range of climatic conditions and production systems, together with a high level of animal welfare. Current strategies to increase robustness include selection for "functional traits," such as skeletal and cardiovascular integrity, disease resistance, and mortality at various stages. It is also possible to use global evaluation of sensitivity to the environment (eg reaction norm analysis or canalization), but these techniques are difficult to implement in practice. The glucocorticoid hormones released by the adrenal cortex exert a wide range of effects on metabolism, the cardiovascular system, inflammatory processes, and brain function, for example. Protein catabolism toward energy production and storage (lipids and glycogen) supports their pivotal role in stress responses aiming at the adaptation and survival of individuals under strong environmental pressure. Large individual variations have been described in adrenocortical axis activity, with important physiopathological consequences. In terms of animal production, higher cortisol levels have negative effects on growth rate and feed efficiency and increase the fat:lean ratio of carcasses. On the contrary, cortisol has positive effects on functional traits and adaptation. Intense selection for lean tissue growth and more generally high protein output during the past decades has concomitantly reduced cortisol production, which may be responsible for the negative effects of selection on functional traits. In this paper, we review experimental evidence suggesting that the balance between production and functional traits was modified in favor of improved robustness by selecting animals with higher adrenocortical axis activity, as well as the molecular genetic tools that can be used to fine-tune this objective.     

Comparison of genomic and traditional BLUP-estimated breeding value accuracy and selection response under alternative trait and genomic parameters

Accuracy of prediction of estimated breeding values based on genome-wide markers (GEBV) and selection based on GEBV as compared with traditional Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) was examined for a number of alternatives, including low heritability, number of generations of training, marker density, initial distributions, and effective population size (Ne). Results show that the more the generations of data in which both genotypes and phenotypes were collected, termed training generations (TG), the better the accuracy and persistency of accuracy based on GEBV. GEBV excelled for traits of low heritability regardless of initial equilibrium conditions, as opposed to traditional marker-assisted selection, which is not useful for traits of low heritability. Effective population size is critical for populations starting in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium but not for populations started from mutation-drift equilibrium. In comparison with traditional BLUP, GEBV can exceed the accuracy of BLUP provided enough TG are included. Unfortunately selection rapidly reduces the accuracy of GEBV. In all cases examined, classic BLUP selection exceeds what was possible for GEBV selection. Even still, GEBV could have an advantage over traditional BLUP in cases such as sex-limited traits, traits that are expensive to measure, or can only be measured on relatives. A combined approach, utilizing a mixed model with a second random effect to account for quantitative trait loci in linkage equilibrium (the polygenic effect) was suggested as a way to capitalize on both methodologies.     

LDSO: a program to simulate pedigrees and molecular information under various evolutionary forces

Simulations are a major tool to evaluate new statistical methods and optimize experimental designs in the genomic era. However, this can only be achieved when the simulations are close enough to reality, as well as diverse enough to be realistic. For mapping studies, it is thus critical to re-create as much as possible the forces generating linkage (mutation, random drift, changes in population sizes, selection and pedigree structure) and the mechanisms producing trait genetic architecture (additivity, dominance, epistasis). We present here a computer program (ldso) simulating these phenomena. Optional outputs provide statistics on the linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure and the identity by descent between chromosomal segments, facilitating further data analyses. Furthermore, ldso enables the simulation of genomic data in known pedigrees, which sticks as precisely as possible to recent population history and structures of the long-range LD, allowing optimization of fine-mapping strategies.     

Picking a tree: habitat use by the tree agama,Acanthocercus atricollis atricollis,in South Africa

We studied tree agama (Acanthocercus a. atricollis) habitat use in the Magaliesberg mountain range in northern South Africa using sightings of marked individuals, and in a few cases, radio-telemetry. Acanthocercus a. atricollis preferentially selected thorn trees (46%; Acacia karroo), followed by common sugarbush (10%; Protea caffra) and dead trees (9%). The type of tree selected was unrelated to lizard age class or sex. Multivariate analysis failed to show any age class or sex effects for specific tree physical characteristics, but did reveal a preference for trees with greater diameter, canopy cover and incidence of parasitic plants. We suggest that more ‘complex’ trees may enhance crypsis, facilitate escape from predation, or provide a foraging advantage. Acanthocercus a. atricollis selected night-time perches higher than those used during the day, possibly further offsetting predation risk.     

山黧豆低毒品种的筛选及栽培利用技术研究

对国内外引进的６５个山黧豆品种，经３年观察和农艺性状的测定以及β－草酰氨基丙酸（ＢＯＡＡ）、营养成分的分析，筛选出产量，蛋白质含量高，毒素含量低，经毒理学实验为安全饲用的黑龙江山黧豆－１，黑龙江山黧豆－２，西德山黧豆３个品种供生产中应用，还针对山黧豆作为饲草（料）推广应用中的播种量，磷肥施用量，压青及根茬肥效等栽培利用措施进行了探讨。     

Selection on multiple QTL with control of gene diversity and inbreeding for long-term benefit

The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate selection strategies that aim at maximizing long-term genetic response while conserving gene diversity and controlling inbreeding in populations of limited effective size, assuming complete knowledge of all genes affecting a quantitative trait. Three selection strategies were proposed to select on 100 quantitative trait loci (QTL) and compared with truncation selection on breeding value. Alternative selection strategies aimed at maximizing the average breeding value of parents with a penalty on (1) the number of unfavourable QTL genotypes among parents (OS-I), (2) the negative of the logarithm of the frequency of the favourable allele at each QTL among parents (OS-II), and (3) the average pedigree relationship among parents (OS-III). When all QTL and their effects were known, the strategies examined were able to obtain extra long-term responses, conserve QTL diversity and reduce inbreeding, compared with truncation selection. Strategy OS-II was the most effective in conserving QTL diversity and OS-III in reducing inbreeding. By changing the magnitude of the penalties applied, the impact on long-term response, inbreeding and diversity can be controlled. Extra long-term responses over truncation selection of OS-I and OS-II were even greater when effects of QTL were estimated rather than assumed known, indicating the applicability of results to practical strategies for marker-assisted selection. Extra responses are expected to be reduced for larger population sizes.     

家蚕母种继代蛾区选择方法对种性维持的影响

为了有效保持生产实用家蚕品种的优良性状,在家蚕母种继代繁育中采用5种选择方法选择继代蛾区,探讨种性维持效果。分析8年12代及F1代的成绩表明:所有性状以保持种性为主,采用选留平均数上下1个标准差范围内蛾区的稳定化选择和以茧丝质指标在平均数-0.5~1.0标准差范围内选择,并结合健康性指标选留高值的综合选择,有利于家蚕母种的种性维持。     

选择产蛋量七个世代蛋壳及蛋品质的相关反应

以北京白鸡Ⅲ系七世代选择群和基础群为材料,估计选择产蛋量七个世代对蛋壳及蛋品质产生的相关反应.结果表明,经七个世代选择,产蛋量、蛋重、蛋白高度和哈夫单位都有所提高,而蛋壳厚度和蛋比重有一定程度下降.估计蛋壳厚度、蛋白高度和哈夫单位的遗传力分别是0.159 5、0.017 8和0.099 4.产蛋量与蛋白高度、哈夫单位和蛋壳厚度呈负遗传相关.选择产蛋量使蛋壳品质发生负向相关反应.     

利用后裔测定验证大白猪基因组选择实施效果研究

旨在通过测定基因组选择选留的大白公猪的后裔生产性能,探究基因组选择实际育种效果。本研究选用913头大白猪构建参考群体,利用ssGBLUP对新出生的823头大白公猪在去势前进行第一次基因组评估,待生产性能测定后进行第二次基因组评估,最终选留10头性能差异显著的公猪留种,比较其后代生长性状表型和育种值及综合选择指数差异。结果表明,两次基因组遗传评估,达100 kg体重日龄、100 kg活体背膘厚和总产仔数3个性状基因组育种值（GEBV）估计准确性分别由0.56、0.67和0.64提高至0.73、0.73和0.67,两次基因组选择基因组母系指数相关系数为0.82,表明在去势前进行公猪基因组选择具有较高的准确性,可实现种猪早期选择。根据各性状GEBV和基因组母系指数,10头公猪被划分为高、低生产性能组,后裔测定成绩表明,两组公猪后代100 kg体重日龄表型均值之差为2.58 d,育种值之差为3.08 d,100 kg活体背膘厚表型均值之差为1.15 mm,育种值之差为1.03 mm,综合母系指数均值之差为9.3,除后代100 kg体重日龄表型均值之差外,其他差异均达到极显著水平。本研究证明,在基因组评估中具有显著差异的公猪其后代在表型值和育种值等方面均存在显著差异,通过基因组选择能够挑选出优秀种公猪,可将其遗传优势传递给后代。     

The role of genetic engineering in livestock production

In this paper we discuss the use of genetic engineering in livestock production. We examine the main two different aspects of genetic engineering: cloning and transgenesis. After commenting what has been expected from both techniques in livestock production in the last 25 years, the practical difficulties for implementing cloning and transgenesis are examined. Apart from technical difficulties, problems derived from the detection of genetically superior animals and evaluation of the clones and the transgenic animals make these techniques less interesting than they appear to be. Most of the observed variability of the economically interesting traits is not genetic, genetic evaluation needs a large number of animals and cloning success will represent a serious loss of genetic variability and the loss of the flexibility needed for markets in constant evolution. There is a risk in transgenic animals of production of new intermediate biochemical products that may be toxic, allergenic or carcinogenic. The benefits produced by transgenic animals hitherto hardly justify this risk. The expectations that genetic engineering produced 25 years ago should be re-examined, considering the risks and the high investment required.