Expression and functional analysis of the Follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) gene in the sheep ovary during the oestrous cycle

Follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) is a regulator of cellular apoptosis and was previously identified via RNA-Seq to be associated with follicular development in mammalian ovaries. However, the mechanism underlying the FSTL3 regulation of oestrus in sheep remained poorly understood. In this study, the oestrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations in blood were detected, and the expression level and functional analysis of FSTL3 in the ovary were studied during the different reproductive stage in Aohan fine wool sheep (seasonal breeding breed in China). The concentrations of E2 and P4 at the anestrus were significantly lower compared to dioestrus, proestrus and oestrus stages. Higher expression levels of FSTL3 were observed in the sheep ovary, hypothalamus, and thyroid. During different reproductive stages, higher expression levels were found during the stages of dioestrus and proestrus, while lower levels were found during the oestrus and anestrus stages. Functional analysis of FSTL3 was performed in primary granulosa cells (GCs) of sheep. The concentration of E2 increased significantly after RNAi interference of FSTL3, while the P4 level decreased. FSTL3 can decrease P4 levels, which might be involved in mediating oestrous cycle in sheep.     

Production of irrigated Trifolium repens L. under a cutting regime in the subtropical region of Gauteng,South Africa

Abstract

The productivity of Trifolium repens L. cv. Ladino, under irrigation in the subtropical region of Gauteng, South Africa, is unknown. The performance of T. repens was determined over five years (1981/1982 to 1985/1986), at two defoliation frequencies, four levels of nitrogen (0, 400, 800 and 1 600 kg N ha^?1 ‐ total applied over five years), and either the removal or recycling of harvested material. Frequent, compared to infrequent defoliation, resulted in higher dry matter (DM) yields from the second year onwards. Dry matter yields were positively affected by the recycling of material, compared to no recycling. A mean DM yield of 191 ha^?1 in the first year and 12 t ha^?1 in the final year, was obtained. The highest DM yields occurred during October for all years and lowest DM yields from January to March. The first and final year showed similar peaks (late October) and troughs (March till April). Crude protein (CP) content of the herbage was influenced more by frequency of defoliation than recycling of material, where the highest CP content in any year was obtained from frequent defoliation. Nitrogen fertiliser applied up to a total of 1 600 kg N ha^?1 over five years had no effect on either DM yield or crude protein content. This study has shown that T. repens could be a productive pasture for at least five years in the subtropical region of Gauteng, South Africa. Productivity and quality of T. repens were enhanced by a defoliation interval of less than five weeks and when soil high fertility was maintained by recycled plant material.     

羊痘研究概况

羊痘病毒基因组庞大,约有150 kb,包括中间编码区和两端相同的反向末端重复序列;绵羊痘病毒和山羊痘病毒基因组彼此十分相似,约有96%的核苷酸完全相同.p32蛋白是目前世界各地分离鉴定的所有羊痘病毒株共有的且特异性很强的结构蛋白,在诊断和预防方面具有重要的应用价值.虽然羊疸从临床症状和宿主特异性上很客易做出诊断,但进一步的实验室确诊还是必要的,现已有多种检测方法和诊断试剂.控制该病最有效的方法是使用疫苗对易感动物进行免疫接种.文章从病原学、诊断和预防控制等方面对羊痘进行综述.     

A recombinant-based ELISA evaluating the efficacy of netobimin and albendazole in ruminants with naturally acquired fascioliasis

The therapeutic efficacy of albendazole and netobimin in ruminants with naturally occurring fascioliasis was investigated using a recombinant-based ELISA. The variation in the IgG response against a 2.9-kDa recombinant protein (FhrAPS), termed efficacy index (EI) 1, and the egg-output changes, termed EI 2, were used to evaluate drug efficacy.The values of EI 1 ranged between 0% and 50% in sheep, and between 0% and 30% in cattle after treatment with albendazole and netobimin. Similar EI 2 values were observed in sheep receiving albendazole or netobimin, but the highest values were found in cattle treated with netobimin. The significant reduction in the IgG response to FhrAPS found in this study shows promise in terms of developing alternative methods for evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy against Fasciola hepatica in grazing ruminants.     

补饲对湘东黑山羊血液生化指标的影响

采用32只3～4月龄的湘东黑山羊,研究三种不同补饲水平对其血液生化指标的影响.设1个对照组与3个试验组,试验组平均补饲量依次按100 g/d、200 g/d、300 g/d.结果表明:肥育羔羊的血清尿素氮、钙、无机磷与总蛋白含量在各组间的变化范围依次是:19.77 mg/dL～20.98 mg/dL、8.28 mg/dL～10.52 mg/dL、4.14 mg/dL～4.80 mg/dL、72.53 g/L～81.33 g/L.     

不同品种类型玉米不同器官和全株生物产量比较

本试验旨在比较不同品种类型玉米(Zea mays)不同器官和全株的生物产量,以提高玉米定向培育的选择效率。选择32种具有代表性的玉米优良品种为试验材料,根据淀粉性质、籽实外形、成熟性质和用途4种分类方法,分别对完熟期玉米的籽实、玉米芯、苞叶、叶片、叶鞘、茎秆及全株的鲜物质、风干物质、干物质以及粗蛋白质和总能产量进行比较。每个品种选择5个地块,每个地块选取10株玉米。结果表明:玉米的籽实、玉米芯、苞叶、叶片、叶鞘、茎秆和全株的鲜物质、风干物质、干物质、粗蛋白质和总能产量不同品种类型间差异均显著(P0.05)。根据淀粉性质、籽实外形和成熟性质分类不足以区别不同品种类型玉米的不同器官和全株生物产量(P0.05)。按用途分类,不同品种类型玉米不同器官和全株生物产量(玉米籽实的风干物质、干物质和总能产量除外)均差异显著(P0.05),表现为饲用玉米红粒玉米普通玉米糯玉米。对广泛种植的普通玉米和饲用玉米进行比较,设定普通玉米产量为100.0%,则饲用玉米籽实、玉米芯、苞叶、叶片、叶鞘、茎秆和全株的鲜物质产量分别为121.9%、164.2%、175.5%、149.0%、151.7%、168.8%和149.9%;风干物质产量分别为107.9%、143.7%、155.1%、139.4%、126.1%、162.0%和129.1%;干物质产量分别为107.5%、143.4%、155.0%、139.5%、125.7%、162.0%和129.21%;粗蛋白质产量分别为119.0%、142.9%、181.5%、161.6%、122.0%、137.4%和131.7%;总能产量分别为107.7%、143.8%、155.0%、139.4%、126.1%、162.0%和129.1%。玉米籽实干物质、粗蛋白质和总能产量占玉米全株的比例,普通玉米分别为47.75%、57.87%和48.49%,饲用玉米分别为39.72%、52.36%和40.48%。由此得出,普通玉米全株饲喂是"粮改饲"的最基本的策略,而饲用玉米籽实和全株生物产量都高于普通玉米,种植饲用玉米可以增加30%左右的土地利用。     

No easy solution for the fractionation of faecal nitrogen in captive wild herbivores: results of a pilot study

Faecal nitrogen (FN) concentration is used as a marker for habitat quality and digestive efficiency in free‐ranging herbivores. In herbivores, FN can be separated into undigested plant N (analysed as the N concentration of the neutral detergent residue) and metabolic faecal N (MFN). It has been suggested that by differential analysis of the faecal fibre‐bound N, the MFN fraction can be further split into a bacterial N and an endogenous N fraction [Hesta et al., Br. J. Nutr. 90 (2003) 1007]. We applied these methods to 96 faecal samples of 48 mammalian herbivore species from zoos. Species were grouped into coprophageous and non‐coprophageous hindgut fermenters and ruminating and non‐ruminating foregut fermenters. Diet was not controlled. The FN decreased with body mass, possibly reflecting higher proportions of concentrates in diets of smaller animals. The proportion of MFN increased with FN, indicating that higher quality food might enhance the gastrointestinal bacterial flora. The only outlier to this pattern was the lesser panda (Ailurus fulgens), confirming the low relevance of fermentative digestion in this herbivorous ‘carnivore’. No relevant differences between the four digestion types were noted. The proportion of endogenous faecal N (32–80% of FN) was always higher than that of bacterial faecal N (7–30%), which contradicts basal understanding of herbivore digestive physiology. Thus, the method of Hesta et al. (2003) does not appear applicable to herbivores. While the results do not exclude the possibility that detailed differences might occur between digestion types, they indicate a high degree of similarity between herbivores that rely on bacterial fermentation, regardless of their digestion type, with respect to metabolic faecal losses.     

蛋白质周转代谢及其测定

蛋白质是生物体的重要组成部分。动物蛋白质周转是动物体内蛋白质积累形成动物产品的唯一生物学途径和基本生物学机制 ,是生物体细胞结构和功能的根本动力学过程。本文对蛋白质周转代谢的概念、术语、动物蛋白质周转代谢的意义做了阐述 ,介绍了蛋白质周转代谢的测定方法 ,并重点介绍了蛋白质周转代谢的随机分析与房室分析方法。     

牛子宫复旧过程中胶原蛋白和肌浆球蛋白降解规律的研究

本实验监测8头围产期奶牛外周血浆中胶原蛋白和肌浆球蛋白的代谢产物——羟基脯氨酸(HP)和3甲基组氨酸(3MH)的含量,借以找出这两种蛋白质的代谢规律和子宫复旧的关系。结果表明:荷兰黑白花牛和娟珊牛血浆中HP的含量和子宫角直径分别呈显著及极显著正相关(r=0.41,P<0.05和r=0.57 P<0.01),而3MH分别呈极显著和显著正相关(r=0.52 P<0.01和r=0.39(P<0.05)。此外,黑白花牛血浆中3MH的含量极显著高于娟珊牛(P<0.001)。两个品种牛子宫复旧的平均时间,黑白花牛为37.4±3.1天,娟珊牛32.3±2.1天。结果说明牛产后子宫体积的缩小与子宫肌肉的胶原蛋白和肌浆球蛋白降解成氨基酸排出体外有关,子宫复旧的速度可能决定于这两种蛋白质的降解速度。